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A Health Teacher in the Most Financially Challenged Co-Educational High School in the County Teaches Her Pupils About the Significance of Alcohol Dependency Signs
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Paula

Miss Benning was a health teacher at the most financially challenged co-ed high school in the state. Although she had been teaching for only three years, she had already secured a reputation as an instructor with educational approaches that motivated and encouraged pupils to learn and to think.

For instance, one Tuesday afternoon at 2:00 she addressed the students in her classroom and stated the following: “For the next three or four days we are going to learn about some basic alcoholism facts from a general point of view and we are also going to learn about some of the most familiar signs of alcoholism from a more specific viewpoint.

Not all of these alcoholism signs will categorically reveal that a drinker with a drinking problem is a person who is alcohol dependent, but the more signs that an individual exhibits, the stronger the probability that he or she is an individual who is alcohol dependent.”

Miss Benning then explained to the members of the class that each pupil would be accountable for investigating two alcohol dependence signs and then presenting his or her conclusions to the rest of the class via a five minute oral presentation.

The Students are Energized About Giving A Detailed Presentation to Their Fellow Pupils About Alcoholism Signs

After learning about the diverse signs of alcohol addiction for a number of days, the time had arrived for the oral presentations. It was at once noticeable that her pupils were energized about the subject matter because the material that they presented was exceptional. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the fervor manifested by the students in her classroom regarding this subject could not be overstated.

The day after all of the students completed their presentations, Miss Benning passed out a piece of paper with a list of all the alcoholism signs that were presented and discussed in the presentations and in class. Miss Benning then asked the students in her class to study the list and rank the top seven alcoholism signs that were most indicative of alcoholism. After roughly fifteen minutes, Miss Benning collected the sheets of paper and informed her pupils that after she tallies the numbers, she will present her findings the next school day.

There was some real anticipation by the pupils while they were exiting Miss Benning’s classroom. One could swear that her students couldn’t wait for the next day to come so that they could learn about the outcome of their in-class research.

The Students Contrast Their Answers With the Evaluations From A Panel of Substance Abuse Authorities

When the next school day finally came, Miss Benning gave out a piece of paper that listed the top three alcohol dependency signs according to the students’ rankings. To the left of these results, she included another column that was labeled “correct answer.” She then explained to the students in her classroom that the numbers in the new column she added signified the answers that were constructed by a group of drug and alcohol addiction authorities.

Miss Benning told the pupils in her classroom to look over the information on the piece of paper she passed out and then to raise their hand if they had any concerns, questions, or issues. Within a minute or two, almost everyone in the classroom raised his or her hand. It was obvious that the pupils had some concerns, questions, or issues about their results versus the answers given by the specialists. For instance, almost every individual in the classroom disagreed with the highest ranked answer given by the specialists, to be precise, “Do you feel really ill when you stop drinking?”

The Chief Difference Between Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse is the Physical Addiction That is Experienced With Alcoholism and Not With Alcohol Abuse

Miss Benning then told the students in her class why this answer was the most accurate indicator of alcoholism. She pointed out that the primary difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction is the physical dependency that is experienced with alcohol addiction and not with alcohol abuse.

Essentially this means that when a person who is alcohol dependent suddenly quits drinking, he or she will suffer through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Miss Benning then told the students in her class that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the body and by the brain to the lack of alcohol to which they had become acclimated. Stated more precisely, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are messages from the body and from the brain telling an individual who is alcohol dependent that something is very incorrect and needs to be fixed. These signals consist of several dangerous, uncomfortable, and painful withdrawal symptoms that can potentially result in a loss of life if the proper treatment is not promptly received.

Miss Benning then discussed the many different alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be gone through when an individual who is addicted to alcohol abruptly quits drinking.

The fact that Miss Benning tried to underscore was this: an individual who engages in alcohol abuse can experience almost any and every one of the alcoholism signs that the students had ranked, but the one sign or symptom that few, if any, alcohol abusers ever experience is alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

To articulate this as plainly as possible, Miss Benning stressed the point that alcohol abusers, unlike alcohol addicted individuals, are not alcohol dependent and consequently, when they quit drinking, they almost never experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Pupils Think They Have Uncovered A Variance With the Findings From The Group of Alcoholism Authorities

The pupils also had a problem with the second ranked answer given by the alcohol dependency professionals, to be precise, “Have you ever had a drink the first thing in the morning to get rid of a hangover or to steady your nerves?”

Miss Benning told the students in her class that this sign does not inevitably signify that the problem is alcohol addiction, but that it does emphasize the need that alcohol dependent individuals have to drink in order to avert alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

After Miss Benning explained the importance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the individual who is alcohol dependent, the pupils started to recognize the essential difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency.

To add a sense of closure to the topic, Miss Benning asked her pupils to take out a sheet of paper and answer the following question: “if every person who is alcohol dependent knew about every one of the alcohol addiction signs and alcohol withdrawal symptoms we have studied, what percentage of them do you think would ask for alcohol addiction treatment?”

After approximately two or three minutes, Miss Benning asked for the pupils’ predictions. While many pupils figured that about 80 to 90 percent of alcohol addicted people would get alcohol dependency treatment if they knew about the facts related to alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcohol addiction signs, most of the pupils thought that this number would not be less than 60 percent.

