It is hard not to talk about anxiety and stress in the conditions of daily existence, regardless if referring to work problems or to the butterflies in the stomach before a first date. Tension is actually part of our lives, and it often makes us work harder and do our best to achieve what we have set as a goal. However, sometimes anxiety and stress no longer remain stimulating factors but present in too high proportions in one's life: in most such cases, anxiety disorders are identified and diagnosed. Such a health problem induces anxiety and stress on a permanent basis without any real motive for it. In Joe Barry McDonagh's Panic Away ebookhe addresses ways to stop anxiety attacks. Another helpful aid to stop anxiety attacks is Charles Linden's Linden Method.

Anxiety and stress will ruin your entire day, making you incapable of work, not to mention the constant fear of getting a panic attack. It is false to assume that these health problem represent a character flaw; stop believing that this happens because you are weak. Pulling yourself by the bootstraps may not always work, and then you need a specialist. Therapy is necessary, sometimes accompanied by the administration of antidepressants or tranquilizers. Therefore, before resuming a normal life, all the factors that cause anxiety and stress have to be identified in order to stop anxiety attacks symptoms.

There are two components for every disorder caused by anxiety and stress: one biological and another psychological, and therefore the solution for the problem has to include a combination of interventions relying both on cognitive and behavioral psychotherapy. Genetics and family history influence the appearance and evolution of an anxiety disorder, but there are other factors that contribute to the evolution of the disease. Substance and alcohol abuse, traumas, major life decisions, the impossibility to cope with too much stress, emotional instability and lots of other problems could hide behind recurrent panic attacks.

A great deal of responsibility falls on the family to help a person overcome anxiety and stress. An anxiety disorder also seems less likely to appear in families with a harmonious and balanced lifestyle. Nevertheless, coping with stress is something natural in day to day life, and only when too much pressure is put on our nervous system, it may fail. Moreover, the same family support is incredibly helpful for the recovery of a person suffering from an anxiety disorder. Good documentation, open communication with the therapist and the active involvement in helping the patient, represent the most important ways of speeding up recovery.

The medical establishment defines several diseases and medical conditions as “silent killers.” Medical illnesses such as diabetes, mesothelioma, heart disease, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnea, high cholesterol and several kinds of cancer like lung cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, and rectal cancer are quite well known silent killers.

These medical maladies are known as silent killers due to the fact that early on in the medical disorder there are normally no symptoms to demonstrate that a difficulty exists. Then as the medical condition progresses, conversely, and as the medical difficulties start to become known, a medical emergency can take place.

Careless and Abusive Drinking Is a Silent Killer

I assert that hazardous and abusive drinking is also a silent killer. Indeed, some individuals can drink for a considerable number of years without suffering from any major alcohol related problems in their lives. When hazardous and abusive drinking is repeated for a number of years, it can be stressed, serious alcohol effects become more visible and more challenging. Possibly the best illustration about which I am discussing occurs in the transition from alcohol abuse to alcohol dependency.

Plainly, quite a few alcohol related predicaments can be masked and fairly easily hidden while an individual engages in in excessive and abusive drinking. When the drinker actually becomes a lifelong alcohol abuser or an alcohol addicted individual, it can be highlighted, the negative alcohol effects become quite obvious and more serious. Sadly, this information about alcoholism and alcohol abuse doesn't seem to be talked about as much as it could be.

Areas in Life That are Adversely Affected by Excessive and Hazardous Drinking Over Time

What are a few of the areas in life that are negatively affected over time by continuous excessive and irresponsible drinking? In the beginning, when people engage in irresponsible drinking, they are normally unaware of what their abusive drinking is doing to their relationships, to their jobs, to their finances, to their mental health, and to their health.

As the excessive drinking continues, it may be noted, it usually leads to marital, communication, friendship, commitment, and relationship issues and frequently results in divorce and affairs. In a similar way, many, if not most individuals who involve themselves in alcohol abuse ultimatley experience alcohol induced health problems such as sleep disturbances, hangovers, a loss of energy, and alcohol poisoning. Other alcohol induced medical problems include the following: vitamin deficiency, stomach ulcers, sexual problems, nerve damage, and liver disease.

Moreover, many, if not most people who engage in alcohol abuse eventually suffer from alcohol related financial issues. Ironically, while many problem drinkers whine about their financial difficulties, they repeatedly make their financial circumstances more problematic by spending more of their money on alcoholic beverages.

In a similar manner, heavy and irresponsible drinking commonly results in time management, anger management, and stress management issues. In addiction, many, if not most individuals who engage in alcohol abuse, due to their heavy drinking, in due course display work problems such as absenteeism, making mistakes on the job, showing up late for work, alcohol related accidents, and poor performance evaluations.

