If you have ineffectively tried to discontinue your drinking or if you promised yourself that your drinking days are gone and then you recognized that you were drinking in an excessive way just a few days later, the probability is extremely good that you have drinking problems. The bottom line is that if you have tried to quit drinking and cannot do this, then your drinking is controlling you, instead of the other way around.

In much the same way, if it takes larger amounts of alcohol to get the same “high,” more likely than not you need to recognize the fact that you have a drinking problem.

You may be telling yourself that the reasoning for your drinking is so that you can lower your stress or get rid of the pain that you feel. In much the same way, you may be trying to avoid an unsafe situation and may be looking for something better, more constructive, or less mournful.

As you continue your drinking, then again, you will realize that drinking does not bring about the same high and you will also become aware that drinking doesn’t help stamp out whatever elicited your sorrow in the first place.

As you continue to drink in a hazardous manner, regrettably, you may become addicted to alcohol and, as a consequence, you may add another pivotal issue to cope with rather than learning about more productive and healthy ways of coping with your alcohol-related issues.

An Alcohol Assessment is Probably Needed

If you have determined that you have a problem with your drinking, conceivably the most beneficial thing you can do for yourself is to call your physician or healthcare professional and arrange for an appointment for a thorough physical and for an appraisal of your drinking circumstances.

If you openly think that you have a critical problem with your drinking, it may be a good idea to get prepared to hear that you need to get alcohol counseling.

At this point in time, what are your alternatives? You can unquestionably refuse to see your general practitioner and persevere with your pattern of hazardous drinking.

It actually doesn’t take a mastermind, nevertheless, to understand that repeated, heavy drinking, if left untreated, will get worse over time and doubtless result an early death. Therefore, your most positive option is to face your drinking situation and get the alcohol counseling you need.

The Pretense of the Functioning Alcohol Dependent Person

It is somewhat paradoxical to note the fact that numerous alcohol addicted individuals lead busy and active lives and have families, jobs, houses, vehicles, pets, and any number of material possessions similar to non-alcoholics.

Many of these “functional” alcohol dependent people may have never been apprehended for a DUI and may have been lucky enough to avoid all alcohol-related legal difficulties. In spite of this fortunate situation, to the contrary, these alcohol dependent people need to drink in order to operate on a daily basis while upholding their facade as they interact with the outside world.

Ask anyone who has seen them when they are bingeing or in a drunken stupor or ask a family member about the problem drinker’s alcohol addiction, however, and they will be quick to assert the authenticity of the drinker’s situation and the facts about the alcoholic’s drinking circumstances and about his or her alcohol-related predicaments.

Why Do Alcohol Addicted People Fail to See Their Drinking Difficulties?

As alcohol dependency research and statistics on alcohol abuse have accentualted, no matter how evident the alcohol-related predicaments seem to those who interact with the alcoholic, alcohol dependent people regularly deny that drinking is the source of their alcohol-related difficulties. Not only this, but alcohol addicted individuals regularly blame their alcohol-related issues on other people or upon other situations around them rather than seeing their part in the issue.

The source of the issue is that alcohol dependency is a disease of the brain. Once the problem drinker has become addicted to alcohol, he or she typically resorts to denial, manipulation, and dishonesty as a way of dealing with the fact that his or her drinking is out of control. And to make the situation more complex, the experience of alcohol withdrawal symptoms frequently circumvents the alcohol addicted person’s rare attempts to abruptly abstain from drinking. As cheerless as the alcohol dependent individual’s existence is, to the contrary, the good news is that professional help is commonly accessible – if the alcoholic reaches out and seeks alcohol therapy.

Conclusion

Acknowledging the fact that drinking is causing difficulties in your daily functioning is conceivably the easiest way to find out if you have a drinking problem. Stated more precisely, if your drinking is eliciting issues with your health, with your employment, in your relationships, with your finances, at school, or with the legal system, then you have a drinking problem that needs to be tackled.

If you have a drinking problem, moreover, this means that you are engaging in abusive drinking.

While some people may be able to pinpoint their “alcohol signs,” pinpoint their problems, and significantly diminish the amount and occurrence of their drinking, other individuals, nevertheless, need to address their drinking problems by getting quality alcohol counseling. Additionally, due to their penchant to deny the facts and alter the truth, alcohol dependent people definitely need competent alcoholism therapy for their excessive drinking.

As an illustration, fourteen years ago Heather and the other company administrators implemented an Employee’s Assistance Program so that all the employees had access to professional therapy for their personal problems that could unfavorably influence their work performance, health, and their personal well being.

Top Management Builds a New Exercise and Workout Room Complete With Scales, Mirrors, a Professional Trainer During Business Hours, Weights, Exercise Equipment, and Exercise Charts

As another example, roughly seven-and-a-half years ago Heather and the other company executives erected a new exercise and workout room complete with a personal trainer during business hours, scales, many different types of exercise equipment, weights, mirrors, and exercise charts.

Moreover, about five years ago Heather and the other company leaders invested in a purification system that filters all the water that is accessible anywhere in the building. In a similar way, three years ago, Heather and the other members of upper management started a “walking club” that is primarily intended for workers who want to work on their cardiovascular system.

