Posts Tagged ‘alcohol abuse statistics’
A Fretful High School Student Exhibits Quite a Few Alcohol-Related Problems, Gets Kicked Out of School, and Has to See the School Therapist
Dante was a eighteen year old high school senior who was manifesting several alcohol-related issues at school. Therefore, the principal told him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor, before he would be permitted to return to class.
Later that day when Dante went home after school, he had to go over his school expulsion with his Mom and Dad. His Mother and Father were “relatively conventional” and told Dante that getting thrown out of school was not a satisfactory educational option. They informed Dante that failing to graduate from high school would most probably be like a lead weight around his ankles that might inhibit his educational attainment for the rest of his adult life. What is more, Dante’s parents were quite troubled that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his friends in the second.
His parents told Dante that even though he may be a teen, he has to comprehend without much delay that drinking is the road to ill health, financial problems, pain, and failure.
It was clear that his Mother and Father were on the same page as Dante’s principal and told Dante that he had better make plans to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist. After his dialogue with his Mother and Father, Dante at last agreed to see Miss Johnson the next day. So Dante phoned the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next afternoon after school.
The Therapist Asks Dante if He Knows Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Behavior Caused Quite a Bit of Anxiety 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 understood why his recent alcohol-related actions made the school administrators uneasy.
Quite honestly, Dante was unsure why the principal told him he had to see a school therapist. As he stated to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional counselor about his drinking circumstances? Since nearly all of his pals drink the same amount that he does, for all intents and purposes, drinking is no big issue. Stated more explicitly, if just about everyone is drinking, why is this such a major issue?
Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink. He said that some of his older friends introduced him to drinking hard liquor when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter the seventh grade.
Miss Johnson explained to Dante that while his pals may in fact 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 removed from school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his classmates. What is more, Miss Johnson also emphasized the fact that Dante, and not his peers, is the one who is failing and who is missing almost two days of school per week due to his alcohol related problems. Lastly, Miss Johnson stressed the fact that due to his drinking circumstances, Dante is getting into a destructive cycle of excessive drinking that can eventually destroy his life.
In a word, Dante’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was beginning to foil his ability to act like an accountable young man. As conveyed by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your pals drink hard liquor, wine, wine coolers, or beer does not mean that it is the appropriate behavior for you.”
Dante Learns That Ultimately He Must Be Responsible For Himself In Order to Keep Away From Unhealthy, Damaging, Destructive, and Dangerous Consequences In the Future
Miss Johnson explained to Dante that other people can indeed influence an individual in an unhealthy manner, but that the person herself or himself has to at the end of the day claim responsibility for himself or herself in order to steer clear of destructive, unhealthy, damaging, and dangerous outcomes in the future.
Luckily, Miss Johnson was very well equipped for her scheduled meeting with Dante. She showed him research studies and reports she had underlined that outlined diverse drinking facts and statistics that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante a lot of information that applied especially to teens.
As an illustration, Miss Johnson underscored the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse and informed Dante that people who continue to drink excessively regularly become addicted to alcohol.
Miss Johnson also explained the concept of binge drinking which she defined as follows: consuming four or more drinks in one sitting for females and drinking five or more drinks in one sitting for males.
The Counselor States Numerous Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse Facts and Statistics
Then Miss Johnson articulated various alcohol facts and the following eight alcohol abuse statistics:
1. As demonstrated by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, there are 105,000 annual alcohol-related deaths in the U.S. because of inebriated drivers and related diseases, medical conditions, or injuries.
2. Roughly twenty-five percent of all U.S. people who are admitted to general hospitals have drinking problems or are undiagnosed people who are addicted to alcohol who are being treated for the results of their irresponsible drinking.
3. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are the third leading cause of preventable fatalities in the United States.
4. More than 7% of the population that is 18 years old and older — roughly 13.8 million Americans — has problems with drinking, including 8.1 million individuals who suffer from alcoholism.
5. 500,000 Americans who are dependent on alcohol are between the ages of 9 and 12.
6. As demonstrated by one U.S. research study of 18 to 24 year-old current drinkers who did not complete high school, nearly 60% began to drink before they were 16 years old.
7. Currently, about 14 million Americans, 1 in every 13 adults, are addicted to alcohol or are alcohol abusers.
8. As demonstrated by the research literature, non-alcoholic members of alcoholic’s families use ten times as much sick leave as families who do not display alcohol problems.
