Larry was a sixteen year old high school junior who was exhibiting numerous alcohol-related difficulties at school. For that reason, the principal explained to him that he had to see Miss Johns, the school therapist, before he would be permitted to come back to school.

Later that day when Larry went home after school, he had to go over his school suspension with his Mom and Dad. His Mom and Dad were “old school” and told Larry that getting removed from school was not a satisfactory educational game plan. They told Larry that failing to graduate from high school would probably be like a lead weight around his legs that could conceivably impair his educational achievement for the rest of his adult life. What is more, Larry’s Mom and Dad were extremely distraught that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his classmates in the second.

His Mother and Father explained to Larry that although he may be a teenager, he needs to realize rather quickly that drinking is the road to failure, ill health, pain, and financial problems.

It was plain to see that his Mother and Father were 100% in agreement with Larry’s principal and told Larry that he had better make plans to see Miss Johns, the school counselor. After his conversation with his parents, Larry finally agreed to see Miss Johns the next school day. So Larry called the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johns the next day during his fifth period class.

The Therapist Asks Larry if He Comprehends Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Behavior Was Such a Cause For Concern By the School Administrators

When Larry went to see Miss Johns, she instantly looked at all of the alcohol-related issues Larry had gotten into and asked him if he comprehended why his recent alcohol-related behavior caused quite a bit of apprehension by the school administrators.

Quite honestly, Larry questioned why the principal informed him that he had to see a school counselor. As he stated to Miss Johns, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking activities? Due to the fact that virtually all of his classmates drink about as much as he does, in effect, drinking is no big thing. Stated more precisely, if nearly everybody is drinking, why is this such a big thing?

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

Miss Johns informed Larry that while his friends may indeed drink more than he does and that they may be an unhealthy influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting discharged from school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his pals. In addition, Miss Johns also emphasized the fact that Larry, and not his classmates, is the one who is failing and who is missing at least one day of school every week due to his alcohol related difficulties. Lastly, Miss Johns emphasized the fact that because of his drinking behavior, Larry is getting into a destructive cycle of excessive drinking that can in due course ruin his dreams, hopes, and aspirations.

In a word, Larry’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was beginning to foil his ability to act like an accountable young man. As put into words by Miss Johns, “Just because most of your pals drink beer, hard liquor, wine coolers, or wine does not mean that it is the healthiest thing for you.”

Larry Learns That In the Long Run He Must Be Responsible For Himself In Order to Stay Away From Dangerous, Destructive, Unhealthy, and Damaging Situations Down the Road

Miss Johns told Larry that other people can definitely influence an individual in a negative manner, but that the individual herself or himself has to in due course claim responsibility for himself or herself in order to keep away from damaging, unhealthy, dangerous, and destructive consequences down the road.

Luckily, Miss Johns was extremely well prepared for her meeting with Larry. She showed him reports and research studies she had highlighted that summarized different drinking statistics and facts that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Larry quite a bit of data that applied chiefly to teens.

For example, Miss Johns underscored the difference between alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse and explained to Larry that individuals who continue to drink abusively repeatedly become addicted to alcohol.

Miss Johns also went over the concept of binge drinking which 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 Counselor Presents Numerous Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction Statistics and Facts

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

1. As revealed in one study, nearly 11% of 8th-graders, 22% of 10th-graders, and 27% of 12th-graders articulated that they engaged in binge drinking.

2. Between 48% and 64% of the people who perish in fires have blood alcohol levels showing inebriation.

3. Children who are drinking alcohol by 7th grade are more probable to report delinquent behavior, substance abuse, and academic problems in both middle school and high 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 alcohol-related.

5. In the U.S. among drivers between the ages of 15 and 20, deadly crashes involving a single vehicle at night are three times more probable to be related to alcohol than to other deadly crashes.

6. In the U.S., more than 40 percent of the individuals who start drinking before the age of 13 will develop alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence at some time in their lives.

7. In the U.S, by the time they are high school seniors, 80% of high school students have drank alcohol and 62% have been inebriated.

8. Treatment for alcohol dependency has been demonstrated to decrease criminal activity up to 80% among long-term offenders, has decreased their homelessness, increased their rate of employment, and reduced their health care costs.

Larry Gets A Relevant Jolt of Reality Regarding the Short Term and the Long Term Consequences of Adolescent Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency

After Miss Johns conveyed the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts, it was apparent that what Miss Johns taught Larry 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 articulate the short term and the long term consequences of alcoholism and alcohol abuse, but she also took the time to back up what she was saying with alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse statistics and facts that related to people in general, and particularly to teens.

Definitely, it was almost as if a light went on and Larry instantaneously realized why he should not be engaging in hazardous and abusive drinking with or without his friends any longer. 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 exam and an alcohol assessment for the alcohol rehab he would probably need.

Larry thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get a complete physical and to go through a comprehensive appraisal of his drinking circumstances so that he could start an alcohol rehab program in a realistic time frame.

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