Dante was a sixteen year old high school sophomore who was exhibiting numerous alcohol-related problems at school. For that reason, the principal explained to him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school psychologist, before he would be allowed to return to class.
Later that afternoon when Dante went home after school, he had to explain his school situation to his parents. His parents were “relatively conservative” and told Dante that dropping out of school was not a possible educational plan of action. They told Dante that failing to graduate from high school would likely be like a lead weight around his feet that may inhibit his educational aspirations for the rest of his life. Furthermore, Dante’s Mother and Father were very disappointed that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his peers in the second.
His parents informed Dante that although he may be young, he has to realize fairly promptly that drinking is the pathway to pain, ill health, financial problems, and failure.
It was evident that his parents were in total concurrence with Dante’s principal and explained to Dante that he had better come to the understanding that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist. After his chat with his parents, Dante at long last agreed to see Miss Johnson the next day. So Dante phoned the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his sixth period class.
The Psychologist Asks Dante if He Knows Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Activities Caused Quite a Bit of Concern By the School Administrators
When Dante went to see Miss Johnson, she promptly looked at all of the alcohol-related problems Dante had experienced and asked him if he understood why his recent alcohol-related behavior was such a cause for concern.
Quite frankly, Dante questioned why the principal informed him that he had to see a school psychologist. As he stated to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional counselor about his drinking activities? Since almost all of his buddies drink about as much as he does, essentially, drinking is no big thing. Stated more explicitly, if almost everyone is drinking, why is this such a major issue?
Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink. He said that some of his older classmates introduced him to drinking hard liquor when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter the seventh grade.
Miss Johnson informed Dante that while his classmates may indeed drink more than he does and that they may be a negative influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting kicked out of school due to alcohol-related fighting, delinquency, and absenteeism, not his classmates. Moreover, 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 difficulties. Finally, Miss Johnson underlined the fact that due to his drinking situation, Dante is getting into a negative cycle of excessive drinking that can in time wreck his aspirations, hopes, and dreams.
In short, Dante’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was beginning to foil his ability to function as an accountable young man. As pronounced by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your friends drink hard liquor, wine, beer, or wine coolers does not mean that it is the right thing to do for you.”
Dante Learns That Eventually He Must Be Responsible For Himself In Order to Stay Away From Damaging, Unhealthy, Dangerous, and Destructive Circumstances Down the Road
Miss Johnson told Dante that others can certainly influence a person in a negative manner, but that the individual herself or himself has to in the long run be accountable for herself or himself in order to prevent dangerous, destructive, unhealthy, and damaging effects down the road.
Luckily, Miss Johnson was very well equipped for her conference with Dante. She showed him research studies and reports she had highlighted that outlined various drinking statistics and facts that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante quite a bit of figures and reports that applied mainly to teens.
For example, Miss Johnson emphasized the difference between alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse and told Dante that people who continue to abuse alcohol more often than not become dependent on alcohol.
Miss Johnson also explained 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 Counselor Presents Quite a Few Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse Statistics and Facts
Then Miss Johnson stated various alcohol facts and the following eight alcohol abuse statistics:
1. Alcohol is an issue in nearly fifty percent of America’s murders, suicides, and accidental deaths.
2. Alcohol-related accidents are the leading cause of fatalities among adolescents.
3. Each year in the United States, just about 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking. This includes around 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle accidents.
4. Research has demonstrated that U.S. teens who drink alcohol are 50 times more likely to use cocaine than teens who never consume alcohol.
5. Nearly 1,700 college students in the U.S. lose their lives annually–around 4.65 per day–as a consequence of injuries that are alcohol related.
6. In 2005, 2.1 million American college students between the ages of 18 and 24 stated that they involve themselves in drinking while driving.
7. The World Health Organization estimates that roughly 76 million people throughout the world have disorders that are related to alcohol dependency or alcohol abuse.
8. As demonstrated by recent alcohol abuse research findings, it has been discovered that approximately 53% of the adults in the U.S. have reported that one or more of their close family members is alcohol dependent or is an alcohol abuser.
Dante Gets A Meaningful Wake Up Call Regarding the Long Term and the Short Term Outcomes of Teen Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction
After Miss Johnson articulated the aforementioned alcoholism and alcohol abuse statistics and facts, it was clear that what Miss Johnson taught Dante was a real surprise to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to explain the short term and the long term results of alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse, but she also took the time to support what she was saying with alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse facts and statistics that related to people in general, and particularly to underage drinkers.
In actual fact, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante without pause understood why he should not be engaging in hazardous and excessive drinking with or without his friends 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 appraisal for the alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency rehab he would probably need.
Dante thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get a comprehensive physical and to go through a comprehensive assessment of his drinking circumstances so that he could start an alcohol rehab program immediately.
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