Dante Receives A Relevant Primer on the Facts About the Short Term and the Long Term Outcomes of Teenage Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
After Miss Johnson stated the aforementioned alcoholism and alcohol abuse facts and statistics, it was clear that what Miss Johnson disclosed to Dante was a real source of discovery for him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only took the time to articulate the long term and the short term outcomes of alcoholism and alcohol abuse, but she also made the effort to support what she was saying with alcoholism and alcohol abuse statistics and facts that related to people in general, and chiefly to teenagers.
Definitely, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante immediately grasped 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 reviewed.
Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical examination and an alcohol evaluation for the alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency rehabilitation he would probably need.
Dante thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get an extensive physical examination and to go through a thorough appraisal of his drinking condition so that he could start an alcohol rehab program right away.
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Teen Alcohol Abuse: A Complex Problem
Recent alcohol abuse statistics reveal that alcohol abuse among teenagers is increasing in the United States. What are some of the reasons for this? Quite a few alcohol addiction experts claim that beer, wine, and liquor ads created by the media are a primary reason for the spread of teen alcohol abuse.
Other substance abuse consultants believe that the increase in teenage alcohol abuse is due to the acceptability and accessibility of wine,liquor, and beer in our society.
Still other alcohol addiction experts emphasize the point that quite a few of our teenagers get involved in abusive drinking due to the increased apprehension that they undergo.
From a somewhat different perspective, because both parents in a number of families work full or part-time, the lack of parental supervision evidently has to play a fundamental part in the proliferation of teenage alcohol abuse. And last of all, a variety of substance abuse professionals emphasize the point that the rise in teenage alcohol abuse is due, to some extent, to our “anything goes” society.
Excessive Drinking and Coping Skills
One component of teenage alcohol abuse that looks like it is under reported in the substance abuse research literature, however, is the absence of educational courses that teach students how to enhance their coping skills so that their excessive drinking behavior is substantially diminished or eradicated.
More to the point, science has disclosed the fact that there is an indirect association between poor coping skills and abusive drinking. Essentially, this means that the worse the coping skills, the higher the incidence of alcohol abuse. To the degree that this is a truthful affirmation, why isn’t coping skills education a significant part of the academic prospectus in all of our high schools, junior high schools, and elementary schools?
A Society That Accentuates Teenage Coping Skills
Let us manufacture a scenario for the purpose of explanation. Let us imagine a society in which all people are taught how to develop excellent coping skills all the way from kindergarten up to and including their final year in high school.
In such a society, when life gets difficult, individuals who are ”coping skills experts” will be able to respond in a more healthy and more creative way, as opposed to others who are unsuccessful in their attempts to execute their coping skills.
Stated differently, students who demonstrate superior coping skills will be more able to think clearly and show signs of first-class decision making as opposed to students who, because they lack outstanding coping skills, gravitate to the “quick fix” of excessive drinking.
What would happen in the above “ideal” society, additionally, if adolescents not only got excellent coping skills education but also received an outstanding education that focused on the long term and short term devastating consequences associated with drug abuse and alcohol abuse? Emphasizing these types of drug and alcohol abuse facts, along with more advanced coping skills training, it is proclaimed, would help adolescents stay away from the apparent appeal associated with underage drinking and, for that reason, would notably reduce the harmful drinking behavior displayed by teenagers in our country.
Youth Risky Drinking: Conclusion
There are obviously a number of well thought-out reasons why so many of our adolescents drink in an excessive manner. Such a knotty predicament demands an all-inclusive and more applicable preventative and educational response by our educators, students, parents, and politicians so that our teens can learn how to cope with life’s problems in a more productive and accountable manner rather than gravitating to dangerous drinking behavior to solve their difficulties.
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Adolescent Alcohol Abuse: A Complex Issue
Recent alcohol abuse statistics demonstrate the fact that alcohol abuse among adolescents is increasing in the United States. What are some of the reasons for this? More than a few substance abuse consultants declare that wine, beer, and liquor advertisements created by the media are an essential reason for the expansion of teen alcohol abuse.
Other alcohol addiction specialists state that the increase in adolescent alcohol abuse is due to the toleration and ease of access of liquor, wine, and beer in our society.
