Dante was a seventeen year old high school senior who was exhibiting more than a few alcohol-related problems at school. Consequently, the principal told 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 go over his school situation with his Mother and Father. His Mom and Dad were “fairly traditional” and informed Dante that getting expelled from school was not a workable educational plan of action. They explained to Dante that failing to graduate from high school would more likely than not be like a lead weight around his ankles that might hamper his educational attainment for the rest of his life. Furthermore, Dante’s Mother and Father were very letdown that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his peers in the second.
His Mom and Dad informed Dante that even though he may be an adolescent, he needs to comprehend fairly promptly that drinking is the path to pain, failure, financial problems, and ill health.
It was apparent that his Mother and Father were in total concurrence with Dante’s principal and informed Dante that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist. After his talk with his Mother and Father, Dante in the end agreed to see Miss Johnson the next day. So Dante phoned the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his sixth period class.
The Counselor Asks Dante if He Understands Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Actions Signaled Such Alarm By the School Administrators
When Dante arrived at his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she instantaneously examined all of the alcohol-related problems Dante had gotten into and asked him if he comprehended why his recent alcohol-related activities made the school administrators uneasy.
Quite frankly, Dante was unsure why the principal suggested that he see a school therapist. As he stated to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional psychologist about his drinking situation? Due to the fact that virtually all of his buddies drink the same amount that he does, primarily, drinking shouldn’t be such a big thing. Stated more forcefully, if almost everyone is drinking, why is this such a big deal?
Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink. He said that some of his older friends introduced him to drinking wine when he was twelve or thirteen years old and in the seventh grade.
Miss Johnson told Dante that while his buddies may indeed drink as much as he does and that they may be an unhealthy influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting thrown out of school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his friends. What is more, Miss Johnson also stressed the fact that Dante, and not his classmates, is the one who is failing and who is missing almost two days of school per week due to his alcohol related difficulties. Lastly, Miss Johnson stressed the fact that due to his drinking circumstances, Dante is getting into a dangerous cycle of hazardous drinking that can eventually destroy his aspirations, hopes, and dreams.
In short, Dante’s involvement with youth alcohol abuse was beginning to foil his ability to function as an accountable young man. As stated by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your classmates drink beer, hard liquor, wine coolers, or wine does not mean that it is the best thing in the world for you.”
Dante Learns That In the End He Must Be Accountable For Himself In Order to Steer Clear of Dangerous, Unhealthy, Destructive, and Damaging Situations Down the Road
Miss Johnson told Dante that one’s friends can unquestionably influence an individual in a negative way, but that the person himself or herself has to in due course claim responsibility for herself or himself in order to steer clear of dangerous, damaging, unhealthy, and destructive outcomes down the road.
Luckily, Miss Johnson was well equipped for her meeting with Dante. She showed him reports and research studies she had underlined that summarized diverse drinking facts and statistics that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante a lot of figures and reports that applied mainly to underage drinkers.
For instance, Miss Johnson underscored the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction and told Dante that drinkers who continue to drink in a hazardous manner more often than not become alcohol dependent.
Miss Johnson also discussed 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 Therapist Articulates Quite a Few Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction Statistics and Facts
Then Miss Johnson listed various alcohol facts and the following eight alcohol abuse statistics:
1. As shown in one study, almost 11% of 8th-graders, 22% of 10th-graders, and 27% of 12th-graders reported that they involved themselves in binge drinking.
2. Between 48% and 64% of the people who pass away in fires have blood alcohol levels demonstrating intoxication.
3. Pre-teens who are drinking alcohol by 7th grade are more probable to display delinquent behavior, substance abuse, and academic problems in both high school and middle school.
4. In the U.S., 33% of all suicides, 25% of all emergency room admissions, and more than 50% of all homicides and incidents of domestic violence are related to alcohol.
5. In the U.S. among drivers between the ages of 15 and 20, fatal crashes involving a single vehicle at night are three times more probable to be alcohol-related than to other fatal crashes.
6. In the U.S., more than 40 percent of the individuals who begin drinking before the age of 13 will develop alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction at some point in their lives.
7. In the United States, by the time they are seniors in high school, 80% of teens have tried alcohol and 62% have been intoxicated.
8. Treatment for alcohol dependency has been shown to decrease criminal activity up to 80% among chronic offenders, has increased their rate of employment, decreased their homelessness, and reduced their health care costs.
Dante Gets A Relevant Primer on the Facts Regarding the Long Term and the Short Term Consequences of Youth Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse
After Miss Johnson articulated the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcoholism facts and statistics, it was apparent that what Miss Johnson revealed to Dante was a wake up call 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 addiction and alcohol abuse, but she also took the time to verify what she was saying with alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse statistics and facts that related to everybody in general, and especially to underage drinkers.
Without a doubt, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante instantly grasped why he should not be engaging in excessive and hazardous drinking with or without his peers 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 examination and an alcohol assessment 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 and to go through a comprehensive evaluation of his drinking circumstances so that he could start an alcohol rehab program as soon as possible.
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