The VIPs Launch a Weight-Watchers Class and Hire a Weight-Loss Trainer to Manage the Program

As another illustration, approximately a year-and-a-half ago, Heather and the other VIPs developed a “Weight-Watchers” class that at this time meets every weekday at 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM. Moreover, upper management employed a weight-loss trainer to supervise the program.

In a similar manner, two years ago Heather and the other company executives put into operation a “Stop Smoking Club” for workers who want to quit or cut back on their smoking.

In the last eleven months, in a joint venture with the Employee’s Assistance Program, Heather and the other company leaders implemented an “Anger Management” class for workers who want to learn how to better cope with their anger issues.

The Company Executives Put Into Operation a Drug and Alcohol Testing Program

In the last two months, Heather and the other members of upper management launched a drug and alcohol testing program that is linked with their drug and alcohol abuse prevention program. In actual fact, Heather is the primary individual in the company responsible for getting the message out to all the employees about the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program as well as the drug and alcohol testing program.

One of the main elements of the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcoholism and Depression” that meets every Thursday after work. The primary idea with this class is informing employees that excessive drinking and depression commonly happen in the same person. It is hoped that comprehending this information can help an individual address both medical problems and get the alcohol rehabilitation and mental health counseling he or she needs.

The VIPs Start an Alcohol Statistics and Facts Class

Another fairly recent enhancement to the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcohol Statistics and Facts.” The rationale behind this alcohol statistics facts class is the reality that several individuals are unsuccessful in their attempt to comprehend the full impact of the effects of alcohol abuse and alcoholism without first hearing about some of the alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction facts and statistics that are available. Consequently, one of the objectives of this class is to provide various alcoholism and alcohol abuse facts and statistics to help workers gain a better understanding of the many of issues that are correlated with hazardous and excessive drinking and how they can avert these issues from transpiring.

Most recently, Heather and the other members of upper management, by way of feedback from employees, developed a class that centers directly on acute drinking entitled “What is Alcoholism”? This class meets every Wednesday morning a half hour before work and focuses largely on the differences between alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse, on the stages of alcoholism, and on the forms of therapy that are available for people who have alcohol drinking problems such as people who drink in an excessive manner.

Although every one of these health and preventative maintenance programs was anything but low-cost, the company leaders feel that they are many thousands of dollars ahead by providing all of their employees with a healthy, more productive, and safe work environment.

As an example, eleven years ago Heather and the other members of top management put into operation an Employee’s Assistance Program so that all the employees had access to top shelf counseling for their personal problems that could adversely influence their work performance, personal well being, and their health.

Top Management Erects a New Workout and Exercise Room Complete With Scales, Exercise Charts, Weights, Mirrors, Exercise Equipment, and a Professional Trainer During Business Hours

As another example, roughly six years ago Heather and the other VIPs assembled a new workout and exercise room complete with exercise charts, scales, many different types of exercise equipment, weights, a personal trainer during business hours, and mirrors.

Moreover, just about four years ago Heather and the other company administrators invested in a distillation system that filters all the water that is available throughout the building. In a similar way, two-and-a-half years ago, Heather and the other company administrators started a “walking club” that is mainly intended for employees who want to improve upon their cardiovascular system.

The Company Leaders Initiate a Weight-Watchers Class and Hire a Weight-Loss Healthcare Professional to Supervise the Program

As another example, about two years ago, Heather and the other members of upper management put into operation a “Weight-Watchers” class that at this time meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 11 AM until noon. In addition, upper management hired a weight-loss professional to run the program.

Similarly, two years ago Heather and the other members of upper management implemented a “Stop Smoking Club” for workers who want to learn how to quit smoking.

In the last eleven months, in conjunction with the Employee’s Assistance Program, Heather and the other company executives instituted an “Anger Management” class for employees who want to learn how to better control their anger issues.

The Company Administrators Launch An Alcohol and Drug Testing Program

In the last two months, Heather and the other members of upper management implemented a alcohol and drug testing program that is linked with their drug and alcohol abuse prevention program. Indeed, Heather is the main individual in the company responsible for getting the message out to all the employees about the drug and alcohol testing program as well as the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program.

One of the essential components of the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcoholism and Depression” that meets every Thursday after work. The fundamental idea with this class is informing employees that hazardous drinking and depression commonly occur in the same person. It is hoped that realizing this information will be able to help an individual address both medical conditions and get the alcohol rehabilitation and mental health therapy he or she requires.

Upper Management Institutes an Alcohol Statistics and Facts Class

Another relatively recent addition to the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcohol Statistics and Facts.” The reasoning behind this alcohol statistics facts class is the reality that many individuals are unsuccessful in their attempt to recognize the full impact of the consequences of alcohol abuse and alcoholism without first learning about some of the alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts that are available. As a result, one of the goals of this class is to provide a range of alcoholism and alcohol abuse statistics and facts in order to help employees gain a better understanding of the huge number of issues that are related to abusive and excessive drinking and how they can stop these difficulties from happening.

Most recently, Heather and the other members of top management, by way of suggestions from employees, started a class that focuses directly on acute drinking entitled “What is Alcoholism”? This class meets every Monday morning a half hour before work and focuses largely on the differences between alcoholism and alcohol abuse, on the stages of alcoholism, and on the different forms of treatment that are available for people who have alcohol drinking problems such as people who drink in an excessive manner.

