An Erratic High School Student Manifests Quite A Few Alcohol-Related Problems, Gets Suspended From School, And Has To See The School Counselor

Stephen was a seventeen year old high school senior who was exhibiting a number of alcohol-related difficulties at school. As a result, the principal told him that he had to see Miss Pender, the school therapist, before he would be allowed to come back to class.

Later that day when Stephen went home after school, he had to explain his school suspension to his Mother and Father. His parents were "relatively old-style" and informed Stephen that dropping out of school was not a practical educational option. They told Stephen that failing to graduate from high school would likely be like a lead weight around his legs that could quite possibly mar his educational achievement for the remainder of his adult life. What is more, Stephen's Mother and Father were extremely dismayed that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his buddies in the second.

It was evident that his Mother and Father were in total concurrence with Stephen's principal and told Stephen that he had to see Miss Pender, the school therapist. After his discussion with his Mom and Dad, Stephen eventually agreed to see Miss Pender the next school day. So Stephen called the school and scheduled an appointment to see Miss Pender the next day during his third period class.

When Stephen went to see Miss Pender, she instantaneously reviewed all of the alcohol-related difficulties Stephen had gotten into and asked him if he knew why his recent alcohol-related behavior caused quite a bit of apprehension by the school administrators.

Quite truthfully, Stephen was unsure why the principal informed him that he had to see a school therapist. As he expressed to Miss Pender, why should he see a professional therapist about his drinking behavior? Due to the fact that virtually all of his classmates drink the same amount that he does, fundamentally, drinking shouldn't be such a big issue. Stated more forcefully, if nearly everybody is drinking, why is this such a major issue?

In a word, Stephen's involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was beginning to short-circuit his ability to function as an accountable young man. As articulated by Miss Pender, "Just because most of your peers drink wine, wine coolers, beer, or hard liquor does not mean that it is right for you."

Luckily, Miss Pender was well equipped for her appointment with Stephen. She showed him research studies and reports she had highlighted that summarized various drinking facts and statistics that applied to most people in general. Then she showed Stephen a lot of figures and reports that applied principally to teenagers.

After Miss Pender conveyed the aforesaid teenage alcohol and teen alcohol abuse facts and statistics, it was clear that what Miss Pender disclosed to Stephen was a real bombshell to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only took the time to articulate the short term and the long term results of alcoholism and alcohol abuse, but she also made the effort to verify what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency 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 Stephen instantaneously realized why he should not be engaging in abusive and excessive drinking with or without his pals anymore. Stephen thanked Miss Pender for her concern and for the material she reviewed and then accepted her reinstatement into school.