Larry was a sixteen year old high school junior who was exhibiting numerous alcohol-related difficulties at school. Therefore, the principal explained to him that he had to see Miss Johns, the school psychologist, before he would be allowed to come back to class.
Later that day when Larry went home after school, he had to explain his school discharge to his parents. His parents were “fairly conventional” and informed Larry that getting expelled from school was not a doable educational plan of action. They told Larry that failing to graduate from high school would probably be like a lead weight around his ankles that could probably impair his educational attainment for the remainder of his adult life. Furthermore, Larry’s parents were extremely let down that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his pals in the second.
His parents informed Larry that even though he may be young, he has to realize without much delay that drinking is the path to failure, financial problems, pain, and ill health.
It was obvious that his Mother and Father were 100% in agreement with Larry’s principal and told Larry that he had better come to the realization that he needs to see Miss Johns, the school psychologist. After his dialogue with his parents, Larry in due course agreed to see Miss Johns the next school day. So Larry called the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johns the next afternoon.
The Counselor Asks Larry if He Understands Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Activities Gave the School Administrators Room For Alarm
When Larry got to his scheduled appointment with Miss Johns, she without pause examined all of the alcohol-related problems Larry had experienced and asked him if he understood why his recent alcohol-related behavior caused quite a bit of apprehension by the school administrators.
Quite candidly, Larry was not sure why the principal explained to him that he had to see a school psychologist. As he stated to Miss Johns, why should he see a professional psychologist about his drinking activities? In view of the fact that just about all of his pals drink the same amount that he does, essentially, drinking is no big thing. Stated more explicitly, if nearly everyone is drinking, why is this such a major issue?
Miss Johns asked Larry when he started to drink. He said that some of his older pals introduced him to drinking beer when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter the seventh grade.
Miss Johns explained to Larry that while his friends 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 peers. Furthermore, Miss Johns also highlighted the fact that Larry, and not his classmates, is the one who is failing and who is missing at least two days of class per week because of his alcohol related issues. Lastly, Miss Johns highlighted the fact that due to his drinking situation, Larry is getting into a dangerous cycle of excessive drinking that can at the end of the day ruin his dreams, hopes, and aspirations.
In a word, Larry’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was beginning to short-circuit his ability to function as a responsible young man. As conveyed by Miss Johns, “Just because most of your peers drink wine, wine coolers, beer, or hard liquor does not mean that it is the best thing in the world for you.”
Larry Learns That Sooner or Later He Must Be Accountable For Himself In Order to Keep Away From Unhealthy, Destructive, Damaging, and Dangerous Consequences In the Foreseeable Future
Miss Johns explained to Larry that one’s buddies can certainly influence an individual in a negative way, but that the individual himself or herself has to eventually be responsible for herself or himself in order to prevent dangerous, destructive, unhealthy, and damaging outcomes in the future.
Fortunately, Miss Johns was very well equipped for her scheduled appointment with Larry. She showed him reports and research studies she had underlined that outlined different drinking statistics and facts that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Larry a lot of data that applied principally to teenagers.
For instance, Miss Johns explained the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse and explained to Larry that people who continue to drink in an excessive manner repeatedly become dependent on alcohol.
Miss Johns also went over the concept of binge drinking that she defined as follows: drinking five or more drinks in one sitting for males and consuming four or more drinks in one sitting for females.
The Psychologist Presents Numerous Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Statistics and Facts
Then Miss Johns articulated the following eight alcoholism facts and alcohol abuse statistics:
1. The 25.9% of teenage drinkers in the United States who are alcoholic and alcohol abusers drink 47.3% of the alcohol that is ingested by all teenage drinkers.
2. Fifty percent of United States murders are related to alcohol.
3. In 2002, U.S. alcohol addiction statistics and facts revealed that 2.6 million binge drinkers were between the ages of 12 and 17.
4. It is estimated that more than 3 million adolescents 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 40% of those who start drinking at the age 14 or younger become addicted to alcohol.
6. Relatively few of the more than 18 million U.S. alcohol abusers receive the alcohol rehabilitation they need.
7. Adolescent drinking costs Americans nearly $53 billion per year. If each congressional district shared this cost equally, the amount would total more than $120 million per district.
8. Alcohol-related problems are disproportionately found among both adult and juvenile criminal offenders.
Larry Gets A Meaningful Primer on the Facts Concerning the Short Term and the Long Term Outcomes of Underage Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
After Miss Johns went over the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcoholism facts and statistics, it was obvious that what Miss Johns disclosed to Larry was a real source of discovery 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 outcomes of alcohol abuse and alcoholism, but she also took the time to support what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcoholism facts and statistics that related to everyone in general, and particularly to young people.
Indeed, it was almost as if a light went on and Larry immediately comprehended why he should not be engaging in abusive and hazardous drinking with or without his peers anymore. Larry thanked Miss Johns for her concern and for the material she went over.
Miss Johns then asked Larry how he felt about getting a physical examination and an alcohol evaluation for the alcohol abuse or alcoholism rehabilitation he would probably need.
Larry thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get a comprehensive physical examination and to go through a comprehensive assessment of his drinking condition so that he could start an alcohol rehab program as soon as possible.