Stanley started drinking excessively when he was a sophomore in college. From a positive way of looking at things, although he drank excessively and abusively when he was an adolescent and a young adult, when he got beyond the age of twenty-five he almost always drank in moderation.

After he finished his education he eventually landed a job at a local aluminum processing plant where he worked his way up from stock person, to office assistant, to purchasing assistant, to purchasing agent. Unlike his other positions, as the purchasing manager he repeatedly took potential vendors and existing vendors to lunch and to a variety of sporting events.

Although it was not an official part of his job description, meeting with potential vendors and existing vendors constantly involved situations in which alcohol was present. In fact, over the past two years, Stanley had started to substantially increase his work related and his social drinking. This has resulted in quite a dilemma. That is to say, the more successful he became as a purchasing agent, the more heavily he began to drink.

His Increasing Feelings of Depression Also Made Him Question Whether He Was Becoming an Alcoholic

Indeed, it didn’t take much time at all before Stanley’s drinking started to affect his relationships, the money in his savings account, his health, his mental health, and his work efficiency. After many weeks of excessive drinking, Stanley, in actual fact, became troubled about his drinking problem and wondered if his alcohol-related concerns were alcoholism signs. What is more, his almost constant feelings of depression also made him wonder whether he was becoming an alcohol addicted person. In a word, Stanley clearly needed to learn more about the facts about alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

Stanley Needs Alcohol Detoxification and Alcohol Rehabilitation For His Alcoholism and a Medical Evaluation Regarding His Depression

So Stanley used his common sense, called his doctor, and scheduled an appointment for a physical exam. A week later after seeing his physician, Stanley regrettably discovered that he was addicted to alcohol. His family doctor told Stanley that he needed to get alcohol detoxification and alcohol rehab for his alcohol dependency and that he also needed to get a medical evaluation regarding his depression. In short, Stanley needed treatment for his alcoholism and depression.

The Good News is That After His Treatment For Depression and For Alcohol dependency, He Felt Like a New Individual

His physician recommended to Stanley that he request a 60 day leave of absence from work and get registered into a quality in-patient alcohol rehabilitation program where his depression could also be assessed and treated. This is specifically what Stanley did. The positive news is that after his treatment for depression and for alcoholism, he felt like a different individual. In actual fact, now that he was living an alcohol-free life he rarely got depressed and he now knew how to better manage his finances, his health, his relationships, and his job.

Obviously, the biggest “test” Stanley faced was at the office. Simply put, he still took potential vendors and his existing vendors to lunch and to various sporting events, but after his alcohol rehabilitation he was able to stay away from drinking while entertaining his clients.

It may be noted that Stanley also learned that none of his existing vendors or potential vendors thought any less of him because of his non-alcoholic lifestyle. Instead, he discovered that his potential vendors and existing vendors respected him for maintaining his convictions.

After Stanley went through alcohol rehabilitation, however, he found out that he was an individual who for whatever reason, couldn’t drink in moderation. In point of fact he found out the hard way that if he refrained from drinking, all of the other meaningful parts of his life would be enhanced. At times, Stanley missed drinking, but the better health, finances, work performance, and the better relationships he experienced more than compensated for his love of drinking.

          

Diane drank quite heavily on a regular basis with her pals. One Wednesday after school she started reflecting on the amount of alcohol she drank and the drinking behavior of  her drinking friends. As a result of this, she asked all of her buddies the following question: “what do we really know about binge drinking, alcohol poisoning, alcoholism, and alcohol abuse? In other words, how much alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse information do we really know? For our young age, we certainly drink in an abusive manner and I am starting to wonder if all of us are headed for a life filled with alcohol-related issues in the near future.

I think we need to go online and discover all that is feasible about alcohol abuse, alcoholism, binge drinking, and alcohol poisoning. And then if we have any relevant issues that we don’t comprehend after we do our web research, we can go to the student health center at the college and ask Nurse Paulin to explain things to us.”

It Shouldn’t Come as a Complete Shock That What Diane Stated Would Lead to a Heated Discussion

It shouldn’t come as a complete shock that what Diane discussed would instigate a heated discussion. As a case in point, her very best friend, Saniya, said that they are too healthy and too young to be concerned about drinking to an excess. Another buddy named Anthony stated that since most teenagers drink there’s no solid reason why they should be any different. Another drinking friend named Briley stated that all she wants to do is to have fun drinking with her friends. And still another drinking buddy named Shaun in fact agreed with Diane essentially because his parents were both alcohol abusers and both of his parents had a history of alcohol related issues.