Still other substance abuse authorities emphasize the point that more than a few of our teenagers engage in harmful drinking due to the increased tension that they face.
From a somewhat different perspective, due to the fact that both parents in a number of families are employed, the lack of parental guidance definitely has to play an essential role in the increase in adolescent alcohol abuse. And last of all, an assortment of alcohol addiction authorities affirm that the rise in youth alcohol abuse is due, in part, to our lax society.
Coping Skills Education and Excessive Drinking
One element of teen alcohol abuse that seems to be somewhat missing in the chemical dependency research findings, in contrast, is the shortage of educational programs that teach teens how to further develop their coping skills so that their abusive drinking behavior is radically lessened or done away with.
More explicitly, scientific research has demonstrated that there is an indirect association between poor coping skills and alcohol abuse. In essence, this means that the poorer the coping skills, the higher the incidence of alcohol abuse. To the degree that this is a correct argument, why isn’t coping skills instruction a fundamental part of the educational curriculum in all of our elementary schools, junior high schools, and high schools?
A Society That Stresses Teenage Coping Skills
Let us create a scenario for for the purpose of elucidation. Let us imagine a society in which students are taught how to develop superior coping skills all the way from kindergarten up to and including the twelfth grade.
In such a society, when life gets demanding, students who are ”coping skills experts” will be able to respond in a healthier and more successful way, contrary to others who fail to apply their coping skills.
More precisely, students who display sound coping skills will be more able to think logically and display top quality decision making as opposed to teens who, because they do not possess good coping skills, gravitate to the “quick fix” of abusive drinking.
What would happen in the above “ideal” society, additionally, if teens not only obtained exceptional coping skills instruction but also got an extraordinary education that stressed the short term and long term injurious costs associated with drug abuse and alcohol abuse? Emphasizing these types of drug and alcohol abuse facts, along with more advanced coping skills training, it is asserted, would help adolescents stay away from the apparent charm interlinked with adolescent drinking and, as a consequence, would fundamentally lessen the injurious drinking behavior undertaken by adolescents in our country.
Youth Abusive Drinking: Conclusion
There are certainly more than a few defensible reasons why so many of our teens drink in a hazardous manner. Such a complex problem demands an extensive and more meaningful educational and preventative response by our parents, educators, politicians, and students so that our teenagers can learn how to cope with life’s problems in a more productive and responsible manner instead of gravitating to excessive drinking behavior to solve their difficulties.
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An Agitated High School Student Displays A Number of Alcohol-Related Difficulties, Gets Thrown Out of School, and Has to See the School Counselor
Dante was a eighteen year old high school senior who was manifesting numerous alcohol-related problems at school. As a result, the principal told him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist, before he would be allowed to come back to school.
Later that day when Dante went home after school, he had to go over his school discharge with his Mother and Father. His Mother and Father were “fairly conservative” and informed Dante that getting suspended from school was not a practical educational game plan. They informed Dante that failing to graduate from high school would likely be like a lead weight around his feet that might inhibit his educational attainment for the remainder of his adult life. Moreover, Dante’s parents were very saddened that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his pals in the second.
His Mom and Dad told Dante that although he may be an adolescent, he has to understand fairly rapidly that drinking is the route to ill health, financial problems, pain, and failure.
It was obvious that his parents were in total accord with Dante’s principal and explained to Dante that he had better make plans to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor. After his discussion with his Mom and Dad, Dante at long last agreed to see Miss Johnson the next day. So Dante phoned the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his first period class.
The Counselor Asks Dante if He Knows Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Activities Made the School Administrators Uneasy
When Dante went to see Miss Johnson, she instantly examined all of the alcohol-related problems Dante had experienced and asked him if he knew why his recent alcohol-related behavior caused quite a bit of concern by the school administrators.
Quite honestly, Dante questioned why the principal suggested that he see a school psychologist. As he expressed to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking activities? Because nearly all of his buddies drink about as much as he does, drinking really shouldn’t be such a big deal. Stated differently, if just about everybody is drinking, why is this such a major concern?
Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink alcoholic beverages. He said that some of his older friends introduced him to drinking beer when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter junior high school.