Although each and every one of these health and preventative maintenance programs was fairly expensive, the company leaders reason that they are several thousands of dollars ahead by providing all of their employees with a more productive, safe, and healthy work environment.

Not unexpectedly, he located quite a few websites that spelled out some of the well-known alcoholism symptoms. That’s the good news. The less than positive news, sorry to say, was that Denny showed signs of quite a few of these alcoholism symptoms.

Symptoms of Alcohol Dependency: Some Illustrations

As an illustration, Denny has been drinking significantly more than normal and he has begun to have more angry disagreements with the young girl he is dating. In addition, for the first time in his life he has been having sleeping problems. In a similar manner, Denny frequently has felt depressed and on an ever increasing basis he has been manifesting less than usual attention to detail in the classroom. Additionally, he has felt stressed out and more edgy on a day-to-day basis and for the past six or seven months he has displayed befuddled thinking in class. Since Denny has been displaying all of these symptoms, he was excusably apprehensive about his unhealthy drinking.

So Denny decided to contact his doctor and ask for an appointment. As it happens, this was difficult for Denny because his physician was also his parents’ family doctor. The basis for his worry was this: at the risk of embarrassing his family, he had to go and make known his hazardous drinking behavior to his physician.

When Denny arrived at the family doctor’s office, he plainly told the family healthcare practitioner about the concern he has about his excessive drinking behavior. When the family healthcare practitioner asked what was bringing about this apprehension, Denny stated that he had gone online and read about alcohol addiction and especially about alcohol addiction symptoms. He then outlined all of the alcohol dependency symptoms that he undeniably thought he manifests.

A Thoroughgoing Physical Appraisal and Outpatient Alcohol Rehab

The family doctor told Denny that it was prudent of him to address his drinking problems, he gave Denny an in depth physical appraisal, and recommended that he talk to his Mom and Dad about signing into an out-patient alcohol treatment center that was managed by Doctor Rudnick, one of his doctor associates who is a substance abuse and chemical dependency specialist.

What is more, when Denny articulated that he has been feeling a sense of despair more frequently, the physician informed Denny that depression and alcoholism regularly crop up in the same individual. Therefore, the physician also recommended that Denny talk to his Mother and Father about getting counseling in order to focus on his depression. In fact, Denny can go to the local mental health clinic and make an appointment with Doctor Michaels, a well known counseling psychologist who specializes in treating youth.

The Importance of Coming To Grips With Your Drinking Problems and Getting Encouraged About Making Healthy and Positive Changes in Your Life

The healthcare professional made it a point to notify Denny that he might not inevitably be an alcoholic, but that he was obviously drinking in an abusive manner. Stated differently, Denny was engaging in teen alcohol abuse. The healthcare practitioner then notified Denny that the reason he suggested alcohol rehab in the first place was because he wanted him to face up to his drinking difficulties, make sure that he stopped them from getting worse, and start to live in a more healthy manner, even if it meant that he had to completely quit drinking.

When all’s said and done, by productively treating his problem drinking, Denny would be able to get his drinking difficulties under control and abstain from the negative series of events that could doubtless lead to alcoholism.

Denny undeniably did not look forward to facing his Mom and Dad about his depression and his drinking problems. And he definitely did not want to face the thought of getting registered into an alcohol treatment center. And last but not least, he was not elated about going to a counseling psychologist about his sense of despair. In the face of these trepidations, nevertheless, Denny in reality felt some emotional relief for the first time in many months because he finally quit making excuses for himself and decided to do something constructive about his excessive and abusive drinking.

Not surprisingly, he found quite a few websites that itemized some of the typical alcoholism symptoms. That’s the encouraging news. The bad news, regrettably, was that Denny displayed numerous of these alcoholism symptoms.

Alcohol Addiction Symptoms Revisited

For example, Denny has been drinking substantially more than normal and he has started to have more fiery disagreements with the female he is dating. Additionally, for the first time in his life he has been experiencing sleeping difficulties. In a similar way, Denny over and over again has felt depressed and on an ever increasing basis he has been displaying less than normal attention to detail at school. In addition, he has felt stressed out and more anxious on a regular basis and for the past three or four months he has exhibited foggy thinking in the classroom. In view of the fact that Denny has been displaying all of these symptoms, he was rightly uneasy about his abusive and unhealthy drinking.

So Denny eventually made up his mind that he needed to place a phone call to his family doctor and ask for an appointment. As a matter of fact, this was somewhat demanding for Denny because his family healthcare practitioner was also his parents’ family doctor. The springboard for his discomfort was this: at the risk of embarrassing his family, he had to go and reveal his careless and excessive drinking behavior to his family physician.

When Denny arrived at the healthcare practitioner’s office, he candidly informed the physician about the anxiety he has about his irresponsible drinking behavior. When the family healthcare practitioner asked what was stimulating this fear, Denny declared that he had gone on the world wide web and read about alcohol dependency and especially about alcoholism symptoms. He then outlined all of the alcohol dependency symptoms that he without a doubt thought he manifests.

