Dante was a fifteen year old high school sophomore who was manifesting a number of alcohol-related issues at school. For that reason, the principal informed him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist, before he would be allowed to return to school.
Later that afternoon when Dante went home after school, he had to go over his school situation with his Mother and Father. His parents were “relatively old-style” and told Dante that getting discharged from school was not a tolerable educational option. They told Dante that failing to graduate from high school would more likely than not be like a lead weight around his feet that could quite possibly mar his educational attainment for the rest of his life. In addition, Dante’s Mother and Father were very displeased that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his classmates in the second.
His Mom and Dad explained to Dante that although he may be a teen, he needs to understand fairly swiftly that drinking is the path to ill health, financial problems, pain, and failure.
It was obvious that his Mom and Dad were out and out in full accord with Dante’s principal and explained to Dante that he had better make plans to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor. After his talk with his Mom and Dad, Dante finally agreed to see Miss Johnson the next day. So Dante called the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his sixth period class.
The Therapist Asks Dante if He Understands Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Actions Made the School Administrators Uneasy
When Dante got to his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she instantaneously examined all of the alcohol-related difficulties Dante had experienced and asked him if he understood why his recent alcohol-related actions caused quite a bit of concern by the school administrators.
Quite frankly, Dante was not sure why the principal suggested that he see a school therapist. As he stated to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking activities? Because just about all of his pals drink the same amount that he does, essentially, drinking shouldn’t be such a big deal. Stated more explicitly, if almost everyone is drinking, why is this such a big thing?
Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink alcoholic beverages. He said that some of his older friends introduced him to drinking wine when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter junior high school.
Miss Johnson explained to Dante that while his pals may indeed drink more than he does and that they may be a bad influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting expelled from school due to alcohol-related fighting, delinquency, and absenteeism, not his classmates. What is more, Miss Johnson also underlined the fact that Dante, and not his friends, is the one who is failing and who is missing one day of class every week due to his alcohol related problems. Lastly, Miss Johnson underscored the fact that due to his drinking activities, Dante is getting into a damaging cycle of excessive drinking that can in the long run destroy his hopes, dreams and aspirations.
In short, Dante’s involvement with youth alcohol abuse was starting to thwart his ability to function as an accountable young man. As put into words by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your buddies drink beer, hard liquor, wine, or wine coolers does not mean that it is right for you.”
Dante Learns That Eventually He Must Be Accountable For Himself In Order to Keep Away From Destructive, Dangerous, Damaging, and Unhealthy Outcomes In the Future
Miss Johnson explained to Dante that others can undeniably influence an individual in an unhealthy way, but that the individual himself or herself has to sooner or later be responsible for herself or himself in order to prevent dangerous, damaging, unhealthy, and destructive circumstances down the road.
Fortunately, Miss Johnson was extremely well prepared for her appointment with Dante. She showed him reports and research studies she had underlined that listed various drinking statistics and facts that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante quite a bit of information that applied particularly to teens.
As an illustration, Miss Johnson explained the difference between alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse and explained to Dante that people who continue to abuse alcohol regularly become alcoholic.
Miss Johnson also went over the concept of binge drinking that she defined as follows: ingesting five or more drinks in one sitting for males and consuming four or more drinks in one sitting for females.
The Counselor Verbalizes Several Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Facts and Statistics
Then Miss Johnson conveyed various alcohol facts and the following eight alcohol abuse statistics:
1. Alcohol abuse and Alcoholism cost the United States an estimated $220 billion in 2005. This dollar amount was more than the cost correlated with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion.
2. More than one-half of American adults have a close family member or relative who has or has had alcoholism.
3. More than three fourths of female victims of nonfatal, domestic violence claimed that their assailant had been using drugs or drinking.
4. In the United States on an annual basis, more than 33% of pedestrians killed by automobiles were legally inebriated.
5. One national study uncovered the fact that students are less likely to drink alcohol if they are socially accepted by individuals at school and believe that teachers treat students in a fair manner.
6. Research reveals that young people who drink alcohol may remember 10 percent less of what they have learned than teens who don’t drink.
7. Around ten to twenty percent of the individuals who drink heavily in the long run develop cirrhosis of the liver (i.e., a scarring of the liver that can be fatal).
8. Up to 40 percent of the U.S. industrial deaths and 47% of industrial injuries are linked to alcohol dependency or alcohol abuse.
Dante Receives A Meaningful Jolt of Reality Regarding the Short Term and the Long Term Effects of Teen Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse
After Miss Johnson stated the aforementioned alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse facts and statistics, it was apparent that what Miss Johnson taught Dante was a realization for him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only took the time to give an explanation of the short term and the long term consequences of alcohol abuse and alcoholism, but she also took the time to confirm what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts that related to everyone, and especially to young people.
Without a doubt, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante promptly grasped why he should not be engaging in hazardous and abusive drinking with or without his buddies anymore. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the information she went over.
Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical exam and an alcohol evaluation for the alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency rehabilitation he would probably need.
Dante thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get a comprehensive physical examination and to go through a thorough appraisal of his drinking condition so that he could start an alcohol treatment program right away.