Larry was a sixteen year old high school junior who was displaying quite a few alcohol-related problems at school. Therefore, the principal told him that he had to see Miss Johns, the school therapist, before he would be allowed to come back to class.

Later that day when Larry went home after school, he had to go over his school situation with his Mom and Dad. His Mom and Dad were “old school” and informed Larry that getting discharged from school was not a doable educational plan of action. They explained to Larry that failing to graduate from high school would more likely than not be like a lead weight around his legs that could probably hinder his educational aspirations for the remainder of his life. What is more, Larry’s Mother and Father were very let down that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his friends in the second.

His Mother and Father informed Larry that although he may be an adolescent, he needs to realize rather quickly that drinking is the route to pain, financial problems, ill health, and failure.

It was obvious that his Mom and Dad were in total concurrence with Larry’s principal and informed Larry that he had better come to the realization that he needs to see Miss Johns, the school therapist. After his talk with his parents, Larry at long last agreed to see Miss Johns the next day. So Larry phoned the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johns the next day during his fifth period class.

The Therapist Asks Larry if He Understands Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Behavior Signaled Such Alarm By the School Administrators

When Larry went to see Miss Johns, she instantaneously examined all of the alcohol-related difficulties Larry had gotten into and asked him if he knew why his recent alcohol-related actions were such a cause for concern.

Quite sincerely, Larry was not sure why the principal explained to him that he had to see a school therapist. As he stated to Miss Johns, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking activities? In view of the fact that nearly all of his classmates drink as much if not more than he does, in effect, drinking shouldn’t be such a big issue. Stated more precisely, if almost everybody is drinking, why is this such a major problem?

Miss Johns asked Larry when he started to drink. He said that some of his older buddies introduced him to drinking wine when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter the seventh grade.

Miss Johns told Larry that while his buddies 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 removed from school due to alcohol-related delinquency, absenteeism, and fighting, not his buddies. What is more, Miss Johns also highlighted the fact that Larry, and not his buddies, is the one who is failing and who is missing at least one day of school per week due to his alcohol related difficulties. Lastly, Miss Johns stressed the fact that due to his drinking circumstances, Larry is getting into a dangerous cycle of abusive drinking that can ultimately ruin his life.

In a word, Larry’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was starting to thwart his ability to act like an accountable young man. As pronounced by Miss Johns, “Just because most of your friends drink hard liquor, beer, wine coolers, or wine does not mean that it is the best thing to do for you.”

Larry Learns That At the End of the Day He Must Claim Responsibility For Himself In Order to Stay Away From Unhealthy, Destructive, Dangerous, and Damaging Outcomes In the Future

Miss Johns told Larry that one’s friends can indeed influence a person in an unhealthy manner, but that the individual himself or herself has to finally take responsibility for herself or himself in order to stay away from damaging, dangerous, destructive, and unhealthy outcomes in the foreseeable future.

Fortunately, Miss Johns was extremely well equipped for her scheduled meeting with Larry. She showed him reports and research studies she had underlined that summarized diverse drinking statistics and facts that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Larry quite a bit of figures and reports that applied particularly to underage drinkers.

For instance, Miss Johns emphasized the difference between alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse and informed Larry that individuals who continue to drink excessively regularly become alcohol dependent.

Miss Johns 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 Counselor Articulates More Than a Few Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse Statistics and Facts

Then Miss Johns listed the following eight alcoholism facts and alcohol abuse statistics:

1. Alcohol is a contributing factor in approximately half of America’s murders, accidental deaths, and suicides.

2. Alcohol-related accidents are the leading cause of deaths among teens.

3. Each year in the U.S., around 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 shown that U.S. teenagers who drink alcohol are 50 times more likely to use cocaine than teenagers who never drink alcoholic beverages.

5. Roughly 1,700 college students in the U.S. lose their lives annually–about 4.65 per day–because of injuries that are alcohol related.

6. In 2005, 2.1 million American college students between the ages of 18 and 24 asserted that they engage in driving under the influence of alcohol.

7. The World Health Organization projects that nearly 76 million individuals throughout the world suffer from disorders that are related to alcoholism or alcohol abuse.

8. As demonstrated by recent alcohol abuse research findings, it has been discovered that about 53% of the adults in the United States have articulated that one or more of their close family members is addicted to alcohol or is an alcohol abuser.

Larry Gets An Important Primer on the Facts About the Long Term and the Short Term Consequences of Youth Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

After Miss Johns went over the aforementioned alcoholism and alcohol abuse facts and statistics, it was plain to see that what Miss Johns made known to Larry was a real jolt to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to go over the long term and the short term consequences of alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse, but she also took the time to validate what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics and facts that related to people in general, and chiefly to today’s youth.

Indeed, it was almost as if a light went on and Larry promptly grasped why he should not be engaging in excessive and abusive drinking with or without his classmates anymore. Larry thanked Miss Johns for her concern and for the information 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 rehab he would probably need.

Larry thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get an extensive physical exam and to go through a comprehensive assessment of his drinking circumstances so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction treatment program immediately.