A Comprehensive Physical Evaluation and Outpatient Alcohol Rehab

The family physician told Denny that it was smart of him to address his drinking problems, he gave Denny a thoroughgoing physical assessment, and suggested that he talk to his Mom and Dad about entering into an out-patient alcohol rehab center that was supervised by Doctor Parker, one of his doctor acquaintances who is a substance abuse and chemical dependency specialist.

In the same way, when Denny expressed the fact that he has been feeling depressed to an increasing degree, the family physician notified Denny that depression and alcoholism on a fairly routine basis come about in the same person. Consequently, the physician also suggested that Denny talk to his parents about getting therapy to focus on his sense of despair. In fact, Denny can go to the local mental health center and make an appointment with Doctor Brill, an eminent psychologist who specializes in treating teens.

The Value of Facing Your Drinking Difficulties and Getting Motivated About Making Positive and Healthy Changes in Your Life

The healthcare professional made it a point to tell Denny that he might not necessarily be alcohol dependent, but that he was clearly drinking in a careless manner. Stated differently, Denny was involving himself in teen alcohol abuse. The healthcare professional then informed Denny that the reason he recommended alcohol treatment in the first place was because he wanted him to confront his drinking problems, make sure that he prevented them from getting worse, and start to live in a more healthy manner, even if it meant that he had to totally refrain from drinking.

To sum up, by effectively treating his drinking difficulties, Denny would be able to get his drinking issues under control and stop the negative cycle that could almost certainly lead to alcoholism.

Denny justifiably did not look forward to facing his parents about his abusive drinking and his depression. And he surely did not want to face the thought of enrolling in an alcohol rehabilitation facility. And last but not least, he was not elated about going to a counselor about his sense of despair. In spite of these anxieties, then again, Denny in actual fact experienced some psychological relief for the first time in many months because he eventually quit making excuses for himself and finally made up his mind that he needed to do something constructive about his unhealthy and excessive drinking.

Later that afternoon when Dante went home after school, he had to explain his school expulsion to his Mother and Father. His Mom and Dad were “relatively old-style” and explained to Dante that getting expelled from school was not a workable educational option. They explained to Dante that failing to graduate from high school would most probably be like a lead weight around his feet that could probably hurt his educational attainment for the rest of his adult life. What is more, Dante’s parents were very displeased that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his peers in the second.

His Mother and Father informed Dante that even though he may be a teen, he needs to comprehend fairly rapidly that drinking is the pathway to ill health, financial problems, pain, and failure.

It was apparent that his Mom and Dad were in total agreement with Dante’s principal and told Dante that he had better come to the realization that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist. After his discussion with his parents, Dante finally agreed to see Miss Johnson the next school day. So Dante phoned the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next afternoon.

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

When Dante arrived at his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she promptly went over all of the alcohol-related issues Dante had experienced and asked him if he understood why his recent alcohol-related behavior caused quite a bit of concern by the school administrators.

Quite honestly, Dante was unsure why the principal explained to him that he had to see a school counselor. As he stated to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking activities? Since almost all of his friends drink the same amount that he does, primarily, 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 alcoholic beverages. 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 told Dante that while his classmates 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 kicked out of school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his buddies. Moreover, Miss Johnson also underscored the fact that Dante, and not his buddies, is the one who is failing and who is missing at least two days of school every week because of his alcohol related issues. Finally, Miss Johnson underscored the fact that due to his drinking activities, Dante is getting into a negative cycle of abusive drinking that can eventually wreck his aspirations, hopes, and dreams.

In short, Dante’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was starting to foil his ability to conduct himself like an accountable young man. As pronounced by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your pals drink wine, wine coolers, hard liquor, or beer does not mean that it is the healthiest thing in the world for you.”

Dante Learns That Sooner or Later He Must Claim Responsibility For Himself In Order to Prevent Damaging, Dangerous, Destructive, and Unhealthy Outcomes In the Future

Miss Johnson informed Dante that other individuals can undeniably influence a person in a negative way, but that the individual herself or himself has to in due course take responsibility for herself or himself in order to stay away from destructive, dangerous, damaging, and unhealthy effects in the foreseeable future.

Luckily, Miss Johnson was extremely well prepared for her appointment with Dante. She showed him reports and research studies she had highlighted that summarized diverse drinking statistics and facts that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante quite a lot of data that applied principally to teens.

For example, Miss Johnson highlighted the difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism and explained to Dante that drinkers who continue to drink in an excessive manner commonly become alcoholic.

Miss Johnson also explained 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 Psychologist States A Number Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction Statistics and Facts

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

1. Alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction cost the United States an estimated 0 billion in 2005. This dollar amount was more than the cost correlated with cancer (6 billion) or with obesity (3 billion.

2. More than one-half of U.S. adults have a close family member or relative who has or has had alcohol addiction.

3. More than three fourths of female victims of nonfatal, domestic violence reported that their assailant had been using drugs or drinking.

4. In the U.S. on a yearly basis, more than thirty-three percent of pedestrians killed by automobiles were legally intoxicated.

5. One national survey found that students are less likely to use alcohol if they are socially accepted by people at school and feel that teachers treat students fairly.

6. Research demonstrates that youth who drink alcohol may remember 10 percent less of what they have learned than adolescents who don’t drink.

