Larry was a seventeen year old high school junior who was manifesting quite a few alcohol-related issues at school. Therefore, the principal told him that he had to see Miss Johns, the school psychologist, before he would be permitted to come back to class.

Later that day when Larry went home after school, he had to clarify his school discharge to his parents. His Mom and Dad were “old school” and explained to Larry that getting removed from school was not a possible educational plan of action. They informed Larry that failing to graduate from high school would most probably be like a lead weight around his legs that may impede his educational attainment for the rest of his adult life. Not only this, but Larry’s parents were extremely discontented that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his pals in the second.

His parents informed Larry that although he may be a teenager, he needs to comprehend fairly rapidly that drinking is the road to pain, failure, ill health, and financial problems.

It was evident that his Mom and Dad were out-and-out in full agreement with Larry’s principal and explained to Larry that he had better make plans to see Miss Johns, the school counselor. After his chat with his parents, Larry at last agreed to see Miss Johns the next day. So Larry called the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johns the next day during his third period class.

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

When Larry went to see Miss Johns, she instantly surveyed all of the alcohol-related issues Larry had gotten into and asked him if he knew why his recent alcohol-related behavior was such a cause for concern.

Quite sincerely, Larry was not sure why the principal suggested that he see a school psychologist. As he stated to Miss Johns, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking circumstances? Since virtually all of his buddies drink as much if not more than he does, primarily, drinking is no big issue. Stated more forcefully, if just about everybody is drinking, why is this such a major concern?

Miss Johns asked Larry when he started to drink. He said that some of his older pals introduced him to drinking wine when he was twelve or thirteen years old and between the sixth and seventh grades.

Miss Johns informed Larry that while his peers 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 expelled from school due to alcohol-related delinquency, absenteeism, and fighting, not his peers. Furthermore, Miss Johns also underscored the fact that Larry, and not his classmates, is the one who is failing and who is missing almost two days of school per week due to his alcohol related problems. Finally, Miss Johns underlined the fact that because of his drinking situation, Larry is getting into a harmful cycle of alcohol abuse that can eventually ruin his hopes, dreams and aspirations.

In short, Larry’s involvement with teen alcohol abuse was starting to foil his ability to behave like a responsible young man. As verbalized by Miss Johns, “Just because most of your friends drink beer, hard liquor, wine coolers, or wine does not mean that it is the appropriate behavior for you.”

Larry Learns That In Due Course He Must Be Responsible For Himself In Order to Keep Away From Destructive, Unhealthy, Damaging, and Dangerous Circumstances In the Foreseeable Future

Miss Johns explained to Larry that others can undoubtedly influence an individual in an unhealthy manner, but that the individual himself or herself has to eventually be accountable for herself or himself in order to keep away from destructive, damaging, dangerous, and unhealthy outcomes in the foreseeable future.

Fortunately, Miss Johns was very well prepared for her scheduled appointment with Larry. She showed him research studies and reports she had underlined that outlined various drinking statistics and facts that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Larry a lot of data that applied particularly to underage drinkers.

For instance, Miss Johns emphasized the difference between alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse and told Larry that people who continue to abuse alcohol commonly become addicted to alcohol.

Miss Johns also went over 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 Counselor Articulates Several Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency Facts and Statistics

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

1. As demonstrated in one study, roughly 11% of 8th-graders, 22% of 10th-graders, and 27% of 12th-graders articulated that they involved themselves in excessive drinking.

2. Between 48% and 64% of the individuals who pass away in fires have blood alcohol levels indicating inebriation.

3. Children who are drinking alcohol by 7th grade are more likely to exhibit delinquent behavior, substance abuse, and academic problems in both high school and junior high school.

4. In the United States, more than 50% of all homicides and incidents of domestic violence are alcohol-related.

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

6. In the United States, more than 40 percent of the people who begin drinking before the age of 13 will develop alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence at some point in their lives.

7. In the United States, by the time they are seniors in high school, 80% of teenagers have tried alcohol and 62% have been intoxicated.

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

Larry Gets A Much Needed Primer on the Facts Regarding the Short Term and the Long Term Consequences of Adolescent Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency

After Miss Johns articulated the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction statistics and facts, it was clear that what Miss Johns revealed to Larry 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 put in plain words the long term and the short term results of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency, but she also made the effort to demonstrate what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts that related to people in general, and especially to teenagers.

In actual fact, it was almost as if a light went on and Larry immediately comprehended why he should not be engaging in abusive and hazardous drinking with or without his classmates anymore. Larry thanked Miss Johns for her concern and for the information she discussed.

Miss Johns then asked Larry how he felt about getting a physical examination and an alcohol evaluation for the alcohol treatment he would probably need.

Larry thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get a complete physical and to go through an extensive appraisal of his drinking situation so that he could start an alcohol rehabilitation program right away.