In addition, hazardous and abusive drinking in the end results in different mental health issues like depression, denial, anxiety, extreme mood swings, and obsession. And lastly, it should come as no shock that alcohol abusers can receive a DUI virtually any day or night of the week due to their abusive and heavy drinking and driving.

The Lesson to be Learned

The bottom line is this: people who involve themselves in irresponsible and hazardous drinking need to learn how to drink responsibly and in moderation or get the alcohol detox and the alcohol rehabilitation they need. This is important for problem drinkers so that they can either drink responsibly or begin to live an alcohol-free life and avoid the huge amount of alcohol related problems stated above. Without a doubt, receiving professional alcohol abuse help will be important along these lines.

It is also significant for people who engage in irresponsible drinking to either figure out how to drink in moderation or stop drinking so that they can stay away from a life of alcoholism. In a word, people who abuse alcohol need to refrain from excessive and hazardous drinking so that they can avoid the alcohol related silent killers that are correlated with irresponsible and abusive drinking. Again, receiving high quality alcohol abuse rehab willcertainly go a long way toward meeting this goal.

Denny is a seventeen-year-old teen who has decided to go and see his family doctor about his abusive and excessive drinking. At first, Denny thought he would be able to basically go on the world wide web, look for some basic alcohol info and establish whether or not he was dependent on alcohol.

Not surprisingly, he found numerous websites that cataloged some of the commonplace alcoholism symptoms. That’s the good news. The less positive news, regrettably, was that Denny exhibited a number of these alcoholism symptoms.

Symptoms of Alcoholism: Some Examples

As an illustration, Denny has been drinking quite a bit more than normal and he has begun to have more impassioned squabbles with the young lady he is dating. In addition, for the first time in his life he has been going through sleeping problems. Likewise, Denny repeatedly has felt depressed and on a growing basis he has been displaying less than normal attentiveness in class. In addition, he has felt highly stressed and more tense on a regular basis and for the past few months he has exhibited cloudy thinking in the classroom. Due to the fact that Denny has been exhibiting all of these symptoms, he was justifiably uneasy about his careless and excessive drinking.

So Denny eventually made up his mind that he needed to place a phone call to his healthcare practitioner and schedule an appointment. As a matter of fact, this was difficult for Denny because his family physician was also his parents’ family doctor. The springboard for his uneasiness was this: at the risk of embarrassing his family, he had to go and announce his excessive and unhealthy drinking behavior to his doctor.

When Denny arrived at the healthcare professional’s office, he openly told the family healthcare practitioner about the consternation he feels about his irresponsible drinking behavior. When the healthcare professional asked what was inducing this concern, Denny declared that he had gone online and read about dependency on alcohol and especially about alcohol addiction symptoms. He then listed all of the alcohol addiction symptoms that he undoubtedly thought he manifests.

A Comprehensive Physical Appraisal and Outpatient Alcohol Rehabilitation

The healthcare professional notified Denny that it was wise of him to focus on his drinking problems, he gave Denny an exhaustive physical evaluation, and suggested that he talk to his parents about enrolling in an out-patient alcohol rehab facility that was run by Doctor Knight, one of his doctor friends who is an alcohol and drug addiction specialist.

Furthermore, when Denny expressed the fact that he has been feeling a sense of gloom to a greater extent, the healthcare professional informed Denny that depression and alcoholism many times come about in the same individual. Thus, the family doctor also recommended that Denny talk to his Mom and Dad about getting counseling in order to attend to his sense of despair. In fact, Denny can go to the local mental health clinic and make an appointment with Doctor Brill, a well known clinical psychologist who specializes in treating adolescents.

The Significance of Handling Your Drinking Difficulties and Getting Enthused About Making Healthy and Positive Changes in Your Life

The family physician made it a point to notify Denny that he might not necessarily be alcohol dependent, but that he was certainly drinking in a careless manner. Stated more precisely, Denny was engaging in teen alcohol abuse. The family physician then notified Denny that the reason he recommended alcohol treatment in the first place was because he wanted him to deal with his drinking difficulties, make sure that he prevented them from worsening, and start to live in a more healthy manner, even if it meant that he had to fully quit drinking.

In short, by successfully treating his drinking problems, Denny would be able to get his drinking problems under control and refrain from the negative cycle of events that could doubtless lead to addiction to alcohol.

Denny understandably did not look forward to facing his parents about his depression and his hazardous drinking. And he unquestionably did not want to face the thought of getting registered into an alcohol rehab center. And last of all, he was not elated about going to a psychologist about his sense of despair. Despite these apprehensions, nevertheless, Denny actually felt some emotional relief for the first time in many months because at last he quit making excuses for himself and decided to do something productive about his abusive and unhealthy drinking.