Miss Johnson told Dante that while his peers may in fact drink more than he does and that they may be a negative influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting kicked out of school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his friends. What is more, Miss Johnson also highlighted the fact that Dante, and not his peers, is the one who is failing and who is missing one day of school every week due to his alcohol related problems. Finally, Miss Johnson emphasized the fact that due to his drinking behavior, Dante is getting into a damaging cycle of excessive drinking that can in time wreck his aspirations, hopes, and dreams.
In short, Dante’s involvement with youth alcohol abuse was beginning to impede his ability to act like an accountable young man. As stated by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your buddies drink hard liquor, wine, beer, or wine coolers does not mean that it is the correct behavior for you.”
Dante Learns That Sooner or Later He Must Be Responsible For Himself In Order to Prevent Destructive, Dangerous, Unhealthy, and Damaging Outcomes In the Future
Miss Johnson informed Dante that other individuals can without a doubt influence an individual in an unhealthy way, but that the individual herself or himself has to sooner or later be accountable for himself or herself in order to avoid unhealthy, dangerous, destructive, and damaging circumstances in the foreseeable future.
Fortunately, Miss Johnson was extremely well equipped for her appointment with Dante. She showed him research studies and reports she had underlined that summarized diverse drinking statistics and facts that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Dante quite a lot of figures and reports that applied mainly to underage drinkers.
For example, Miss Johnson stressed the difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism and explained to Dante that drinkers who continue to drink in a hazardous manner commonly become alcoholic.
Miss Johnson also explained the concept of binge drinking which she defined as follows: drinking four or more drinks in one sitting for females and ingesting five or more drinks in one sitting for males.
The Psychologist Articulates Several Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Statistics and Facts
Then Miss Johnson stated various alcohol facts and the following eight alcohol abuse statistics:
1. According to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, there are 105,000 annual alcohol-related fatalities in the U.S. due to drunk drivers and related medical conditions, diseases or injuries.
2. Almost one-fourth of all U.S. individuals who register in general hospitals have alcohol-related problems or are undiagnosed people who are addicted to alcohol who are being treated for the results of their irresponsible drinking.
3. Alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse are the third leading cause of preventable fatalities in the U.S..
4. More than 7 percent of the population that is 18 years old and older — around 13.8 million Americans — has problems with drinking, including 8.1 million drinkers who suffer from alcoholism.
5. 500,000 Americans who are addicted to alcohol are between the ages of 9 and 12.
6. As demonstrated by one U.S. study of 18 to 24 year-old current drinkers who did not graduate from high school, roughly sixty percent started to drink before the age of 16.
7. Currently, about 14 million Americans, 1 in every 13 adults, are alcohol abusers or are addicted to alcohol.
8. According to the research literature, non-alcoholic members of alcoholic’s families use ten times as much sick time as families who do not manifest alcohol dependency or alcohol abuse.
Dante Receives A Relevant Wake Up Call Regarding the Long Term and the Short Term Results of Underage Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
After Miss Johnson presented the aforementioned alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse statistics and facts, it was apparent that what Miss Johnson taught Dante was a real bombshell to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to put in plain words the short term and the long term outcomes of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency, but she also made the effort to back up what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts that related to everybody in general, and particularly to today’s youth.
Indeed, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante instantly grasped why he should not be engaging in excessive and abusive 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 exam and an alcohol evaluation for the alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency treatment he would probably need.
Dante thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get a thorough physical examination and to go through a comprehensive assessment of his drinking behavior so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency treatment program without pause.
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Teenage Alcohol Abuse: A Serious Problem
Recent alcohol abuse statistics demonstrate the fact that alcohol abuse among adolescents is increasing in the United States. What are some of the reasons for this? Many chemical dependency specialists believe that alcohol ads constructed by the media are an important reason for the proliferation of teen alcohol abuse.
Other chemical dependency consultants argue that the increase in teenage alcohol abuse is due to the toleration and ease of access of alcohol in our society.
Still other substance abuse professionals think that many of our adolescents engage in injurious drinking due to the increased stress that they are subjected to.
From a slightly different viewpoint, since both parents in quite a few families are employed, the lack of parental supervision unquestionably has to play an important role in the increase in youth alcohol abuse. And finally, various alcohol abuse experts articulate that the spread of teen alcohol abuse is due, at least partially, to our laissez-faire society.
