Jerry and Sarah have been married for eight years. They wanted to have some fun and excitement before they made up their minds to have children and so they by design fashioned an extremely dynamic social life.

The essential problem, it needs to be pointed out, is that practically everything they do to have fun somehow involves drinking. For example, all of the parties with friends, family get-togethers, happy hours, sporting events, and dinner engagements they attend are associated with drinking.

Sarah and Jerry Begin to Perceive Some Definite Alcohol Related Issues That Come From Their Hazardous Drinking

If they were infrequent drinkers, this wouldn’t be such a big problem. Due to the fact they drink in an irresponsible manner, however, they are beginning to take note of some noticeable alcohol-related difficulties in their lives.

For example, just a few weeks ago Jerry received a third DUI and has been overlooking responsibilities at work because of alcohol-related health problems. Furthermore, Jerry’s last two or three performance assessments at work have been less than acceptable and he has started to forget what he does or says the times that he drinks. Lastly, Jerry has been having sleep-related problems and his family is starting to grow concerned about his drinking circumstances.

Similar to Jerry’s situation, Sarah has been feeling down in the dumps about life and to cope with these feelings, she has been drinking more repeatedly than any time in the past three years. Moreover, Sarah has been experiencing a lot of painful migraines and having awful hangovers because of her drinking. Lastly, Sarah has been feeling considerably less energetic when she awakens, she has been getting to work late almost every Monday, and she has been getting some well-deserved criticism from her relatives, coworkers, family members, and friends about her hazardous drinking.

Watching the Television and Flipping the Channels and Finding A Documentary About the Signs of Alcohol Dependency

One Saturday evening while watching TV, Sarah and Jerry happened upon an interesting documentary about the signs of alcoholism.

This TV special was a real shock to Jerry and Sarah because several of the alcoholism signs that were discussed seemed like they were indubitably correlated with some of the alcohol-related drinking problems Jerry and Sarah had been suffering through.

A Frank Chat About Drinking Situations Brings to Light Alcohol Related Legal, Employment, Relationship, Health, and Financial Problems

After watching the television program, Sarah and Jerry arrived at a decision to have a straightforward discussion about their drinking behavior. They both agreed that most, if not all, of their social pursuits were associated with drinking, that they were drinking irresponsibly, and that as a couple, they were starting to notice alcohol related legal, financial, relationship, health, and employment problems for the first time in their lives.

With thoughts of the TV documentary still etched in her mind, Sarah asked Jerry if some of the alcohol addiction signs they have been exhibiting could be a signal that they are alcohol dependent or perhaps becoming addicted to alcohol. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s question and so he recommended that they schedule an appointment with one of the doctors at the nearby substance abuse rehab clinic to find out more about the gravity of their drinking issues.

Coming to Grips With Your Drinking Difficulties Just May Reduce Your Nervousness and Give You A Degree of Peacefulness

Strangely enough, although their drinking circumstances hadn’t yet changed, it was evident that Jerry and Sarah were at the very least focusing on their drinking issues, they were excited about finding out more about their drinking situation, and they were interested in finding out how they could significantly lessen or eliminate the alcohol-related problems that had begun to worsen.

When Sarah and Jerry went to bed that evening, they came to a decision that the next day, Jerry would call and make an appointment for both of them at the drug and alcohol rehab clinic located in the next town. After they promised one another that they would do whatever it takes to prevail over the alcohol-related problems that had materialized in their lives, they truly had the most peaceful night’s sleep they could recall in the last ten months.

Just before he fell asleep, Jerry turned to Sarah and noted how easy it is to reduce one’s nervousness and in point of fact experience some peace of mind by dealing with one’s problems head-on and choosing to do something affirmative about them.

Sarah and Jerry have been married for five years. They wanted to experience some fun and excitement before they made up their minds to have children and so they with forethought fashioned a super active social life.

The main problem, it needs to be stressed, is that very nearly everything they do with their family and friends has something to do with drinking. For example, all of the dinner engagements, happy hours, family get-togethers, parties with friends, and sporting events they attend are related to drinking.

