An Impatient High School Student Exhibits Quite a Few Alcohol-Related Issues, Gets Expelled From School, and Has to See the School Psychologist

Larry was a fifteen year old high school sophomore who was manifesting numerous alcohol-related problems at school. For that reason, the principal informed him that he had to see Miss Johns, the school psychologist, before he would be allowed to come back to class.

Later that afternoon when Larry went home after school, he had to explain his school expulsion to his parents. His parents were “old school” and told Larry that getting discharged from school was not a practical educational game plan. They told Larry that failing to graduate from high school would likely be like a lead weight around his legs that could probably impair his educational aspirations for the remainder of his life. What is more, Larry’s Mom and Dad were quite upset that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his friends in the second.

His Mother and Father told Larry that even though he may be a teenager, he has to comprehend rather quickly that drinking is the path to failure, financial problems, ill health, and pain.

It was evident that his parents were completely in agreement with Larry’s principal and explained to Larry that he had better make up his mind to see Miss Johns, the school counselor. After his dialogue with his Mother and Father, Larry finally agreed to see Miss Johns the next day. So Larry phoned the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johns the next day during lunch.

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

When Larry arrived at his scheduled appointment with Miss Johns, she instantaneously reviewed all of the alcohol-related difficulties Larry had experienced and asked him if he knew why his recent alcohol-related actions made the school administrators uneasy.

Quite truthfully, Larry questioned why the principal told him he had to see a school therapist. As he stated to Miss Johns, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking situation? Since nearly all of his pals drink about as much as he does, primarily, drinking shouldn’t be such a big thing. Stated more forcefully, if nearly everybody is drinking, why is this such a major problem?

Miss Johns asked Larry 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 Johns informed Larry that while his buddies may indeed drink as much as he does and that they may be a bad influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting suspended from school due to alcohol-related fighting, delinquency, and absenteeism, not his peers. What is more, Miss Johns also highlighted the fact that Larry, and not his friends, is the one who is failing and who is missing almost two days of class per week due to his alcohol related difficulties. Lastly, Miss Johns highlighted the fact that due to his drinking activities, Larry is getting into a damaging cycle of hazardous drinking that can in due course destroy his life.

In a word, Larry’s involvement with teen alcohol abuse was beginning to impede his ability to behave like a responsible young man. As stated by Miss Johns, “Just because most of your pals drink hard liquor, wine coolers, wine, or beer does not mean that it is the healthiest thing in the world for you.”

Larry Learns That In the Long Run He Must Be Accountable For Himself In Order to Avert Destructive, Dangerous, Damaging, and Unhealthy Consequences In the Future

Miss Johns explained to Larry that others can definitely influence an individual in an unhealthy manner, but that the individual himself or herself has to ultimately take responsibility for herself or himself in order to stay away from destructive, dangerous, damaging, and unhealthy outcomes in the future.

Fortunately, Miss Johns was well equipped for her discussion with Larry. She showed him reports and research studies she had highlighted that listed diverse drinking statistics and facts that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Larry a lot of information that applied especially to adolescents.

As an illustration, Miss Johns stressed the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse and told Larry that individuals who continue to drink excessively commonly become alcohol dependent.

Miss Johns also explained the concept of binge drinking that she defined as follows: ingesting four or more drinks in one sitting for females and drinking four or more drinks in one sitting for females.

The Therapist Conveys Numerous Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse Statistics and Facts

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

1. Alcohol abuse and Alcoholism cost the U.S. an estimated $220 billion in 2005. This dollar amount was more than the cost correlated with obesity ($133 billion) or with cancer ($196 billion).

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

3. More than 75% of female victims of nonfatal, domestic violence claimed that their assailant had been using drugs or drinking.

4. In the United States on an annual basis, more than one third of pedestrians killed by autos were legally drunk.

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

6. Research shows that teens who drink alcohol may remember ten percent less of what they have learned than those who don’t drink.

7. Around 10% to 20% of the people who drink in an abusive manner at the end of the day 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 percent of industrial injuries are linked to alcohol addiction or alcohol abuse.

Larry Receives An Important Primer on the Facts About the Short Term and the Long Term Consequences of Teen Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency

After Miss Johns listed the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction statistics and facts, it was plain to see that what Miss Johns made known to Larry was a real eye opener for him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to explain the long term and the short term consequences of alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse, but she also took the time to validate what she was saying with alcoholism and alcohol abuse statistics and facts that related to everyone, and particularly to underage drinkers.

To be sure, it was almost as if a light went on and Larry without pause understood why he should not be engaging in hazardous and excessive drinking with or without his friends anymore. Larry thanked Miss Johns for her concern and for the information she reviewed.

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

Larry thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get a comprehensive physical examination and to go through a comprehensive evaluation of his drinking condition so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction treatment program in a reasonable time frame.

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