Dante was a seventeen year old high school junior who was displaying several alcohol-related problems at school. As a result, the principal explained to him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor, before he would be permitted to return to class.
Later that afternoon when Dante went home after school, he had to clarify his school suspension to his Mother and Father. His Mother and Father were “fairly conservative” and told Dante that dropping out of school was not a viable educational game plan. They told Dante that failing to graduate from high school would likely be like a lead weight around his feet that could probably encumber his educational attainment for the remainder of his life. Moreover, Dante’s Mother and Father were extremely saddened that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his pals in the second.
His Mom and Dad explained to Dante that even though he may be a teenager, he needs to realize rather quickly that drinking is the path to financial problems, failure, pain, and ill health.
It was obvious that his Mother and Father were out-and-out in full agreement with Dante’s principal and informed Dante that he had better come to the understanding that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor. After his chat with his Mother and Father, Dante eventually agreed to see Miss Johnson the next school day. So Dante phoned the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during lunch.
The Counselor Asks Dante if He Comprehends Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Activities Caused Quite a Bit of Concern By the School Administrators
When Dante went to see Miss Johnson, she immediately surveyed all of the alcohol-related problems Dante had gotten into 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 wondered why the principal suggested that he see a school counselor. As he expressed to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional counselor about his drinking activities? Because virtually all of his friends drink the same amount that he does, drinking really is no big thing. Stated more precisely, if nearly everyone is drinking, why is this such a major problem?
Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink. He said that some of his older friends introduced him to drinking wine coolers when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter junior high school.
Miss Johnson explained to Dante that while his peers may in fact drink as much as he does and that they may be a negative influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting discharged from school due to alcohol-related delinquency, absenteeism, and fighting, not his friends. Furthermore, Miss Johnson also underscored the fact that Dante, and not his classmates, is the one who is failing and who is missing at least one day of school every week because of his alcohol related issues. Finally, Miss Johnson emphasized the fact that due to his drinking circumstances, Dante is getting into a dangerous cycle of hazardous drinking that can in due course destroy his hopes, dreams and aspirations.
In short, Dante’s involvement with youth alcohol abuse was beginning to impede his ability to act like an accountable young man. As put into words by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your friends drink hard liquor, beer, wine, or wine coolers does not mean that it is the best thing in the world for you.”
Dante Learns That In the End He Must Take Responsibility For Himself In Order to Avoid Dangerous, Damaging, Destructive, and Unhealthy Outcomes In the Future
Miss Johnson told Dante that others can definitely influence a person in an unhealthy manner, but that the person herself or himself has to in the end claim responsibility for himself or herself in order to keep away from damaging, dangerous, destructive, and unhealthy consequences down the road.
Fortunately, Miss Johnson was quite organized for her scheduled appointment with Dante. She showed him research studies and reports she had underlined that summarized different drinking facts and statistics that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Dante quite a lot of information that applied especially to teens.
For instance, Miss Johnson underscored the difference between alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse and told Dante that individuals who continue to drink excessively frequently become addicted to alcohol.
Miss Johnson also discussed the concept of binge drinking which she defined as follows: consuming five or more drinks in one sitting for males and drinking four or more drinks in one sitting for females.
The Therapist Lists Several Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse Facts and Statistics
Then Miss Johnson verbalized various alcohol facts and the following eight alcohol abuse statistics:
1. The 25.9% of teen drinkers in the U.S. who are alcohol abusers and alcoholic drink 47.3% of the alcohol that is ingested by all adolescent drinkers.
2. Fifty percent of U.S. murders are alcohol related.
3. In 2002, U.S. alcoholism facts and statistics demonstrated that 2.6 million binge drinkers were between the ages of 12 and 17.
4. It is projected that more than 3 million teenagers in the United States between the ages of 14 to 17 are alcohol abusers or dependent on alcohol.
5. In the United States, more than forty percent of those who begin drinking at the age 14 or younger become alcoholic.
6. Relatively few of the more than 18 million U.S. alcohol abusers receive the alcohol rehab they require.
7. Teenage drinking costs Americans nearly billion per year. If this cost were shared equally by each congressional district, the amount would total more than 0 million per district.
8. Alcohol-related difficulties are unevenly found among both juvenile and adult criminal offenders.
Dante Receives A Relevant Jolt of Reality About the Long Term and the Short Term Results of Youth Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction
After Miss Johnson stated the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction statistics and facts, it was evident that what Miss Johnson revealed to Dante was a real source of revelation for him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to explain the long term and the short term effects of alcoholism and alcohol abuse, but she also made the effort to validate what she was saying with alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse facts and statistics that related to everyone, and especially to teens.
Undeniably, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante instantaneously comprehended why he should not be engaging in excessive and abusive drinking with or without his pals any longer. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the material she presented.
Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical examination and an alcohol assessment for the alcohol abuse or alcoholism rehabilitation he would probably need.
Dante thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get an extensive physical exam and to go through a complete assessment of his drinking situation so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcoholism rehab program immediately.
Tags: alcohol abuse, alcohol abuse statistics, alcohol statistics, alcohol treatment, alcoholism, alcoholism facts, alcoholism statistics, long term effects of alcohol, short term effects of alcohol, teen alcohol abuse, teen alcohol abuse statistics, teenage alcohol abuse
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