The Pupils Were Amazed to Discover That Only 25% of Alcohol Addicted Individuals in the U.S. Seek Alcohol Treatment

To the shock of most of the pupils, Miss Benning proclaimed that according to various scientific examinations, only 25% of the people who are addicted to alcohol in the U.S. ask for alcoholism rehab. This amazed most of the pupils because they believed that first-hand knowledge of the alarming statistics and facts correlated with alcohol dependency would motivate most of the alcohol addicted individuals to get alcoholism rehab.

Miss Benning then stated that alcohol addicted individuals not only need alcohol on a daily basis in order to function but they also require alcohol on an everyday basis so they can steer clear of possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Clearly, the alcohol addicted individual’s need to drink on a daily basis is stronger than facts or logic. Certainly, because the desire for alcohol is “reality” to the individual who is addicted to alcohol, this is difficult to reverse.

A few minutes later the bell rang, indicating that the end of class had arrived. Based on the buzz manifested by the pupils when they were leaving the classroom, Miss Benning knew that she had inspired and stimulated the pupils in her classroom to stop and think about an important health and social problem that exists in our country.

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A Reckless High School Student Exhibits Quite a Few Alcohol-Related Issues, Gets Removed From School, and Has to See the School Counselor
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Paula

Larry was a sixteen year old high school sophomore who was exhibiting a number of alcohol-related problems at school. Therefore, the principal explained to him that he had to see Miss Johns, the school psychologist, before he would be permitted to return to class.

Later that afternoon when Larry went home after school, he had to explain his school situation to his Mother and Father. His Mom and Dad were “relatively traditional” and informed Larry that getting removed from school was not a practical educational game plan. They told Larry that failing to graduate from high school would more likely than not be like a lead weight around his legs that might encumber his educational achievement for the remainder of his adult life. Moreover, Larry’s Mother and Father were very letdown that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his pals in the second.

His Mother and Father informed Larry that even though he may be a teenager, he has to comprehend rather quickly that drinking is the map to pain, financial problems, failure, and ill health.

It was plain to see that his Mom and Dad were in total agreement with Larry’s principal and told Larry that he had better come to the understanding that he needs to see Miss Johns, the school therapist. After his chat with his Mom and Dad, Larry at last agreed to see Miss Johns the next day. So Larry called the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johns the next day during his sixth period class.

The Counselor Asks Larry if He Comprehends Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Actions Were Such a Cause For Concern By the School Administrators

When Larry went to see Miss Johns, she promptly went over all of the alcohol-related problems Larry had gotten into and asked him if he knew why his recent alcohol-related activities caused quite a bit of concern by the school administrators.

Quite honestly, 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 psychologist about his drinking activities? Since virtually all of his peers drink the same amount that he does, in essence, drinking shouldn’t be such a big issue. Stated more directly, if almost everyone 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 friends introduced him to drinking wine when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter the seventh grade.

Miss Johns informed Larry 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 discharged from school due to alcohol-related fighting, delinquency, and absenteeism, not his classmates. Furthermore, Miss Johns also highlighted the fact that Larry, and not his friends, is the one who is failing and who is missing one day of school every week because of his alcohol related problems. Lastly, Miss Johns stressed the fact that due to his drinking activities, Larry is getting into a damaging cycle of alcohol abuse that can in the end destroy his aspirations, hopes, and dreams.

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

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

Miss Johns told Larry that one’s buddies can certainly influence an individual in a negative manner, but that the person himself or herself has to eventually take responsibility for himself or herself in order to avert dangerous, unhealthy, destructive, and damaging outcomes in the foreseeable future.

Fortunately, Miss Johns was quite organized for her scheduled appointment with Larry. 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 Larry a lot of data that applied particularly to adolescents.

As an illustration, Miss Johns emphasized the difference between alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse and told Larry that drinkers who continue to abuse alcohol often become alcoholic.

Miss Johns also went over 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 A Number Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction Statistics and Facts

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

1. The 25.9% of teen drinkers in the United States who are alcohol abusers and alcohol dependent drink 47.3% of the alcohol that is consumed by all teenage drinkers.

2. Fifty percent of United States homicides are related to alcohol.

3. In 2002, U.S. alcohol dependency facts and statistics revealed that 2.6 million binge drinkers were between the ages of 12 and 17.

4. It is estimated that more than 3 million teens in the United States between the ages of 14 to 17 are alcohol abusers or alcohol dependent.

5. In the United States, more than 40 percent of those who begin drinking at the age 14 or younger become addicted to alcohol.

6. Relatively few of the more than 18 million U.S. alcohol abusers receive the alcohol rehabilitation they need.

7. Adolescent drinking costs Americans nearly $53 billion annually. If this cost were shared equally by each congressional district, the amount would total more than $120 million per district.

8. Alcohol-related issues are disproportionately found among both juvenile and adult criminal offenders.

Larry Receives An Important Jolt of Reality Concerning the Short Term and the Long Term Results of Adolescent Alcohol Dependency and Alcohol Abuse

After Miss Johns went over the aforementioned alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse facts and statistics, it was clear that what Miss Johns disclosed to Larry was a real eye opener 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 results of alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse, but she also made the effort to corroborate what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction facts and statistics that related to people in general, and especially to today’s youth.

Definitely, it was almost as if a light went on and Larry without pause grasped why he should not be engaging in abusive and excessive drinking with or without his peers any longer. Larry thanked Miss Johns for her concern and for the information she went over.

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

Larry thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get a comprehensive physical exam and to go through an extensive assessment of his drinking situation so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcoholism treatment program as reasonable as possible.

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