Teresa was a thirty-four-year-old dental assistant who knew that she had some drinking issues. For instance, within the past six months she has experienced the need to have a drink or two before going to work, a week ago she tested positive for a breathalyzer test where she works, four months ago she got arrested by the police for a DUI, and finally, for going on six months she has started to forget what she says and does when she goes out drinking with her pals.

Like hosts of other individuals, Teresa’s experiences with alcohol started out at a "snail's pace" and stayed at this pace for quite some time because every so often she engaged in intermittent social drinking. If truth be told, for almost four years, every time she drank, she made sure to drink in moderation. Something about her pattern of drinking, however, seemed to totally change when she divorced her husband.

In Order To Get Over the Breakup of Her Husband In a More Uncomplicated Manner, Teresa Determined That She Will Begin Palling Around More Often With Some of Her Pals Who Love to Have Fun and Drink

Teresa got especially dejected about the divorce from her husband, and as a way to abstain from her preoccupation with her discouraging feelings she arrived at a decision that she would begin associating more frequently with some of her friends who love to have fun drinking.

Quite frankly, Teresa truly believed that having fun just about every day by getting an alcohol “buzz” with her buddies would help her get over the breakup of her husband in a less troublesome manner.

Teresa’s Drinking Increases Substantially the More Habitually She Goes to Family Get-Togethers, Sporting Events, Private Parties, Dinner Dates, and Happy Hours With Her Pals

It didn’t take too long, nevertheless, before her drinking increased considerably the more often she went to and drank at sporting events, happy hours, private parties, dinner dates, and family get-togethers with her buddies. Moreover, the fact that her drinking friends were all quite a few years younger than she was and therefore able to drink more irresponsibly was one of the reasons why she didn’t concentrate more on her increased drinking. In short, she was having a ton of fun drinking just like everyone else in her group of buddies without giving too much thought to the consequences of her abusive and irresponsible drinking.

Yet in the back of her mind she knew that she most probably needed alcohol rehabilitation but steered clear of the thought as much as humanly possible.

Teresa Gets a Physical Examination, Discloses the Facts About Her Excessive and Abusive Drinking to Her Doctor, and Owns Up to the Truth About Her Sadness

One day during her yearly physical examination, her doctor asked her if she drank alcohol. Not wanting to tell “stories” to her healthcare professional, Teresa ”came clean” and said that she commonly drinks more than she should. In actual fact, she stated that she commonly drinks in an abusive manner. Then Teresa informed her healthcare practitioner about her general state of gloom. More to the point, she articulated that broken relationships usually triggered a depressing sequence of events characterized by increased drinking which further led to more dismal feelings that, in turn, led to even more drinking. And this is exactly what happened when she and her husband got divorced six months ago.

When her doctor heard this, he informed Teresa that according to various alcoholism facts and statistics on alcoholism he was investigating, alcoholism and depression often take place in the same individual. He then told her that some of the alcohol statistics, research investigations, and facts he has been reading about also emphasize the fact that individuals who drink in an excessive and hazardous manner and who also experience depression need to get treatment for both medical conditions.

Teresa’s Physician Makes an Appointment for a Psychological Assessment and For an Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse Appraisal

Teresa’s doctor then articulated the following: “I am not trying to make a sudden diagnosis, but with your medical condition we may be dealing with two separate problems. As a consequence, I think we probably should make an appointment for you to get an alcoholism and alcohol abuse appraisal from my partner, Dr. Harmon, who is an alcohol abuse and substance abuse specialist. Whether your drinking situation is more related to alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction is unclear, but I feel that further exploration is required. Then I think we ought to schedule an appointment for you to get a psychological assessment from another one of my partners, Dr. Cooke, who is a clinical psychologist. I want to get some more insights about your sadness and see how much your drinking and depression are interlinked.” Teresa displayed her satisfaction with her healthcare professional’s “game plan” and thanked him for his help. Now all she had to do was to try to reduce her drinking and wait for her appointments.

Teresa was a forty-seven-year-old office manager who realized that she had a drinking problem. For instance, within the past four months she has felt the need to have more than a few drinks before going to work, three weeks ago she tested positive for a saliva alcohol test where she is employed, six weeks ago she got arrested for “driving under the influence”, and last but not least, for around five months she has started to forget what she says and does when she drinks.

Similar to many other individuals, Teresa’s experiences with alcohol began gradually and remained at this pace for quite a long period of time because every once in a while she engaged in occasional social drinking. In point of fact, for nearly four years, every time she went out to drink, she made sure to drink in a responsible manner. Something about her drinking activities, however, seemed to totally change when she got divorced from her husband.

