Dante was a sixteen year old high school sophomore who was manifesting numerous alcohol-related problems at school. Consequently, the principal told him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school psychologist, before he would be permitted to come back to school.

Later that day when Dante went home after school, he had to clarify his school suspension to his Mom and Dad. His Mom and Dad were “relatively conventional” and explained to Dante that getting thrown out of school was not a doable educational option. They told Dante that failing to graduate from high school would more likely than not be like a lead weight around his legs that could conceivably harm his educational aspirations for the rest of his life. What is more, Dante’s Mom and Dad were quite saddened that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his classmates in the second.

His Mom and Dad explained to Dante that even though he may be a teenager, he has to understand without much delay that drinking is the path to pain, financial problems, ill health, and failure.

It was obvious that his Mom and Dad were absolutely in agreement with Dante’s principal and explained to Dante that he had better come to the realization that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist. After his discussion with his Mother and Father, Dante at last agreed to see Miss Johnson the next day. So Dante called the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his third period class.

The Therapist Asks Dante if He Comprehends Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Behavior Caused Quite a Bit of Concern By the School Administrators

When Dante arrived at his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she instantaneously 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 anxiety by the school administrators.

Quite sincerely, Dante was unsure why the principal told him he had to see a school therapist. As he stated to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking behavior? Because virtually all of his friends drink as much if not more than he does, fundamentally, drinking is no big thing. Stated more directly, if just about everybody 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 buddies introduced him to drinking hard liquor when he was twelve or thirteen years old and in the seventh grade.

Miss Johnson informed Dante that while his friends 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 expelled from school due to alcohol-related delinquency, absenteeism, and fighting, not his peers. In addition, Miss Johnson also underscored the fact that Dante, and not his buddies, is the one who is failing and who is missing at least one day of class every week because of his alcohol related difficulties. Lastly, Miss Johnson underlined the fact that due to his drinking circumstances, Dante is getting into a dangerous cycle of hazardous drinking that can finally wreck his dreams, hopes, and aspirations.

In a word, Dante’s involvement with youth alcohol abuse was starting to thwart his ability to function as an accountable young man. As pronounced by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your friends drink wine coolers, beer, hard liquor, or wine does not mean that it is the correct behavior for you.”

Dante Learns That In Due Course He Must Be Responsible For Himself In Order to Stay Away From Destructive, Unhealthy, Damaging, and Dangerous Circumstances In the Foreseeable Future

Miss Johnson explained to Dante that one’s friends can undoubtedly influence a person in an unhealthy manner, but that the individual herself or himself has to in the end be responsible for himself or herself in order to stay away from destructive, dangerous, unhealthy, and damaging outcomes in the foreseeable future.

Luckily, Miss Johnson was well prepared for her scheduled appointment with Dante. She showed him research studies and reports she had highlighted that outlined different drinking statistics and facts that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante a lot of information that applied particularly to teenagers.

As an illustration, Miss Johnson stressed the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse and explained to Dante that individuals who continue to drink in a hazardous manner more often than not become addicted to alcohol.

Miss Johnson also articulated the concept of binge drinking which 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 Presents Numerous Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency Facts and Statistics

Then Miss Johnson listed various alcohol facts and the following eight alcohol abuse statistics:

1. As revealed by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, there are 105,000 yearly alcohol-related deaths in the United States due to inebriated drivers and related injuries, diseases, or medical conditions.

2. Approximately twenty-five percent of all U.S. people who are admitted to general hospitals have alcohol-related problems or are undiagnosed individuals who are alcohol dependent who are being treated for the effects of their hazardous drinking.

3. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are the third leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S..

4. More than seven percent of the population that is 18 years old and older — just about 13.8 million Americans — has drinking problems, including 8.1 million drinkers who suffer from alcoholism.

5. 500,000 Americans who are addicted to alcohol are between the ages of 9 and 12.

6. As revealed by one U.S. survey of 18 to 24 year-old current drinkers who did not complete high school, around 60 percent started to drink before they were sixteen years old.

7. Currently, just about 14 million Americans, 1 in every 13 adults, are alcohol abusers or are addicted to alcohol.

8. As revealed by the research literature, non-alcoholic members of alcoholic’s families use ten times as much sick leave as families who do not display alcohol dependency or alcohol abuse.

Dante Gets A Relevant Jolt of Reality About the Short Term and the Long Term Outcomes of Teenage Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

After Miss Johnson articulated the aforementioned alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse statistics and facts, it was clear 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 took the time to give an explanation of the long term and the short term outcomes of alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, but she also made the effort to demonstrate what she was saying with alcoholism and alcohol abuse facts and statistics that related to everyone in general, and mainly to teens.

Indeed, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante instantly realized 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 discussed.

Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical examination and an alcohol evaluation for the alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction rehab he would probably need.

Dante thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get a complete physical examination and to go through a thorough assessment of his drinking behavior so that he could start an alcohol rehab program in a practical time frame.

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