Sarah and Jerry Start to Notice Some Unmistakable Alcohol Related Difficulties That are Linked to Their Abusive Drinking

If they were occasional drinkers, this wouldn’t be a major problem. Since they drink rather heavily, however, they are starting to perceive some definite alcohol-related issues in their lives.

For example, just four days ago Jerry was placed in custody for a second DUI and has been taking time off from work because of alcohol-related health problems. In addition, Jerry’s last two or three performance assessments at his place of employment have been less than laudable and he has started to forget what he says or does the times that he drinks. As a final point, Jerry has been having sleep-related problems and his family is starting to display some disquiet about his drinking activities.

Similarly, Sarah has been feeling down in the dumps with life in general and to cope with these feelings, she has been drinking more habitually than any time in the past three years. What is more, Sarah has been getting quite a few throbbing migraine headaches and having terrible hangovers after drinking. As a final point, Sarah has been feeling appreciably less active when she awakens, she has been getting to work late at least every other day, and she has been getting some unsympathetic criticism from her coworkers, friends, family members, and relatives about her heavy drinking.

Watching the Television and Inadvertently Finding An Out-of-the-Ordinary Documentary About the Signs of Alcoholism

One Thursday evening while watching the television, Sarah and Jerry happened upon an out-of-the-ordinary documentary about the signs of alcoholism.

This TV documentary was a real bombshell to Sarah and Jerry because several of the alcoholism signs that were highlighted looked as if they were undeniably correlated with quite a few of the alcohol-related drinking problems Sarah and Jerry had been suffering through.

A Frank Discussion About Drinking Circumstances Reveals Alcohol Related Financial, Employment, Health, Relationship, and Legal Problems

After watching the TV documentary, Sarah and Jerry made up their minds to have a candid discussion about their drinking situation. They both concurred that most, if not all, of their social functions somehow involved drinking, that they were drinking in a hazardous manner, and that as a couple, they were beginning to observe alcohol related health, relationship, employment, financial, and legal problems for the first time in their lives.

With thoughts of the television special still fresh in her mind, Sarah asked Jerry if some of the alcohol dependency signs they have been displaying could mean that they are alcoholic or possibly becoming alcohol dependent. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s question and so he suggested that they make an appointment with one of the physicians at the nearby alcohol abuse rehab facility to find out more about the gravity of their drinking issues.

Dealing With Your Drinking Difficulties Might Reduce Your Apprehension and Give You Some Serenity

Strangely enough, even though their drinking behavior hadn’t yet changed, it was obvious that Jerry and Sarah were at least dealing with their drinking difficulties, they were excited about finding out more about their drinking circumstances, and they were interested in finding out how they could notably lessen or do away with the alcohol-related problems that had started to go from bad to worse.

When Jerry and Sarah went to bed that evening, they determined that the next day, Jerry would call and make an appointment for both of them at the drug and alcohol abuse treatment facility located downtown just outside of the business district. After they promised one another that they would do whatever it takes to defeat the drinking problems that had cropped up in their lives, they truly had the most revitalizing night’s sleep they could remember in the last two years.

Just before she fell asleep, Sarah turned to Jerry and commented how effortless it is to reduce one’s nervousness and truly experience some peace of mind by coming to terms with one’s problems head-on and coming to a decision to do something constructive about them.

Sarah and Jerry have been married for five years. They wanted to have some excitement and fun before they decided to have some kids and so they willfully established a very active social life.

The essential problem, it needs to be pointed out, is that nearly everything they do socially somehow involves drinking. For example, all of the family get-togethers, happy hours, parties with friends, dinner engagements, and sporting events they spend time at somehow involve drinking.

Jerry and Sarah Begin to Perceive Some Clear-Cut Alcohol Related Issues That are Associated With Their Irresponsible Drinking

If they were responsible or moderate drinkers, this wouldn’t be such a difficult situation. Since they drink in an irresponsible manner, nonetheless, they are starting to take note of some unmistakable alcohol-related difficulties in their lives.