7. Roughly 10% to 20% of the individuals who drink in a hazardous manner in due course develop cirrhosis of the liver (i.e., a scarring of the liver that can be fatal).

8. Up to forty percent of the U.S. industrial fatalities and 47% of industrial injuries are linked to alcoholism or alcohol abuse.

Dante Receives A Much Needed Primer on the Facts Concerning the Short Term and the Long Term Consequences of Youth Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction

After Miss Johnson conveyed the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction statistics and facts, it was evident that what Miss Johnson revealed to Dante was a real jolt to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to articulate the long term and the short term consequences of alcohol abuse and alcoholism, but she also made the effort to authenticate what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics and facts that related to everyone in general, and principally to teens.

To be sure, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante immediately comprehended why he should not be engaging in abusive and hazardous drinking with or without his classmates anymore. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the information she presented.

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

Dante thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get a thorough physical and to go through a thorough appraisal of his drinking behavior so that he could start an alcohol rehab program as soon as possible.

Later that afternoon when Dante went home after school, he had to clarify his school situation to his parents. His parents were “relatively traditional” and told Dante that getting thrown out of school was not an acceptable educational game plan. They explained to Dante that failing to graduate from high school would likely be like a lead weight around his legs that could probably impede his educational aspirations for the remainder of his adult life. What is more, Dante’s parents were very dissatisfied that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his friends in the second.

They told Dante that although he may be a teen, he has to understand fairly promptly that drinking is the pathway to financial problems, failure, pain, and ill health.

It was plain to see that his Mother and Father were out and out in full accord with Dante’s principal and informed Dante that he had better come to the realization that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school psychologist. After his conversation with his Mom and Dad, Dante finally agreed to see Miss Johnson the next day. So Dante called the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his fifth period class.

The Counselor Asks Dante if He Understands Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Behavior Caused Quite a Bit of Apprehension By the School Administrators

When Dante went to see Miss Johnson, she instantly examined all of the alcohol-related difficulties Dante had gotten into and asked him if he comprehended why his recent alcohol-related activities were such a cause for concern.

Quite frankly, Dante wondered why the principal told him he had to see a school counselor. As he stated to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking behavior? Since virtually all of his classmates drink as much if not more than he does, basically, drinking is no big issue. Stated more forcefully, if almost everyone is drinking, why is this such a big thing?

Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink alcoholic beverages. He said that some of his older friends introduced him to drinking wine coolers when he was twelve or thirteen years old and in the seventh grade.

Miss Johnson explained to Dante that while his pals may in fact 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 thrown out of school due to alcohol-related fighting, delinquency, and absenteeism, not his classmates. What is more, Miss Johnson also emphasized the fact that Dante, and not his buddies, is the one who is failing and who is missing almost two days of class every week due to his alcohol related problems. Lastly, Miss Johnson emphasized the fact that because of his drinking circumstances, Dante is getting into a dangerous cycle of hazardous drinking that can ultimately destroy his aspirations, hopes, and dreams.

In short, Dante’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was beginning to foil his ability to conduct himself like a responsible young man. As articulated by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your pals drink wine, hard liquor, wine coolers, or beer does not mean that it is the best option for you.”

Dante Learns That In Due Course He Must Be Responsible For Himself In Order to Prevent Dangerous, Unhealthy, Destructive, and Damaging Outcomes In the Foreseeable Future

Miss Johnson explained to Dante that one’s peers can indeed influence an individual in a negative way, but that the individual himself or herself has to in the end claim responsibility for herself or himself in order to stay away from dangerous, unhealthy, destructive, and damaging consequences in the foreseeable future.

Fortunately, Miss Johnson was very well prepared for her scheduled appointment with Dante. She showed him research studies and reports she had underlined that listed different drinking statistics and facts that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante a lot of figures and reports that applied principally to adolescents.

As an illustration, Miss Johnson emphasized the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse and told Dante that individuals who continue to drink in an abusive manner habitually 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 Therapist States Several Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Statistics and Facts

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

1. Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence cost the U.S. an estimated 0 billion in 2005. This dollar amount was more than the cost associated with cancer (6 billion) or with obesity (3 billion.

2. More than one-half of U.S. adults have a close family member or relative that has or has had alcohol addiction.

3. More than seventy-five percent of female victims of nonfatal, domestic violence claimed that their assailant had been using drugs or drinking.

4. In the U.S. on an annual basis, more than 33% of pedestrians killed by motor vehicles were legally drunk.

5. One national study found that students are less likely to drink alcohol if they are socially accepted by people at school and feel that teachers treat students fairly.

6. Research demonstrates that adolescents who use alcohol may remember 10 percent less of what they have learned than youth who don’t drink.

7. About 10% to 20% of the people who drink in an excessive manner sooner or later develop cirrhosis of the liver (i.e., a scarring of the liver that can be fatal).

8. Up to 40 percent of the U.S. industrial fatalities and 47% of industrial injuries are associated with alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency.

Dante Gets A Meaningful Jolt of Reality About the Short Term and the Long Term Results of Underage Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

After Miss Johnson presented the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts, it was apparent that what Miss Johnson taught Dante was a wake up call for him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to go over the short term and the long term results of alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse, but she also made the effort to confirm what she was saying with alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse statistics and facts that related to everyone in general, and mainly to teens.