Diane openly told her pals that she comprehended everything that they had stated but that getting involved in unhealthy and irresponsible drinking at such a risky age in truth can’t be very healthy or something that contributes toward establishing a meaningful life. When a few of her drinking pals asked what kind of alcohol difficulties Diane was discussing, Diane mentioned the following: alcohol-related diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver, heart disease, and cancer, and other alcohol-related problems like alcoholism, alcohol-related traffic accidents and fatalities, and alcohol poisoning (which can be fatal in some instances).

Abusive and Excessive Drinking Usually Results in Alcohol-Related Problems

When Diane then emphasized that careless and irresponsible drinking typically results in financial, relationship, legal, and school problems, some of her friends finally began to understand how far reaching and how devastating unhealthy and irresponsible drinking can be. To be sure some of her friends became more “open” and began talking about how these alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse effects had negatively affected their parents and some of their friends.

After outlining some of the alcoholism and alcohol abuse problems that are related to excessive and abusive drinking, the majority of her drinking pals liked the idea about getting information online. They were, conversely, nervous about discussing their drinking behavior with staff at school. As Diane heard this she thought to herself, “at least they are open to finding out more about their excessive and careless drinking. This is a very fine start.”

          

How many individuals get injured or lose their lives in alcohol related traffic accidents every year? How many individuals face serious consequences in their lives because they received a DWI conviction? How many individuals lose their lives every year because of drinking problems? On an annual basis, how many alcoholics fail to get the professional alcohol treatment they require? How many children are born each year with fetal alcohol syndrome? How many individuals lose their lives each year from a condition that is one hundred percent preventable, such as alcohol poisoning? How many people’s lives are cut short due to irresponsible and destructive drinking? How many junior high, high school, and college students lose their lives every year due to an alcohol overdose? How many people are the victims of alcohol related violence or crime each and every year?

Why Would Anyone Want to Drink in an Irresponsible and Excessive Manner?

So what’s the point in asking these questions? Basically to highlight the devastating and destructive nature of abusive and careless drinking.  Indeed, and based on the above questions, I wonder why anyone would choose to drink in an excessive and abusive manner.

Stated another way, with the host of financial difficulties, relationship issues, health problems, employment dilemmas, and legal proceedings that are associated with chronic alcohol abuse and alcoholism, why would any individual with any sense at all want to drink in a hazardous and excessive manner? If truth be told when some of the above topics are looked at more closely, careless and abusive drinking becomes more illogical and makes even less sense.

Wouldn’t you think that alcoholics would be able to see some of the alcohol symptoms that they display?  In a similar manner doesn’t it seem plausible to think that many more families would involve themselves in an alcohol intervention for the person in the household who is an alcohol abuser or an alcoholic?  What is more, wouldn’t you think that people who drink irresponsibly would try to learn more about their drinking behavior by researching various alcohol related statistics?

After reviewing the alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse research findings, the point is so relevant that it needs to be stated again:  With all of the destructive and disastrous outcomes that are directly or indirectly associated with repetitive and continuous alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction, why would any individual want to engage in excessive drinking?

What Can be Done About the Widespread Nature of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in the United States?

So what can be done about the widespread nature of alcoholism and alcohol abuse in the United States?

1. Our students need more meaningful and more relevant educational and preventative approaches and methods so that more students at all grade levels, including those at college, are “reached.
2. In a similar way, our students need to learn how to become problem solvers in life rather than getting easily attracted to the ”quick fix” and the “instant gratification” of a drug or alcohol abuse ”high” or “buzz”.
3. Individuals who are alcoholics or alcohol abusers need to look at themselves in the mirror and ask why they are not getting the professional alcohol therapy they require.
4. Society needs to get the message to more people about the debilitating and unhealthy effects of abusive drinking.

There’s Room For Optimism if Those Who Engage in Unhealthy and Abusive Drinking Can Become Persuaded to Get the Alcohol Rehabilitation They Need

There’s room for hope and optimism if people can start drinking responsibly and those who engage in careless and excessive drinkingcan become encouraged to get the alcohol rehab they require.  Indeed, why put your loved ones through suffering, pain, and turmoil because of your abusive and unhealthy drinking when you have the power to control your life by drinking responsibly or even stopping drinking if you can’t control your drinking behavior?