For example, just three days ago Jerry was apprehended by the police for his first DUI and has been ignoring responsibilities at work due to alcohol-related health problems. Moreover, Jerry’s last two performance reviews at work have been less than commendable and he has started to fail to recall what he says or does when he drinks. As a final point, Jerry has been going through sleep-related problems and his family has begun to exhibit some disquiet about his drinking activities.

Similar to Jerry’s circumstances, Sarah has been feeling depressed with life and to cope with this, she has been drinking more regularly than any time in the past seven months. In addition, Sarah has been getting more than a few headaches and having excruciating hangovers because of her drinking. Finally, Sarah has been feeling significantly less energetic when she awakens in the morning, she has been getting to work late almost every Monday, and she has been receiving some inconsiderate criticism from her relatives, family members, coworkers, and friends about her excessive drinking.

Watching the TV and Accidently Discovering A Special Documentary About the Signs of Alcohol Dependency

One Friday evening while watching the television, Jerry and Sarah happened upon a captivating documentary about the signs of alcoholism.

This television documentary was a real eye opener to Jerry and Sarah because several of the alcoholism signs that were listed looked like they were directly correlated with quite a few of the alcohol-related drinking problems Sarah and Jerry had been suffering through.

A Forthright Talk About Drinking Circumstances Discloses Alcohol Related
Financial, Health, Relationship, Legal, and Employment Problems

After watching the television special, Sarah and Jerry determined that they needed to have an honest chat about their drinking condition. They both agreed that most, if not all, of their social pursuits included drinking, that they were drinking excessively, and that as a married couple, they were beginning to notice alcohol related financial, legal, employment, relationship, and health problems for the first time since they were married.

With thoughts of the television program still etched in her mind, Sarah asked Jerry if some of the alcohol addiction signs they have been manifesting could mean that they are addicted to alcohol or perhaps becoming alcohol dependent. Jerry didn’t know the answer to Sarah’s inquiry and so he recommended that they make an appointment with one of the healthcare practitioners at the nearby substance abuse treatment clinic to find out more about the severity of their drinking issues.

Addressing Your Drinking Problems Just Might Lower Your Anxiety and Give You Some Peace of Mind

Ironically, although their drinking behavior hadn’t yet changed, it was clear that Jerry and Sarah were at least concentrating on their drinking difficulties, they were ready to find out more about their drinking behavior, and they were interested in learning how they could notably cut back on or get rid of the drinking-related problems that had started to get worse.

When Jerry and Sarah went to bed that night, they determined that the next afternoon, Jerry would call and make an appointment for both of them at the substance abuse rehabilitation center located in the next town. After they made a promise to one another that they would do whatever it takes to prevail over the alcohol-related difficulties that had developed in their lives, they actually had the most refreshing night’s sleep they could remember in the last seven weeks.

Just before he fell asleep, Jerry turned to Sarah and noted how easy it is to reduce one’s trepidation and truly experience a degree of peacefulness by addressing one’s problems with personal integrity and choosing to do something productive about them.

Miss Benning was a health instructor at the best known co-educational high school in the county. Even though she had been teaching for only one year, she had already established a reputation as an educator with teaching approaches that inspired and encouraged the pupils in her class to think and to learn.

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.

Miss Benning was a health instructor at the best known private high school in the district. Even though she had been teaching for only three years, she had already achieved a reputation as a teacher with educational approaches that inspired and encouraged the students in her class to think and to learn.

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.

Miss Benning was a health teacher at the largest co-ed high school in the county. Even though she had been teaching for only four years, she had already secured a reputation as a person with instructional approaches that motivated and stimulated students to learn and to think.

As an illustration, one Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 she addressed the students in her class 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 some of the most basic signs of alcoholism from a less general and more detailed viewpoint.”

“Not all of these alcoholism signs will categorically validate that an individual with a drinking problem is an alcohol addicted individual, but the more signs that a drinker displays, the stronger the probability that he or she is an individual who is addicted to alcohol.”

Miss Benning then told the students in the class that each student would be responsible for investigating three alcohol addiction signs and then presenting his or her conclusions to the other members in the class via a ten minute oral presentation.