Without a doubt, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante promptly comprehended 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 evaluation for the alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency rehab he would probably need.

Dante thought about this for a minute 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 rehab program promptly.

As an illustration, one Tuesday afternoon at 1:00 she addressed the pupils in her class and stated the following: “For the next few days we are going to learn about some basic alcoholism facts from a general perspective and we are also going to learn about several of the most common signs of alcoholism from a more specific viewpoint.”

“Not all of these alcoholism signs will undeniably confirm that an individual with a drinking problem is an alcoholic, but the more signs that an individual displays, the stronger the possibility that he or she is an alcoholic.”

Miss Benning then told the members of the class that each student would be accountable for investigating four alcohol addiction signs and then presenting his or her findings to the other members in the class via a twenty-five minute oral presentation.

The Students are Thrilled About Giving A Broad-Based Presentation to Their Fellow Classmates About The Signs of Alcoholism

After learning about the diverse signs of alcoholism for quite a few days, the time had arrived for the individual presentations. It was immediately clear to see that her pupils were excited about the subject because the material that they presented was excellent. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the fervor exhibited by her students concerning this topic was an understatement.

The day after all of the pupils completed their presentations, Miss Benning passed out a sheet of paper with a list of all the alcoholism signs that were presented and discussed in the presentations and in class. Miss Benning then asked her pupils to study the list and rank the top eight alcohol dependency signs that were most indicative of alcohol addiction. After about twenty minutes, Miss Benning collected the pieces of paper and told the students in her classroom that after she goes over the results, she will present her findings the next school day.

There was some real excitement by the pupils while they were walking out of Miss Benning’s class. One could swear that her students couldn’t wait for the next day to come so that they could learn about the results of their in-class research.

The Students Contrast Their Answers With the Assessments From A Team of Alcohol Dependency Authorities

When the next school day finally arrived, Miss Benning passed out a piece of paper that listed the top three alcohol dependency signs as per the students’ rankings. To the left of these results, she added another column that was labeled “experts’ response.” She then explained to her students that the numbers in the new column she added represented the responses that were stated publicly by a board of alcohol addiction professionals.

Miss Benning asked the students in her classroom to go over the information on the sheet of paper she handed out and then to raise their hand if they had any questions, concerns, or issues. Within a minute or two, almost every student in the classroom raised his or her hand. It was evident that the pupils had some issues, questions, or concerns about their results versus the answers given by the authorities. For instance, just about every student disagreed with the highest ranked answer given by the professionals, to be exact, “Do you feel extremely ill when you stop drinking?”

The Foremost Difference Between Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse is the Physical Dependency That is Experienced With Alcohol Dependency and Not With Alcohol Abuse

Miss Benning then explained to the students in her classroom why this answer was the most straightforward indicator of alcohol addiction. She highlighted the fact that the key difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency is the physical dependency that is experienced with alcoholism and not with alcohol abuse.

In essence this means that when an alcoholic suddenly stops drinking, he or she will experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Miss Benning then explained to the pupils in her class that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the body and by the brain to the deprivation of alcohol to which they had become acclimated. Stated differently, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are signals from the body and from the brain telling an individual who is alcohol dependent that something is very out of kilter and needs to be fixed. These messages consist of a number of painful, uncomfortable, and dangerous withdrawal symptoms that can potentially result in a loss of life if the proper therapy is not promptly undertaken.

Miss Benning then went over the multitude of alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be gone through when an alcohol addicted person abruptly stops drinking.

The point that Miss Benning tried to underline was this: an alcohol abuser can experience almost any and every one of the alcohol dependency signs that the students had ranked, but the one symptom or sign that few, if any, alcohol abusers ever experience is alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

To explain this as precisely as possible, Miss Benning stressed the fact that alcohol abusers, unlike individuals who are addicted to alcohol, are not alcohol dependent and accordingly, when they stop drinking, they almost never suffer from alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Students Feel They Have Discovered A Discrepancy With the Findings From The Team of Substance Abuse Professionals

The students also had an issue with the second ranked answer given by the alcohol addiction specialists, that is, “Have you ever had a drink the first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?”

Miss Benning told the students in her class that this sign does not inevitably suggest that the problem is alcohol addiction, but that it does highlight the need that alcohol addicted individuals have to drink in order to avert alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

After Miss Benning explained the importance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the alcoholic, the students started to comprehend the basic difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

To add a sense of closure to the topic, Miss Benning asked the students in her class to take out a piece of paper and answer the following question: “if every individual who is addicted to alcohol knew about every one of the alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcohol dependency signs we have studied, what percentage of them do you think would seek alcoholism rehabilitation?”

After about one or two minutes, Miss Benning asked for the pupils’ predictions. While many students figured that around 75 to 85 percent of people who are alcohol dependent would ask for alcoholism rehab if they knew about the facts related to alcohol addiction signs and alcohol withdrawal symptoms, most of the students believed that this number would not be less than 65 percent.