In Order To Overcome the Loss of Her Husband More Rapidly, Teresa Came to a Decision That She Will Begin Hanging Around More Regularly With Some of Her Buddies Who Love to Whoop it Up and Drink

Teresa got extremely down in the dumps about the loss of her husband, and as a way to stop her preoccupation with her negative feelings she determined that she would begin associating more often with some of her buddies who love to party.

Quite sincerely, Teresa concluded that having fun nearly every day by partying and drinking with her pals would help her get beyond the divorce of her husband in a more trouble-free manner.

Teresa’s Drinking Escalates Greatly the More Frequently She Goes to Dinner Dates, Private Parties, Family Get-Togethers, Sporting Events, and Happy Hours With Her Buddies

It didn’t take long, nevertheless, before her drinking escalated to a significant extent the more habitually she went to and drank at family get-togethers, sporting events, happy hours, dinner dates, and private parties with her pals. Not only this, but the fact that her drinking pals were all quite a few years younger than she was and therefore able to party and drink harder and longer was one of the reasons why she didn’t focus more on her increased drinking. In short, she was having a blast drinking just like everyone else in her group of buddies without giving much thought to the negative consequences of her drinking behavior.

Yet someplace in her brain she knew that she more likely than not needed alcohol rehabilitation but steered clear of the thought as much as possible.

Teresa Gets a Physical Examination, Discloses the Truth About Her Excessive Drinking to Her Physician, and Admits Her General State of Gloom

One late afternoon during her annual physical exam, her doctor asked her if she drank alcohol. Not wanting to tell “stories” to her healthcare practitioner, Teresa owned up to the truth that she regularly drinks more than she should. As a matter of fact, she said that she routinely drinks in an excessive manner. Then Teresa told her healthcare professional about her depression. More precisely, she articulated that wrecked relationships commonly set off a depressing progression of events characterized by increased drinking which further led to more negative feelings that, in turn, led to even more drinking. And this is specifically what happened when she and her husband got divorced seven months ago.

When her healthcare practitioner heard this, he told Teresa that according to various alcoholism facts and statistics on alcoholism he was examining, alcoholism and depression frequently occur in the same person. He then told her that some of the alcohol statistics, facts, and research investigations he has been reading about also underscore the fact that individuals who drink in an excessive and hazardous manner and who also go through depression need to get treatment for both medical situations.

Teresa’s Healthcare Professional Schedules an Appointment for a Psychological Appraisal and For an Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction Assessment

Teresa’s healthcare practitioner then articulated the following: “I am not trying to make an impulsive judgment, but with your medical condition we may be working with two separate problems. As a result, I think we probably should make an appointment for you to get an alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction appraisal from my partner, Dr. Franks, who is an alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency specialist. Whether your drinking circumstance is more associated with alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction is unknown, but I believe that further assessment is required. Then I feel we should make an appointment for you to get a psychological evaluation from another one of my partners, Dr. Hauser, who is a clinical psychologist. I want to get a better handle on your dejection and see how much your depression and drinking are associated.” Teresa expressed her approval of her healthcare practitioner’s plan of attack and thanked him for his assistance and concern. Now all she had to do was to try to reduce her drinking and wait for her appointments.

Dante was a seventeen year old high school senior who was displaying several alcohol-related difficulties at school. Consequently, the principal explained to him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist, before he would be allowed to return to class.

Later that afternoon when Dante went home after school, he had to explain his school situation to his Mom and Dad. His parents were “relatively old-style” and told Dante that getting discharged from school was not a workable educational plan of action. They explained to Dante that failing to graduate from high school would most probably be like a lead weight around his ankles that could conceivably inhibit his educational achievement for the remainder of his adult life. Furthermore, Dante’s Mother and Father were quite letdown that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his friends in the second.

His Mother and Father told Dante that even though he may be a teenager, he needs to comprehend without much delay that drinking is the path to ill health, financial problems, pain, and failure.

It was clear that his Mother and Father were in total concurrence with Dante’s principal and explained to Dante that he had better come to the realization that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist. After his discussion with his parents, Dante at long last agreed to see Miss Johnson the next day. So Dante phoned the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his sixth period class.

The Therapist Asks Dante if He Comprehends Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Behavior gave the School Administrators Room For Alarm

When Dante arrived at his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she immediately examined all of the alcohol-related difficulties Dante had experienced and asked him if he comprehended why his recent alcohol-related activities were such a cause for concern.

Quite sincerely, Dante wondered why the principal suggested that he see a school counselor. As he expressed to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking situation? Because just about all of his peers drink the same amount that he does, basically, drinking is no big issue. Stated differently, if just about everybody is drinking, why is this such a major issue?