The Pupils are Thrilled About Giving A Thorough Presentation to Their Fellow Students About Alcohol Dependency Signs

After learning about the different alcohol addiction signs for several days, the time had finally arrived for the student presentations. It was instantaneously noticeable that the pupils were excited about the subject because the information that they presented was first-rate. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the excitement exhibited by the pupils in her class regarding this topic was an understatement.

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

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

The Pupils Contrast Their Numbers With the Assessments From A Group of Drug and Alcohol Addiction Specialists

When the next school day finally came, Miss Benning handed out a piece of paper that listed the top five alcohol addiction signs according to the students’ rankings. To the left of these results, she included another column that was labeled “experts’ response.” She then informed her pupils that the numbers in the additional column she added stood for the responses that were put together by a group of substance abuse authorities.

Miss Benning told her pupils to look over the information on the piece of paper she passed out and then to raise their hand if they had any questions, issues, or concerns. Within 10 or 20 seconds, just about everyone in the class raised her or his hand. It was evident that the pupils had some concerns, questions, or issues about their results versus the answers given by the experts. As an illustration, just about every pupil had an issue with the highest ranked answer given by the authorities, to be precise, “Do you feel extremely nauseous when you abstain from drinking?”

The Major Difference Between Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency is the Physical Addiction That is Experienced With Alcohol Addiction and Not With Alcohol Abuse

Miss Benning then told the pupils in her classroom why this answer was the most unambiguous indicator of alcohol dependency. She highlighted the fact that the main difference between alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse is the physical dependency that is experienced with alcoholism and not with alcohol abuse.

Fundamentally this means that when an alcohol addicted individual suddenly stops drinking, he or she will suffer through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Miss Benning then explained to her pupils that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the brain and by the body to the deficit of alcohol to which they had become acclimated. Stated another way, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are signals from the body and from the brain telling an individual who is addicted to alcohol that something is extremely wrong and needs to be fixed. These signals consist of a number of dangerous, painful, and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms that can possibly lead to someone’s death if the appropriate therapy is not promptly received.

Miss Benning then discussed the host of alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be experienced when an alcohol dependent person abruptly quits drinking.

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

To explain this as plainly as possible, Miss Benning stressed the point that alcohol abusers, unlike individuals who are alcohol dependent, are not alcohol dependent and consequently, when they quit drinking, they almost never experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Students Feel They Have Found An Irregularity With the Findings From The Board of Substance Abuse Specialists

The pupils also some difficulty with the second ranked answer given by the substance abuse authorities, to be precise, “Have you ever had a drink the first thing in the morning to get rid of a hangover or to steady your nerves?”

Miss Benning told the pupils in her classroom that this sign does not automatically signify that the problem is alcoholism, but that it does highlight the need that alcohol addicted individuals have to drink in order to avert alcohol withdrawals.

After Miss Benning explained the significance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the individual who is addicted to alcohol, the students started to comprehend the fundamental difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction.

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

After roughly four or five minutes, Miss Benning asked for the pupils’ responses. While many pupils figured that around 75 to 85 percent of individuals who are alcohol dependent would seek alcoholism treatment if they knew about the facts related to alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcoholism signs, most of the pupils figured that this number would not be less than 50 percent.

The Pupils Were Shocked to Discover That Only 25% of People Who are Alcohol Dependent in the U.S. Get Alcohol Treatment

To the astonishment of most of the pupils, Miss Benning mentioned that according to different scientific examinations, only 25% of the individuals who are addicted to alcohol in the U.S. get alcohol treatment. This amazed most of the pupils because they figured that first hand experience of the awful facts and statistics linked to alcoholism would motivate the majority of the alcoholics to seek alcohol treatment.

Miss Benning then stated that alcohol addicted people not only need alcohol on an everyday basis in order to function but they also need alcohol everyday so they can stay away from possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Apparently, the alcoholic’s need to drink on a daily basis is stronger 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 challenging issue that is hard to negate.

A few minutes later the bell rang, meaning that the end of class had arrived. Based on the excitement manifested by the students when they were leaving the room, Miss Benning realized that she had stimulated and inspired the students in her class to stop and think about an important health and social problem that exists in our society.