Excessive Drinking and Coping Skills Education
One feature of youth alcohol abuse that looks as if it lacking in the alcohol addiction research results, however, is the lack of educational programs that teach teenagers how to improve upon their coping skills so that their risky drinking behavior is significantly diminished or exterminated.
Stated more precisely, scientific research has demonstrated that there is an indirect association between poor coping skills and alcohol abuse. Basically, this means that the more mediocre the coping skills, the greater the prevalence of alcohol abuse. To the extent that this is a truthful affirmation, why isn’t coping skills training a primary part of the educational curriculum in all of our high schools, junior high schools, and elementary schools?
A Society That Accentuates Youth Coping Skills
Let us create a scenario for the purpose of clarification. Let us imagine a society in which students are trained how to develop excellent coping skills all the way from kindergarten up to and including their senior year in high school.
In such a society, when life gets challenging, students who are “coping skills masters” will be able to respond in a healthier and more rewarding manner, as opposed to others who fail to execute their coping skills.
Stated differently, students who show evidence of superior coping skills will be more able to think proactively and engage in superior decision making as opposed to adolescents who, because they failed to obtain outstanding coping skills, are drawn to the “quick fix” of hazardous drinking.
What would happen in the above “ideal” society, furthermore, if young people not only got first class coping skills training but also received an exceptional education that stressed the long term and short term damaging results associated with drug abuse and alcohol abuse? Emphasizing these types of drug and alcohol abuse facts, along with more highly developed coping skills instruction, it is affirmed, would help teens avoid the clear allure of underage drinking and, as a consequence, would fundamentally reduce the destructive drinking behavior displayed by adolescents in our country.
Teen Abusive Drinking: Conclusion
There are without a doubt more than a few defensible reasons why so many of our teens drink in a hazardous manner. Such a thorny issue demands a far-reaching and more meaningful preventative and educational response by our parents, educators, politicians, and students so that our teenagers can learn how to cope with life’s predicaments in a more fruitful and responsible way rather than resorting to excessive drinking behavior to solve their problems.
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An Impulsive High School Student Exhibits A Number of Alcohol-Related Difficulties, Gets Suspended From School, and Has to See the School Counselor
Dante was a seventeen year old high school senior who was manifesting quite a few alcohol-related problems at school. Therefore, the principal explained to him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist, before he would be permitted to return to class.
Later that afternoon when Dante went home after school, he had to go over his school expulsion with his Mom and Dad. His Mother and Father were “fairly old-fashioned” and informed Dante that getting suspended from school was not a tolerable educational game plan. They told Dante that failing to graduate from high school would probably be like a lead weight around his legs that could probably hurt his educational achievement for the remainder of his life. In addition, Dante’s Mom and Dad were extremely upset that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his friends in the second.
His Mother and Father informed Dante that even though he may be a teenager, he has to understand rather quickly that drinking is the route to failure, financial problems, ill health, and pain.
It was obvious that his parents were absolutely in accord with Dante’s principal and told Dante that he had better come to the understanding that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school psychologist. After his talk with his parents, Dante in due course agreed to see Miss Johnson the next school day. So Dante called the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his sixth period class.
The Counselor Asks Dante if He Knows Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Activities Signaled Such Alarm By the School Administrators
When Dante went to see Miss Johnson, she immediately surveyed all of the alcohol-related difficulties Dante had experienced and asked him if he comprehended why his recent alcohol-related actions gave the school administrators room for alarm.
Quite sincerely, Dante questioned 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 situation? Since almost all of his friends drink the same amount that he does, for all intents and purposes, drinking shouldn’t be such a big deal. Stated more directly, if nearly everyone is drinking, why is this such a major concern?
Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink alcoholic beverages. He said that some of his older buddies introduced him to drinking wine when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter the seventh grade.
Miss Johnson explained to Dante that while his pals 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 removed from school due to alcohol-related delinquency, absenteeism, and fighting, not his buddies. Moreover, Miss Johnson also emphasized the fact that Dante, and not his pals, is the one who is failing and who is missing almost two days of school every week because of his alcohol related issues. Lastly, Miss Johnson underlined the fact that due to his drinking circumstances, Dante is getting into a harmful cycle of excessive drinking that can at the end of the day wreck his dreams, hopes, and aspirations.