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

Miss Johnson explained to Dante that while his buddies may in fact drink more than he does and that they may be a bad influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting thrown out of school due to alcohol-related fighting, delinquency, and absenteeism, not his pals. Moreover, Miss Johnson also underlined the fact that Dante, and not his friends, is the one who is failing and who is missing one day of class every week due to his alcohol related issues. Finally, Miss Johnson highlighted the fact that because of his drinking behavior, Dante is getting into a destructive cycle of abusive drinking that can in due course ruin his hopes, dreams and aspirations.

In a word, Dante’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was starting to thwart his ability to conduct himself like a responsible young man. As articulated by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your pals drink wine coolers, wine, hard liquor, or beer does not mean that it is right for you.”

Dante Learns That At the End of the Day He Must Be Accountable For Himself In Order to Keep Away From Damaging, Dangerous, Unhealthy, and Destructive Situations In the Foreseeable Future

Miss Johnson informed Dante that one’s peers can indeed influence an individual in an unhealthy way, but that the person herself or himself has to ultimately be accountable for himself or herself in order to steer clear of dangerous, damaging, unhealthy, and destructive effects in the foreseeable future.

Fortunately, Miss Johnson was very organized for her appointment with Dante. She showed him reports and research studies she had underlined that outlined various drinking statistics and facts that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante quite a bit of data that applied principally to adolescents.

As an illustration, Miss Johnson stressed the difference between alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse and explained to Dante that individuals who continue to drink in an excessive manner frequently become alcohol dependent.

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

The Counselor Articulates More Than a Few Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Addiction Facts and Statistics

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

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

2. Fifty percent of United States murders are alcohol related.

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 projected that more than 3 million teens in the United States between the ages of 14 to 17 are problem drinkers.

5. In the U.S., more than forty percent of those who begin drinking at the age 14 or younger become dependent on alcohol.

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

7. Teenage drinking costs Americans nearly billion per year. If each congressional district shared this cost equally, the amount would total more than 0 million per district.

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

Dante Gets A Much Needed Wake Up Call Regarding the Short Term and the Long Term Outcomes of Teen Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

After Miss Johnson listed the aforementioned alcohol abuse and alcoholism facts and statistics, it was apparent that what Miss Johnson taught Dante was a real surprise to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only took the time to go over the long term and the short term results of alcohol abuse and alcoholism, but she also took the time to confirm what she was saying with alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse statistics and facts that related to everyone in general, and chiefly to teenagers.

Definitely, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante instantaneously understood why he should not be engaging in abusive and excessive drinking with or without his friends anymore. 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 assessment for the alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction 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 complete assessment of his drinking behavior so that he could start an alcohol treatment program right away.

Dante was a fifteen year old high school sophomore who was displaying numerous alcohol-related difficulties at school. Consequently, the principal informed him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor, before he would be permitted to return to class.

Later that day when Dante went home after school, he had to go over his school discharge with his Mom and Dad. His parents were “fairly conventional” and told Dante that getting discharged from school was not a possible educational game plan. They explained to Dante that failing to graduate from high school would more likely than not be like a lead weight around his feet that could probably impair his educational attainment for the remainder of his life. In addition, Dante’s parents were quite dissatisfied that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his friends in the second.

His Mom and Dad informed Dante that even though he may be a teenager, he needs to realize fairly rapidly that drinking is the pathway to pain, financial problems, ill health, and failure.

It was plain to see that his Mother and Father were on the same page as Dante’s principal and told Dante that he had better come to the realization that he needs to see Miss Johnson, the school counselor. After his talk with his Mom and Dad, Dante in due course agreed to see Miss Johnson the next school day. So Dante phoned the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his third period class.

The Psychologist Asks Dante if He Understands Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Behavior Caused Quite a Bit of Apprehension By the School Administrators

When Dante arrived at his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she immediately went over all of the alcohol-related problems Dante had gotten into and asked him if he knew why his recent alcohol-related activities made the school administrators uneasy.

Quite frankly, Dante was not sure why the principal told him he had to see a school therapist. As he expressed to Miss Johnson, why should he see a professional psychologist about his drinking circumstances? Due to the fact that nearly all of his buddies drink as much if not more than he does, essentially, drinking is no big issue. Stated differently, if almost everybody 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 classmates introduced him to drinking wine coolers when he was twelve or thirteen years old and getting ready to enter the seventh grade.

Miss Johnson told Dante that while his peers may indeed 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 expelled from school due to alcohol-related fighting, delinquency, and absenteeism, not his friends. In addition, Miss Johnson also underscored the fact that Dante, and not his peers, is the one who is failing and who is missing one day of school every week due to his alcohol related difficulties. Lastly, Miss Johnson underlined the fact that because of his drinking situation, Dante is getting into a dangerous cycle of excessive drinking that can in the long run ruin his hopes, dreams and aspirations.