The Students Were Shocked to Find Out That Only 25% of Alcohol Dependent People in the United States Get Alcohol Addiction Rehab

To the shock of most of the pupils, Miss Benning acknowledged that according to different scientific studies, only 25% of the people who are alcohol dependent in the United States obtain alcoholism treatment. This amazed most of the pupils because they figured that first hand experience of the appalling statistics and facts correlated with alcoholism would motivate the majority of the alcoholics to seek alcohol addiction rehabilitation.

Miss Benning then stated that individuals who are addicted to alcohol not only need alcohol on a daily basis in order to function but they also need alcohol on an everyday basis so they can keep away from possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Clearly, the alcohol addicted person’s need to drink on a daily basis is more powerful than facts or logic. Definitely, since the thirst for alcohol is “reality” to the alcohol dependent person, this is a challenging issue that is hard to undo.

A few minutes later the bell rang, indicating that the end of class had arrived. Based on the enthusiasm manifested by the pupils when they were leaving the classroom, Miss Benning recognized that she had stimulated and motivated the pupils in her classroom to stop and think about a critical health and social problem that exists in our culture.

As an illustration, one Wednesday morning she addressed her pupils and announced the following: “For the next week we are going to learn about some basic alcoholism facts from a more wide-ranging standpoint and we are also going to learn about a number of the most familiar signs of alcoholism from a more specific point of view.”

“Not all of these alcoholism signs will definitely show that an individual with a drinking problem is a person who is alcohol dependent, but the more signs that a drinker exhibits, the stronger the probability that he or she is an individual who is alcohol dependent.”

Miss Benning then told the class members that each pupil would be accountable for studying two alcohol dependence signs and then presenting his or her results to the other members in the class via a twenty-five minute oral presentation.

The Students are Enthused About Giving A Relatively Long Presentation to Their Fellow Classmates About The Signs of Alcoholism

After learning about the various alcohol addiction signs for quite a few days, the time had finally arrived for the individual presentations. It was at once noticeable that her students were thrilled about the subject matter because the material that they presented was extraordinary. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the passion manifested by the pupils in her classroom concerning this topic was an understatement.

The day after all of the students completed their presentations, Miss Benning passed out a piece of paper with a list of all the alcohol dependency signs that were discussed and presented in class and in the presentations. Miss Benning then asked the pupils in her class to study the list and rank the top six alcoholism signs that were most indicative of alcoholism. After around ten minutes, Miss Benning collected the pieces of paper and informed the pupils in her classroom that after she evaluates the results, she will discuss her findings the next school day.

There was a real buzz by the pupils while they were exiting Miss Benning’s class. One could swear that her students couldn’t wait for the next day to come so that they could find out the outcome of their in-class research.

The Students Match Their Answers Against the Results From A Panel of Chemical Dependency Specialists

When the next school day arrived, Miss Benning handed out a sheet of paper that listed the top five alcohol addiction signs as per the students’ rankings. To the right of these results, she added another column that was labeled “experts’ answer.” She then told her students that the numbers in the new column she added were the conclusions that were articulated by a group of substance abuse experts.

Miss Benning told her pupils to look over the information on the piece of paper she handed out and then to raise their hand if they had any questions, concerns, or issues. Within a minute or two, almost every pupil in the classroom raised her or his hand. It was apparent that the pupils had some concerns, questions, or issues about their results versus the answers given by the experts. For example, virtually every individual in the classroom disagreed with the highest ranked answer given by the professionals, to be precise, “Do you feel really nauseous when you stop drinking?”

The Most Important Difference Between Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency is the Physical Dependency That is Experienced With Alcohol Dependency and Not With Alcohol Abuse

Miss Benning then explained to the pupils in her classroom why this answer was the most clear-cut indicator of alcohol addiction. She pointed out the fact that the basic difference between alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse is the physical addiction that is experienced with alcohol addiction and not with alcohol abuse.

Basically this means that when an individual who is addicted to alcohol abruptly stops drinking, he or she will suffer through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Miss Benning then told her students that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the brain and by the body to the lack of alcohol to which they had become acclimated. Stated more precisely, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are signals from the brain and from the body telling an alcohol addicted person that something is very incorrect and needs to be rectified. These signals consist of several uncomfortable, dangerous, and painful withdrawal symptoms that can potentially result in a fatality if the appropriate therapy is not promptly obtained.

Miss Benning then went over the many diverse alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be experienced when an alcoholic suddenly quits drinking.

The point that Miss Benning tried to highlight was this: an alcohol abuser can experience almost any and every one of the alcohol addiction signs that the students had ranked, but the one sign or symptom that few, if any, individuals who engage in alcohol abuse ever experience is alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

To explain this as clearly as possible, Miss Benning emphasized the fact that alcohol abusers, unlike alcoholics, are not alcohol dependent and as a result, when they stop drinking, they almost never suffer from alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Students Feel They Have Found A Variance With the Findings From The Panel of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Professionals

The pupils also disagreed with the second ranked answer given by the alcohol dependency specialists, to be precise, “Have you ever had a drink the first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or to get rid of a hangover?”

Miss Benning told her students that this sign does not automatically indicate that the problem is alcohol dependency, but that it does highlight the need that people who are addicted to alcohol have to drink in order to stay away from alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

After Miss Benning explained the importance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the person who is addicted to alcohol, the pupils started to comprehend the main difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency.

