Home Remedies

Dante was a eighteen year old high school senior who was manifesting quite a few alcohol-related difficulties at school. Therefore, the principal informed him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school psychologist, before he would be allowed to come back to class.

Later that day when Dante went home after school, he had to explain his school situation to his parents. His parents were “relatively old fashioned” and explained to Dante that getting kicked out of school was not a feasible educational plan of action. They told Dante that failing to graduate from high school would most probably be like a lead weight around his feet that could quite possibly inhibit his educational achievement for the rest of his adult life. In addition, Dante’s Mom and Dad were extremely troubled that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his classmates in the second.

They explained to Dante that even though he may be young, he needs to realize fairly swiftly that drinking is the path to pain, financial problems, failure, and ill health.

It was plain to see that his Mother and Father were completely in agreement with Dante’s principal and informed Dante that he had better come to the realization that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor. After his dialogue with his Mother and Father, Dante at last agreed to see Miss Johnson the next day. So Dante called the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his first period class.

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

When Dante got to his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she without pause reviewed all of the alcohol-related problems Dante had experienced and asked him if he understood why his recent alcohol-related activities caused quite a bit of anxiety by the school administrators.

Quite truthfully, Dante wondered why the principal informed him that he had to see a school psychologist. As he stated to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking situation? Since virtually all of his classmates drink about as much as he does, essentially, drinking is no big issue. Stated more explicitly, if almost everyone is drinking, why is this such a big deal?

Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink. He said that some of his older classmates introduced him to drinking hard liquor when he was twelve or thirteen years old and between the sixth and seventh grades.

Miss Johnson informed Dante that while his classmates 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 suspended from school due to alcohol-related delinquency, absenteeism, and fighting, not his classmates. Moreover, Miss Johnson also highlighted the fact that Dante, 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 issues. Finally, Miss Johnson underlined the fact that due to his drinking activities, Dante is getting into a destructive cycle of alcohol abuse that can sooner or later ruin his aspirations, hopes, and dreams.

In short, Dante’s involvement with youth alcohol abuse was starting to short-circuit his ability to conduct himself like a responsible young man. As put into words by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your classmates drink wine, wine coolers, hard liquor, or beer does not mean that it is the healthiest thing in the world for you.”

Dante Learns That Eventually He Must Claim Responsibility For Himself In Order to Keep Away From Destructive, Unhealthy, Dangerous, and Damaging Outcomes In the Future

Miss Johnson informed Dante that one’s peers can undoubtedly influence a person in a negative way, but that the individual herself or himself has to in the long run claim responsibility for himself or herself in order to prevent unhealthy, damaging, dangerous, and destructive situations in the future.

Luckily, Miss Johnson was very well equipped for her conference with Dante. She showed him research studies and reports she had underlined that summarized various drinking statistics and facts that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante quite a lot of information that applied especially to teenagers.

For instance, Miss Johnson explained the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse and explained to Dante that individuals who continue to drink excessively often become addicted to alcohol.

Miss Johnson also articulated the concept of binge drinking that she defined as follows: consuming five or more drinks in one sitting for males and drinking four or more drinks in one sitting for females.

The Therapist Conveys More Than a Few Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency Statistics and Facts

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

1. Alcohol is an issue in roughly 50% of America’s suicides, murders, and accidental deaths.

2. Alcohol-related accidents are the leading cause of fatalities among adolescents.

3. Each year in the United States, almost 5,000 youth under the age of 21 lose their lives as a result of underage drinking. This includes roughly 1,900 fatalities from motor vehicle crashes.

4. Research has revealed that U.S. teenagers who drink alcohol are 50 times more likely to use cocaine than teenagers who never consume alcohol.

5. Approximately 1,700 college students in the U.S. are killed each year–roughly 4.65 per day–as a consequence of injuries that are alcohol related.

6. In 2005, 2.1 million American college students between the ages of 18 and 24 asserted that they involve themselves in drinking while driving.

7. The World Health Organization estimates that nearly 76 million people throughout the world suffer from alcohol-related disorders.

8. As demonstrated by recent alcoholism studies, it has been discovered that around 53% of the adults in the United States have articulated that one or more of their close relatives is an alcohol abuser or is alcohol dependent.

Dante Receives A Relevant Jolt of Reality Regarding the Long Term and the Short Term Consequences of Teenage Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

After Miss Johnson went over the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcoholism facts and statistics, it was clear that what Miss Johnson made known to Dante 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 results of alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, but she also took the time to corroborate what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcoholism facts and statistics that related to people in general, and especially to adolescents.

Indeed, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante without pause understood why he should not be engaging in hazardous and abusive drinking with or without his buddies anymore. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the information she went over.

Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical exam and an alcohol evaluation for the alcohol rehab he would probably need.

Dante thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get a complete physical examination and to go through a thorough appraisal of his drinking behavior so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcoholism treatment program without pause.