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 classmates drink hard liquor, wine coolers, wine, or beer does not mean that it is the correct behavior for you.”

Dante Learns That Ultimately He Must Be Responsible For Himself In Order to Stay Away From Damaging, Dangerous, Unhealthy, and Destructive Circumstances In the Future

Miss Johnson explained to Dante that one’s friends can certainly influence a person in an unhealthy manner, but that the individual himself or herself has to eventually be accountable for himself or herself in order to stay away from dangerous, damaging, destructive, and unhealthy circumstances down the road.

Fortunately, Miss Johnson was very well prepared for her conference with Dante. She showed him research studies and reports she had highlighted that summarized various drinking facts and statistics that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Dante quite a bit of figures and reports that applied particularly to underage drinkers.

For instance, Miss Johnson emphasized the difference between alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse and told Dante that drinkers who continue to abuse alcohol regularly become dependent on alcohol.

Miss Johnson also discussed 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 Counselor Conveys A Number Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency Statistics and Facts

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

1. According to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, there are 105,000 annual alcohol-related deaths in the United States due to drunk drivers and related injuries, medical conditions, or diseases.

2. About twenty-five percent 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 consequences of their excessive drinking.

3. Alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse are the third leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States.

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

5. 500,000 Americans who are addicted to alcohol are between the ages of 9 and 12.

6. As revealed by one U.S. survey of 18 to 24 year-old current drinkers who failed to complete high school, about 60% began to drink before they were 16 years old.

7. Currently, around 14 million Americans, 1 in every 13 adults, are alcoholic or abuse alcohol.

8. As demonstrated by the research literature, non-alcoholic members of alcoholic's families use 10 times as much sick time as families who do not manifest alcohol abuse or alcoholism.

Dante Receives A Much Needed Primer on the Facts About the Short Term and the Long Term Consequences of Underage Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency

After Miss Johnson verbalized the aforementioned alcoholism and alcohol abuse facts and statistics, it was evident that what Miss Johnson made known to Dante was a real shock to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only made the effort to explain the short term and the long term outcomes of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency, but she also took the time to substantiate what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts that related to everybody in general, and principally to today’s youth.

Without a doubt, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante instantaneously realized why he should not be engaging in excessive and hazardous 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 appraisal for the alcohol rehab he would probably need.

Dante thought about this for few minutes and then agreed to get a thorough physical and to go through a comprehensive assessment of his drinking condition so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcohol addiction rehab program as soon as possible.

It is remarkable to mention something that family members who have been unfavorably affected by the alcohol addiction of another family member apparently do not understand. It seems that by protecting the alcohol dependent person with lies and deceitfulness to those outside the family, these well-intentioned family members have essentially created a situation that makes it easier for the alcohol dependent individual to continue and press forward with his or her injurious, destructive lifestyle.

In fact, instead of helping the alcohol addicted person and themselves, these family members have in truth become enablers who have involuntarily helped negatively affect the alcoholic’s drinking problem even further.

Perhaps the real downside of this is that the alcohol dependent individual will continue drinking in an abusive and irresponsible manner and suffer from different "alcohol side effects." Some of these side effects include legal issues (such as getting arrested for one or more DWIs), diminished mental functioning, deteriorating relationships, serious financial problems, ill health, and employment difficulties.

The Probability of a Relapse is Real

According to the research findings and statistics on alcohol addiction, another key alcohol dependency issue has to do with alcohol relapses. Relapses take place when an alcohol addicted individual has fruitfully undergone alcohol addiction rehabilitation and then returns to drinking a number of weeks or months later. At first thought, this situation flies in the face of rational thinking and sounds so implausible that it forces one to wonder why anyone who has experienced the dejection of alcohol dependency can return to drinking a short while after successful alcohol treatment and in turn after achieving sobriety. There are, to be sure, more than a few possible reasons for this.

It should be noted, on the other hand that alcohol addiction research that has focused on the enduring consequences of alcoholism has shown that long after the alcoholic has stopped his or her drinking, critical changes in the way in which the alcohol dependent individual’s brain operates are still present. As a consequence, all a recovering alcoholic has to do to involve himself or herself in actions that correspond with the transformations that have taken place in the brain is to start drinking once again.

The Necessity for A Major Lifestyle Transformation

There are even more reasons why numerous recovering alcohol dependent individuals return to drinking a few weeks or a few months after attaining sobriety. According to the alcohol addiction research literature, to make a successful recovery, the alcohol dependent individual needs new ways of acting and thinking in order to deal more competently with demanding alcohol-related circumstances that will take place.