In a word, Dante’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was beginning to thwart his ability to act like an accountable young man. As stated by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your peers drink alcohol does not mean that it is the right thing to do for you.”
Dante Learns That Ultimately He Must Take Responsibility For Himself In Order to Prevent Destructive, Dangerous, Damaging, and Unhealthy Circumstances In the Foreseeable Future
Miss Johnson informed Dante that others can undoubtedly influence an individual in a negative manner, but that the person himself or herself has to at the end of the day be accountable for himself or herself in order to keep away from dangerous, destructive, unhealthy, and damaging effects in the future.
Luckily, Miss Johnson was very well equipped for her discussion with Dante. She showed him research studies and reports she had highlighted that summarized various drinking facts and statistics that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Dante quite a lot of information that applied chiefly to teens.
For instance, Miss Johnson explained the difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism and explained to Dante that drinkers who continue to drink excessively habitually become dependent on alcohol.
Miss Johnson also explained 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 Psychologist Articulates More Than a Few Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse Statistics and Facts
Then Miss Johnson stated various alcohol facts and the following eight alcohol abuse statistics:
1. The 25.9% of teen drinkers in the U.S. who are alcohol abusers and alcohol dependent drink 47.3% of the alcohol that is ingested by all teen drinkers.
2. Fifty percent of United States murders are related to alcohol.
3. In 2002, U.S. alcohol dependency statistics and facts revealed that 2.6 million binge drinkers were between the ages of 12 and 17.
4. It is estimated that more than 3 million adolescents in the U.S. between the ages of 14 to 17 are problem drinkers.
5. In the U.S., more than forty percent of those who begin drinking at the age 14 or younger become alcohol dependent.
6. Very few of the more than 18 million U.S. alcohol abusers receive the alcohol rehabilitation they require.
7. Teenage drinking costs Americans nearly $53 billion per year. If this cost were shared equally by each congressional district, the amount would total more than $120 million per district.
8. Alcohol-related problems are disproportionately found among both juvenile and adult criminal offenders.
Dante Receives A Meaningful Wake Up Call Concerning the Long Term and the Short Term Outcomes of Adolescent Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse
After Miss Johnson verbalized the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction facts and statistics, it was clear that what Miss Johnson made known to Dante was a real source of discovery for him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to explain the short term and the long term outcomes of alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse, but she also took the time to confirm what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency facts and statistics that related to everyone, and particularly to underage drinkers.
Indeed, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante at once understood why he should not be engaging in hazardous and abusive drinking with or without his peers any longer. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the material she went over.
Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical exam and an alcohol appraisal for the alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction treatment he would probably need.
Dante thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get an extensive physical examination and to go through a comprehensive appraisal of his drinking condition so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcoholism treatment program promptly.
Mail this post
Youth Alcohol Abuse: A Serious Problem
Alcohol abuse statistics reveal that alcohol abuse among teenagers is increasing in the United States. What are some of the reasons for this? Quite a few alcoholism authorities think that liquor, beer, and wine ads generated by the media are a major reason for the increase in teen alcohol abuse.
Other alcohol abuse consultants assert that the increase in teen alcohol abuse is due to the acceptability and ease of access of wine,liquor, and beer in our society.
Still other chemical dependency experts articulate that quite a few of our young people engage in destructive drinking because of the increased stress that they face.
From a slightly different viewpoint, because both parents in many families work full or part-time, the lack of parental supervision positively has to play a fundamental part in the spread of youth alcohol abuse. And last but not least, various alcoholism specialists assert that the increase in youth alcohol abuse is due, in some degree, to our permissive society.
Coping Skills and Abusive Drinking
One element of adolescent alcohol abuse that seems to be poorly reported in the alcohol abuse research results, to the contrary, is the shortage of educational programs that teach students how to improve upon their coping skills so that their abusive drinking behavior is fundamentally reduced or exterminated.
Stated differently, science has made obvious the fact that there is an indirect connection between poor coping skills and hazardous drinking. Essentially, this means that the poorer the coping skills, the higher the prevalence of alcohol abuse. To the extent that this is a correct argument, why isn’t coping skills education an important part of the educational core curriculum in all of our high schools, junior high schools, and elementary schools?
A Society That Emphasizes Youth Coping Skills
Let us create a scenario for for the purpose of illumination. Let us imagine a society in which all individuals are trained how to develop sound coping skills all the way from kindergarten up to and including their final year in high school.
