Dante was a fifteen year old high school sophomore who was exhibiting numerous alcohol-related issues at school. Therefore, the principal informed him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist, before he would be allowed to return to school.

Later that afternoon when Dante went home after school, he had to clarify his school suspension to his parents. His Mom and Dad were “fairly old-style” and informed Dante that getting suspended from school was not a viable educational plan of action. They told Dante that failing to graduate from high school would probably be like a lead weight around his legs that might impede his educational achievement for the rest of his life. Not only this, but Dante’s parents were extremely saddened that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his buddies in the second.

His parents informed Dante that although he may be young, he needs to understand fairly rapidly that drinking is the pathway to failure, pain, financial problems, and ill health.

It was obvious that his Mom and Dad were completely in accord with Dante’s principal and explained to Dante that he had better make up his mind to see Miss Johnson, the school psychologist. After his conversation 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 Concern By the School Administrators

When Dante went to see Miss Johnson, she instantaneously examined all of the alcohol-related issues Dante had experienced and asked him if he understood why his recent alcohol-related actions signaled such alarm.

Quite honestly, Dante questioned why the principal told him he had to see a school therapist. As he stated to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking behavior? Because almost all of his friends drink about as much as he does, in effect, drinking shouldn’t be such a big deal. Stated differently, if just about everyone is drinking, why is this such a major concern?

Miss Johnson asked Dante when he started to drink. He said that some of his older pals introduced him to drinking beer when he was twelve or thirteen years old and in the seventh grade.

Miss Johnson informed 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 discharged from school due to alcohol-related delinquency, absenteeism, and fighting, not his peers. Furthermore, Miss Johnson also emphasized the fact that Dante, and not his pals, is the one who is failing and who is missing one day of class every week due to his alcohol related problems. Finally, Miss Johnson emphasized the fact that because of his drinking situation, Dante is getting into a dangerous cycle of hazardous drinking that can eventually destroy his aspirations, hopes, and dreams.

In short, 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 peers drink wine coolers, wine, beer, or hard liquor does not mean that it is the best thing in the world for you.”

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

Miss Johnson told Dante that other people can unquestionably influence a person in an unhealthy manner, but that the individual himself or herself has to in due course take responsibility for herself or himself in order to steer clear of damaging, dangerous, destructive, and unhealthy outcomes in the foreseeable future.

Luckily, Miss Johnson was well prepared for her meeting with Dante. She showed him research studies and reports she had highlighted that summarized different drinking statistics and facts that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Dante quite a lot of figures and reports that applied principally to underage drinkers.

For instance, Miss Johnson highlighted the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction and told Dante that people who continue to drink abusively habitually become alcoholic.

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 Psychologist Presents More Than a Few Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction Statistics and Facts

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

1. As revealed by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, there are 105,000 yearly alcohol-related fatalities in the U.S. because of drunk drivers and related diseases, medical conditions, or injuries.

2. Just about 25% of all U.S. individuals who register in general hospitals have alcohol-related problems or are undiagnosed individuals who are addicted to alcohol who are being treated for the outcomes of their excessive drinking.

3. Alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse are the third leading cause of preventable fatalities in the U.S..

4. More than 7% of the population that is 18 years old and older -- just about 13.8 million Americans -- has drinking problems, including 8.1 million drinkers who suffer from alcohol dependency.

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 complete high school, almost 60% started to drink before the age of 16.

7. Currently, nearly 14 million Americans, 1 in every 13 adults, are alcohol dependent or are alcohol abusers.

8. According to the research literature, non-alcoholic members of alcoholic's families use 10 times as much sick time as families who do not display drinking problems.

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

After Miss Johnson presented the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics and facts, it was plain to see that what Miss Johnson made known to Dante was a wake up call for him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to articulate the long term and the short term results of alcoholism and alcohol abuse, but she also made the effort to authenticate what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics and facts that related to people in general, and chiefly to underage drinkers.

Without a doubt, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante instantaneously grasped why he should not be engaging in hazardous and excessive drinking with or without his buddies any longer. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the material she reviewed.

Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical examination and an alcohol evaluation for the alcohol abuse or alcoholism 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 evaluation of his drinking condition so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcoholism rehab program in a reasonable time frame.