To add a sense of closure to the subject, Miss Benning asked the pupils in her classroom to take out a piece of paper and answer the following question: “if every individual who is alcohol dependent knew about every one of the alcoholism signs and alcohol withdrawal symptoms we have studied, what percentage of them do you think would seek alcohol addiction rehab?”

After approximately three or four minutes, Miss Benning asked for the students’ responses. While many pupils believed that approximately 80 to 90 percent of alcohol dependent individuals would get alcohol dependency rehabilitation if they knew about the facts related to alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcohol addiction signs, most of the pupils figured that this number would not be less than 70 percent.

The Students Were Astonished to Learn That Only 25% of Alcohol Dependent People in the U.S. Ask For Alcohol Dependency Treatment

To the surprise of most of the pupils, Miss Benning proclaimed that according to different scientific studies, only 25% of the people who are addicted to alcohol in the United States obtain alcoholism treatment. This astonished most of the students because they figured that first-hand knowledge of the gruesome statistics and facts correlated with alcoholism would motivate most of the individuals who are addicted to alcohol to seek alcohol addiction rehab.

Miss Benning then stated that alcoholics not only need alcohol on an everyday basis in order to function but they also need alcohol everyday so they can steer clear of possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Apparently, the alcoholic’s need to drink on a daily basis is more powerful than logic or facts. Definitely, due to the fact that the thirst for alcohol is “reality” to the person who is addicted to alcohol, this is a demanding issue that is difficult to change.

A few minutes later the bell rang, signifying the end of the class. Based on the buzz exhibited by the pupils when they were leaving the classroom, Miss Benning knew that she had inspired and motivated the pupils in her class to stop and think about a vital health and social problem that exists in our country.

Similar to other individuals, Teresa’s alcohol involvement started out slowly and remained at this pace for quite a long period of time due to the fact every once in a while she engaged in occasional social drinking. In reality, for nearly a year, every time she went out with her coworkers to drink, she made sure to drink in moderation. Something about her drinking situation, nonetheless, seemed to completely change when she divorced her husband.

In Order To Rise Above the Breakup of Her Husband In a More Trouble-Free Manner, Teresa Decided to Start Going Out More Regularly With Some of Her Friends Who Love to Drink

Teresa got dreadfully down in the dumps about the loss of her husband, and as a way to refrain from obsessing about her disheartening emotions she determined that she would begin palling around more repeatedly with some of her buddies who love to have fun and drink.

Quite frankly, Teresa believed that having fun just about every day by drinking and partying with her buddies would help her recover from the loss of her husband in a more trouble-free manner.

Teresa’s Drinking Escalates Considerably the More Habitually She Goes to Dinner Dates, Sporting Events, Family Get-Togethers, Private Parties, and Happy Hours With Her Friends

It didn’t take too long, nevertheless, before her drinking escalated to a significant extent the more routinely she went to and drank at family get-togethers, sporting events, happy hours, dinner dates, and private parties with her buddies. Moreover, the fact that her drinking buddies were all quite a few years younger than she was and therefore able to drink harder and longer was one of the reasons that she didn’t center more of her attention on her increased drinking. In short, she was drinking and having lots of fun just like everybody else in her group of buddies without much forethought about the consequences of her drinking behavior.

Yet somewhere in the recesses of her mind she knew that she more likely than not required alcohol treatment but sidestepped the thought as much as she could.

Teresa Gets a Physical Examination, Admits Her Excessive and Hazardous Drinking to Her Physician, and Owns Up to the Truth About Her Constant Negativity

One day during her yearly physical exam, her doctor asked her if she drank alcohol. Not wanting to tell falsehoods to her doctor, Teresa admitted that she often drinks more than she should. In reality, she stated that she regularly drinks in an abusive and excessive manner. Then Teresa told her doctor about her general state of gloom. More plainly, she articulated that ruined relationships frequently started a depressing sequence of events characterized by increased drinking which further led to more discouraging feelings that, in turn, resulted in more drinking. And this is specifically what took place when she and her husband got divorced two years ago.

When her doctor heard this, he informed Teresa that according to various alcoholism facts and statistics on alcoholism he was investigating, alcoholism and depression often arise in the same person. He then told Teresa that some of the alcohol statistics, facts, and research investigations he has been studying also underscore the fact that individuals who drink in an abusive and excessive manner and who also experience depression need to receive treatment for both medical situations.

Teresa’s Doctor Schedules an Appointment for a Psychological Appraisal and For an Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction Evaluation

Teresa’s healthcare professional then said the following: “I am not trying to make an impulsive judgment, but with your medical condition we may be dealing with two separate matters. Consequently, I think we ought to schedule an appointment for you to get an alcohol abuse and alcoholism evaluation from my partner, Dr. Abrams, who is an alcohol abuse and substance abuse specialist. Whether your drinking situation is more linked to alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction is unclear at this time, but I feel that further exploration is justifiable. Then I feel we probably should schedule an appointment for you to get a psychological evaluation from another one of my partners, Dr. Miller, who is a clinical psychologist. I want to get some additional information about your dejection and see how much your drinking and depression are related.” Teresa expressed her endorsement of her healthcare practitioner’s strategy and thanked him for his assistance and concern. Now all she had to do was to try to trim down on her drinking and wait for her appointments.