Situations such as returning to the same alcohol addictive environment or to the same geographic location; interacting once again with friends from the time when the alcohol addicted person was drinking abusively; or familiar songs, smells, or activities—all of these situations can bring forth memories that can prompt psychological stress or push hot buttons that influence the recovering alcohol dependent individual to engage in excessive drinking once again. Sadly, all of these circumstances may not only get in the way of enduring alcohol recovery for the alcoholic but they can also result in relapse and as a result short-circuit one’s sobriety.

The Good News: There's a Lot of Hope for Lasting Sobriety

In an attempt to “protect” the family alcoholic, family members can essentially cause unintended destruction by enabling the harmful drinking behavior of the alcohol dependent individual.

The drug abuse research literature highlights the fact that most individuals who effectively complete alcohol treatment experience at least one relapse. Alcohol dependent individuals and their family members need to know this so that they do not get defeated or overwhelmed when a relapse manifests itself.

Fortunately, involvement in support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and follow-up counseling and education have resulted in more effective, long-term alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency treatment outcomes, have helped reduce alcohol relapses, and have helped recovering alcohol dependent persons reach ongoing alcohol recovery.

Heather is a fifty-seven-year-old woman who is the top administrator in the human resources department at a large brass fabricating company. In order to help diminish the costs associated with increasing absenteeism, employee alcoholism and alcohol abuse, excessive sick days, poor employee work performance, and work related injuries, Heather and the other VIPs launched a number of programs that made the work environment significantly more productive, safe, and healthy.

For example, eleven years ago Heather and the other company leaders instituted an Employee’s Assistance Program so that all the workers had access to first-rate counseling for their personal problems that could negatively affect their personal well-being, health, and their work performance.

The Company Executives Build a New Workout and Exercise Room Complete With Exercise Equipment, Exercise Charts, Weights, a Personal Trainer During Business Hours, Mirrors, and Scales

As another example, just about seven years ago Heather and the other company leaders assembled a modern exercise and workout room complete with many different types of exercise equipment, scales, weights, a professional trainer during business hours, exercise charts, and mirrors.

In addition, nearly five years ago Heather and the other members of top management invested in a distillation system that filters all the water that is available all through the building complex. In the same way, two-and-a-half years ago, Heather and the other VIPs started a “walking club” that caters to workers who want to learn how to boost their cardiovascular system.

The VIPs Initiate a Weight-Watchers Class and Employ a Weight-Loss Professional to Supervise the Program

As another illustration, about two years ago, Heather and the other members of upper management instituted a “Weight-Watchers” class that at present meets every weekday at 11 AM until noon. Moreover, the company leaders hired a weight-loss nurse to administer the program.

In the same way, two years ago Heather and the other company leaders launched a “Stop Smoking Club” for workers who want to learn how to stop or reduce their smoking.

In the last thirteen months, in combination with the Employee’s Assistance Program, Heather and the other company executives instituted an “Anger Management” class for employees who want to learn how to better control their temper.

Top Management Institutes An Alcohol and Drug Testing Program

In the last two months, Heather and the other company leaders launched a drug and alcohol testing program that is associated with their drug and alcohol abuse prevention program. In actual fact, Heather is the main individual in the company responsible for getting the message out to all the workers about the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program as well as the drug and alcohol testing program.

One of the key elements of the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcoholism and Depression” that meets every Friday after work. The basic idea with this class is informing workers that abusive drinking and depression commonly happen in the same person. It is hoped that comprehending this information will be able to help a person address both medical problems and get the alcohol counseling and mental health counseling he or she needs.

The Company Leaders Start an Alcohol Statistics and Facts Class

Another fairly recent addition to the drug and alcohol abuse prevention program is a class entitled “Alcohol Statistics and Facts.” The reasoning behind this alcohol statistics facts class is the reality that many individuals fail to comprehend the total impact of the effects of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency without first getting exposed to some of the alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse facts and statistics that are available. Consequently, one of the goals of this class is to provide a mixture of alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction statistics and facts to help employees gain a better comprehension of the host of issues that are correlated with irresponsible and abusive drinking and how they can prevent these problems from coming about.

Most recently, Heather and the other company executives, by way of feedback from workers, initiated a class that centers directly on severe drinking entitled “What is Alcoholism”? This class meets every Wednesday morning an hour-and-a-half before work and focuses chiefly on the differences between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, on the stages of alcoholism, and on the kinds of treatment that are available for people who have alcohol drinking problems such as individuals who drink in a hazardous manner.

