An Unbalanced High School Student Manifests A Number of Alcohol-Related Problems, Gets Removed From School, and Has to See the School Counselor
Posted on Oct 09, 2009 under Children, Disease, General | No CommentDante was a fifteen year old high school sophomore who was displaying a number of alcohol-related difficulties at school. As a result, the principal explained to him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school psychologist, before he would be permitted to return to class.
Later that afternoon when Dante went home after school, he had to explain his school expulsion to his Mom and Dad. His parents were “fairly old-fashioned” and informed Dante that dropping out of school was not a viable educational option. They told Dante that failing to graduate from high school would most probably be like a lead weight around his feet that might hinder his educational aspirations for the rest of his life. Furthermore, Dante’s Mom and Dad were very displeased that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his peers in the second.
His Mother and Father informed Dante that although he may be a teenager, he has to realize without much delay that drinking is the map to failure, pain, financial problems, and ill health.
It was plain to see that his Mother and Father were out and out in full concurrence with Dante’s principal and informed Dante that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist. After his dialogue with his Mom and Dad, Dante at last agreed to see Miss Johnson the next school day. So Dante phoned the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next morning before school.
The Therapist Asks Dante if He Comprehends Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Actions Gave the School Administrators Room For Alarm
When Dante went to see Miss Johnson, she instantly looked at all of the alcohol-related problems Dante had experienced and asked him if he understood why his recent alcohol-related activities gave the school administrators room for alarm.
Quite candidly, Dante wondered why the principal suggested that he see a school counselor. As he expressed to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional counselor about his drinking behavior? Due to the fact that virtually all of his friends drink the same amount that he does, fundamentally, drinking shouldn’t be such a big deal. Stated more explicitly, if almost everyone is drinking, why is this such a big deal?
Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink alcoholic beverages. He said that some of his older pals introduced him to drinking wine coolers when he was twelve or thirteen years old and in the seventh grade.
Miss Johnson told Dante that while his pals may in fact drink as much as he does and that they may be a negative 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 pals. Furthermore, Miss Johnson also emphasized the fact that Dante, and not his peers, is the one who is failing and who is missing one day of school every week because of his alcohol related issues. Lastly, Miss Johnson emphasized the fact that due to his drinking behavior, Dante is getting into a dangerous cycle of excessive drinking that can eventually ruin his dreams, hopes, and aspirations.
In short, Dante’s involvement with youth alcohol abuse was starting to short-circuit his ability to act like an accountable young man. As put into words by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your classmates drink wine coolers, hard liquor, wine, or beer does not mean that it is the appropriate behavior for you.”
Dante Learns That In the End He Must Claim Responsibility For Himself In Order to Prevent Damaging, Unhealthy, Destructive, and Dangerous Effects In the Future
Miss Johnson explained to Dante that others can without a doubt influence a person in an unhealthy way, but that the individual herself or himself has to in due course take responsibility for himself or herself in order to steer clear of dangerous, unhealthy, damaging, and destructive circumstances in the future.
Fortunately, Miss Johnson was well prepared for her appointment with Dante. She showed him reports and research studies she had highlighted that listed diverse drinking statistics and facts that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Dante quite a lot of data that applied principally to teens.
As an illustration, Miss Johnson highlighted the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction and informed Dante that individuals who continue to drink in an abusive manner commonly become dependent on alcohol.
Miss Johnson also discussed the concept of binge drinking that 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 Lists Several Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency Statistics and Facts
Then Miss Johnson stated various alcohol facts and the following eight alcohol abuse statistics:
1. Alcohol is a factor in approximately 50% of America’s murders, accidental deaths, and suicides.
2. Alcohol-related accidents are the leading cause of fatalities among young people.
3. Each year in the U.S., roughly 5,000 young people under the age of 21 lose their lives due to underage drinking. This includes approximately 1,900 fatalities from motor vehicle accidents.
4. Research has revealed that U.S. adolescents who drink alcohol are 50 times more likely to use cocaine than adolescents who never consume alcoholic beverages.
5. Almost 1,700 college students in the United States are killed annually–about 4.65 per day–because of alcohol-related injuries.
6. In 2005, 2.1 million American college students between the ages of 18 and 24 claimed that they engage in drinking while driving.
7. The World Health Organization estimates that roughly 76 million individuals throughout the world have disorders that are related to alcohol abuse or alcoholism.
8. As demonstrated by recent alcoholism studies, it has been discovered that almost 53% of the adults in the U.S. have stated that one or more of their close relatives is addicted to alcohol or is an alcohol abuser.
Dante Gets An Important Primer on the Facts Regarding the Long Term and the Short Term Outcomes of Teen Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
After Miss Johnson listed the aforementioned alcoholism and alcohol abuse facts and statistics, it was obvious that what Miss Johnson taught Dante was a real jolt to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to go over the short term and the long term outcomes of alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, but she also took the time to back up what she was saying with alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse 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 immediately comprehended why he should not be engaging in excessive and hazardous drinking with or without his classmates any longer. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the information she presented.
Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical examination 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 an extensive assessment of his drinking behavior so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcohol dependency rehab program right away.
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