In such a society, when life gets difficult, students who are ”coping skills experts” will be able to respond in a healthier and more rewarding manner, contrary to others who are unsuccessful in their attempts to execute their coping skills.
More precisely, students who reveal outstanding coping skills will be more able to think proactively and display quality decision making as opposed to teens who, because they do not possess top quality coping skills, gravitate to the “quick fix” of hazardous drinking.
What would happen in the above “ideal” society, furthermore, if adolescents not only obtained outstanding coping skills training but also received an extraordinary education that focused on the short term and long term unhealthy outcomes associated with drug abuse and alcohol abuse? Emphasizing these drug and alcohol abuse facts, along with more advanced coping skills training, it is asserted, would help students stay away from the obvious attraction with teen drinking and, for that reason, would substantially decrease the abusive drinking behavior undertaken by adolescents in our country.
Teenage Alcohol Abuse: Conclusion
There are certainly many compelling reasons why so many of our teenagers drink in a dangerous manner. Such a thorny problem demands a comprehensive and more meaningful preventative and educational response by our educators, parents, politicians, and students so that our teenagers can learn how to cope with life’s problems in a more fruitful and responsible manner rather than gravitating to abusive drinking behavior to solve their difficulties.
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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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Teen Alcohol Abuse: A Major Problem
Alcohol abuse statistics demonstrate the fact that alcohol abuse among teenagers is increasing in the United States. What are some of the reasons for this? Numerous substance abuse authorities state that beer, wine, and liquor ads produced by the media are a fundamental reason for the rise in teenage alcohol abuse.
Other chemical dependency authorities declare that the increase in youth alcohol abuse is due to the acceptability and convenience of wine,liquor, and beer in our society.
Still other alcohol addiction experts think that numerous young people get involved in injurious drinking because of the increased fretfulness that they experience.
From a somewhat different perspective, since both parents in quite a few families are employed, the lack of parental guidance certainly has to play a primary part in the rise in teen alcohol abuse. And last of all, diverse alcohol addiction consultants articulate that the spread of youth alcohol abuse is due, to some extent, to our “anything goes” society.
Alcohol Abuse and Coping Skills Training
One aspect of adolescent alcohol abuse that seems to be deficient in the alcohol addiction research results, to the contrary, is the nonexistence of educational courses that teach adolescents how to upgrade their coping skills so that their excessive drinking behavior is fundamentally diminished or gotten rid of.
Stated another way, scientific research has illustrated the fact that there is an indirect connection between poor coping skills and alcohol abuse. Essentially, this means that the worse the coping skills, the greater the frequency of alcohol abuse. To the degree that this is a correct affirmation, why isn’t coping skills training an important part of the academic core curriculum in all of our junior high schools, elementary schools, and high schools?
A Society That Emphasizes Youth Coping Skills
Let us construct a scenario for descriptive purposes. Let us imagine a society in which all individuals are taught how to develop sound coping skills all the way from kindergarten up to and including their senior year in high school.
In such a society, when life gets demanding, people who are ”coping skills experts” will be able to respond in a healthier and more creative manner, contrary to others who are unsuccessful in their attempts to apply their coping skills.
Stated another way, students who reveal sound coping skills will be more able to think clearly and demonstrate top quality decision making as opposed to teenagers who, because they were unsuccessful in their attempts to implement quality coping skills, resort to the “quick fix” of excessive drinking.
What would happen in the above “ideal” society, what’s more, if teenagers not only got excellent coping skills instruction but also received an outstanding education that outlined the long term and short term damaging outcomes associated with drug abuse and alcohol abuse? Emphasizing these types of drug and alcohol abuse facts, along with more advanced coping skills education, it is asserted, would help adolescents avoid the obvious appeal interlinked with teenage drinking and, as a consequence, would fundamentally decrease the excessive drinking behavior demonstrated by teens in our country.
Adolescent Risky Drinking: Conclusion
There are certainly several sound reasons why so many of our teens drink in a hazardous manner. Such a thorny subject demands a wide-ranging and relevant preventative and educational response by our parents, politicians, students, and educators so that our adolescents can learn how to cope with life’s predicaments in a more rewarding and responsible manner rather than resorting to destructive drinking behavior to solve their difficulties.
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