Although every one of these health and preventative maintenance programs was relatively expensive, the company leaders believe that they are many thousands of dollars ahead by providing all of their employees with safe, more productive, and healthy working conditions.

When Janice was in high school, she had established a reputation as an individual who studied much of the time and who rarely, if ever, had fun drinking with her pals.  She seemed almost obsessed about “standing out” academically so that she would be able to go after a career that she not only liked but one that also gave her a degree of monetary security.

After much contemplation, in time she made up her mind that she wanted to be an attorney.  In order to reach this goal, however, she would first have to attend four years of undergrad education.

After Finishing High School Janice Gets Accepted Into A Prestigious Undergraduate University as a Foundation For a Career as an Attorney

After Janice finished high school, she applied to and was accepted into a greatly admired program in sociology.  Her analysis of her options regarding this decision was based on the fact that this area of study would be good preparation for law school and wouldn’t be identical to the bulk of law school applicants who decide to take political science as their undergraduate major.

After graduating with a 3.85 GPA at the undergraduate level, she applied to and was accepted at a greatly admired law school at one of the Big 12 universities.

She enjoyed her legal studies but every once in a while she was flooded with all the work that had to be undertaken at law school.  In much the same way as she had done in her high school and undergraduate days, nevertheless, she made buddies easily but barely got involved in social events until the term had been concluded.

After Being Elated With the Fact That She Had Done Very Well on Her Finals, Janice Wanted to Let Her Hair Down and Do Something Besides School Work For a Change

Janice was the kind of individual who worked relentlessly to complete what she started and then would take a break when she could.  It just so happens, however, that nearly all of the things she did between school sessions or during her summer vacations did not have much to do with drinking.  Evidently, Janice was anything but a party-person.  Now that her final examinations for her second year in law school were finished and feeling overjoyed that she had done very well on her tests, because of this, she wanted to take a break and do some celebrating.

Drinking at a Local Club Leads to Alcohol Poisoning, Calling 911, The Emergency Services Number, and An Ambulance Ride to An Alcohol Treatment Center

So Janice and several of her friends went to a local nightclub where they had a few drinks.  As the hours flew by, Janice continued to drink without having to worry about tests or class the following day.  Indeed, Janice mentioned to her friends how enjoyable it was to ”get down” and drink with her law school buddies.

As the evening advanced, Janice and her pals continued to drink.  In truth, she was having so much fun that she didn’t want the night to come to an end.  It was almost as if she was making up for lost time and making an effort to pack a year’s worth of enjoyment into a single evening.  Such a “game plan,” it needs to be emphasized, seldom works. In actual fact, when Janice went to the lady’s room and threw up, her pals started to get anxious about her health.

Around twenty-five minutes later when Janice started to speak in a confused manner, slur her words, and then fall unconscious, nevertheless, her friends without delay realized that they needed to call 911, the emergency number, and ask for emergency assistance because they thought that Janice was manifesting alcohol poisoning symptoms.

Once Janice was in the rehab hospital, the lead emergency room doctor confirmed what her pals had speculated, namely, that Janice ingested significantly more alcohol than her body could metabolize and, consequently, she suffered from an alcohol overdose.

After the emergency room treatment team pumped her stomach until no gastric contents were observable, Janice was transported to the recovery room.  After staying approximately six hours in recovery, Janice was then transferred to one of the regular hospital rooms.  Fortunately, the worst part of her hospitalization was over and all of her vital signs were once again in the normal range.

In response to Janice’s medical circumstances, her pals caringly called her Mom and Dad.  Consequently, early the next day, her parents and her favorite pals went to the hospital to visit Janice and check on her medical condition.

Janice Dodges a Bullet, is Thankful to be Alive, and Promises to Never Again Drink in an Excessive and Hazardous Manner

Janice was attentive to the fact that she came close to dying and, as a consequence, was gratified to be alive.  Her Mom and Dad were aware how rigorously she worked in graduate school and how little she permitted herself to have any fun.  Nonetheless, they also were aware that Janice needed to keep away from abusive drinking.

Consequently, they suggested that in the future, whenever a drinking occasion develops, that she always drink in moderation.  Janice was fine with this and assured her friends and her Mother and Father that she would never again drink in an irresponsible manner.  In Janice’s own words, “I never pondered the fact that I would become one of the alcohol abuse and alcoholism statistics in the local newspaper. I now grasp the fact that irresponsible and excessive drinking is not for me.  I affirm that this will never happen again.”

Fortunately, Janice was not only “book smart” but she also possessed common sense.  Stated another way, she rapidly comprehended that she had made an error and made up her mind that she would never make the same error in judgment again.  In truth, she now realized that she had involved herself in "binge drinking" and that even one instance of this kind of alcohol abuse can end in death.