What are the main features in an effective alcohol intervention? Why do some alcohol abuse interventions succeed as expected while others bomb?

The Need for a Time-Honored Track Record of Intervention Accomplishment

Scientific inquiry makes evident the fact that a fruitful alcohol dependency intervention needs to be administered by an intervention professional who has a time-honored history of intervention attainment.

In actual fact this means that rather than making a choice for an “everyday” alcoholism healthcare professional or psychologist for an addiction intervention, the individual who is selected to administer the intervention needs to be trained in drug abuse intervention procedures and needs to display a track record of productive alcohol addiction interventions.

A Few Primary Illustrations of The Most Optimal Time For an Alcohol Addiction Intervention

Scientific inquiry and alcoholism facts about interventions has also made evident the fact that the most worthwhile time for an alcoholism intervention is following a consequential occasion in the life of the alcohol addicted person or alcohol abuser. The following represents a few illustrations of these types of meaningful incidents:

• The alcohol-dependent person or abusive drinker has been caught stealing something of worth.
• The alcohol abuser or alcohol dependent individual has been caught lying about something of importance.
• The alcohol dependent individual or alcohol abuser has been locked up for a DUI or DWI.

In circumstances like these, the alcohol dependent individual or alcohol abuser is more apt to be remorseful or to feel ashamed, therefore making him or her more amenable to getting the quality alcohol treatment that is required.

At this point in time, moreover, it is also important to highlight the fact that the abusive drinker or alcoholic needs to be free of alcohol during the alcohol abuse intervention. In a few words, if the alcohol abuser or alcohol addicted person is intoxicated during an alcohol abuse intervention, failure is practically assured.

The Value of Sound Friendships And Relationships in an Alcoholism Intervention That Leads to a Better Sense of Happiness and Positive Attitude For the Alcohol Addicted Individual for the Alcohol Addicted Individual

Not only this, the importance of healthy relationships and friendships can’t be over stated in an alcohol dependency intervention that results in a better sense of personal happiness and positive attitude for the alcohol addicted individual. Stated simply, why would a person with a drinking problem feel better about himself or herself by listening to family members or friends that she or he dislikes or disrespects?

In addition, scientific inquiry has also made obvious the fact that the alcohol abuser or alcoholic has to at least try to listen to what is communicated in an alcoholism intervention. Stated differently, during an alcohol addiction intervention, the hazardous drinker or alcohol-dependent person needs to listen to what his or her drinking behavior has done to those who care for him or her the most.

The Need for Alcohol Counseling For the Abusive Drinker

And finally, scientific inquiry makes obvious the fact that the major reason for an alcohol abuse intervention in the first place is to ”push” the abusive drinker or alcohol dependent individual to get the professional alcohol rehab he or she requires. Stated more exactly, even if the person who oversees the intervention has an exceptional profile of successful interventions and even if the hazardous drinker or alcohol addicted individual sincerely listens to every single word that is spoken all the way through an intervention, if the abusive drinker or alcoholic is not inspired to get professional alcohol abuse therapy after the alcohol intervention, then the intervention will be a debacle.

Plainly all of these factors are needed for a productive alcoholism intervention. If, however, the alcohol abuser or alcohol-dependent person is not motivated to get alcohol rehabilitation after listening to his or her family members state the agony, irritation, and discontent they feel about the hazardous drinker’s or alcohol addicted individual’s abusive drinking behavior and the affection they feel for the problem drinker, then every other aspect of the alcohol intervention will effectively be irrelevant.

Even Successful Alcohol Abuse Interventions Can Backfire In the Future

It also needs to be underlined that notwithstanding the fact that the alcohol abuse intervention can be viewed as successful in that it helped put the alcohol abuser or alcohol addicted individual in a more amenable way of thinking and in all honesty helped the alcohol-dependent person or alcohol abuser determine that he or she required alcohol rehabilitation or professional help for alcoholism or alcohol abuse, the sheer reality that the intervention took place may lead to acrimony, anger, and distrust down the road.

Briefly, even when alcohol dependency interventions are seen as productive in the short term, in the long term, however, they may boomerang and, as a result, may make the family and/or the alcoholic’s situation even poorer than it was before the alcohol addiction intervention was initiated.

No matter how unfair or ironic this seems, try to keep in mind that it is merely one of the central alcohol facts that has to be dealt with when doing an alcohol intervention.

A Reason For Joy and Happiness

Also keep in mind how exciting and fulfilling it can be when an alcohol dependency intervention is successful. Why? When an alcohol dependency intervention is successful, this means that the person with a drinking problem understands what he or she has been doing to those who care the most about him or her and is now willing and ready to get rehab and begin the road to recovery.

Dante was a fifteen year old high school sophomore who was exhibiting numerous alcohol-related problems at school. For that reason, the principal told him that he had to see Miss Johnson, the school therapist, before he would be allowed to come back to class.

Later that afternoon when Dante went home after school, he had to explain his school suspension to his Mom and Dad. His Mother and Father were “relatively conventional” and informed Dante that getting discharged from school was not a workable educational plan of action. They told Dante that failing to graduate from high school would probably be like a lead weight around his ankles that could quite possibly impair his educational attainment for the remainder of his life. Not only this, but Dante’s parents were very let down that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his buddies in the second.

His parents explained to Dante that even though he may be young, he has to comprehend fairly swiftly that drinking is the path to failure, financial problems, ill health, and pain.

It was obvious that his parents were absolutely in concurrence with Dante’s principal and told Dante that he had better make plans to see Miss Johnson, the school psychologist. After his dialogue with his Mom and Dad, Dante at last agreed to see Miss Johnson the next school day. So Dante called the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johnson the next day during his first period class.

The Counselor Asks Dante if He Understands Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Activities Signaled Such Alarm By the School Administrators

When Dante got to his scheduled appointment with Miss Johnson, she immediately reviewed all of the alcohol-related difficulties Dante had gotten into and asked him if he comprehended why his recent alcohol-related actions caused quite a bit of anxiety by the school administrators.

Quite honestly, 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 therapist about his drinking behavior? In view of the fact that almost all of his buddies drink as much if not more than he does, basically, drinking is no big thing. Stated differently, if almost everybody is drinking, why is this such a major concern?

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 getting ready to enter junior high school.

Miss Johnson told Dante that while his peers may indeed drink more than he does and that they may be an unhealthy influence on him, the facts are that he is the one who is getting removed from school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his peers. Moreover, Miss Johnson also stressed the fact that Dante, and not his pals, is the one who is failing and who is missing at least one day of school per week due to his alcohol related difficulties. Finally, Miss Johnson stressed the fact that due to his drinking behavior, Dante is getting into a destructive cycle of alcohol abuse that can in the long run wreck his dreams, hopes, and aspirations.

In a word, Dante’s involvement with teenage alcohol abuse was beginning to short-circuit his ability to act like an accountable young man. As stated by Miss Johnson, “Just because most of your buddies drink wine coolers, hard liquor, wine, or beer does not mean that it is the right thing to do for you.”

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

Miss Johnson informed Dante that one’s friends can certainly influence an individual in a negative way, but that the individual himself or herself has to in due course be accountable for himself or herself in order to steer clear of destructive, damaging, dangerous, and unhealthy consequences in the future.

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

For example, Miss Johnson explained the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency and informed Dante that individuals who continue to drink in a hazardous 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 Lists A Number Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse 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 U.S. who are alcohol abusers and alcohol dependent drink 47.3% of the alcohol that is ingested by all teenage drinkers.

2. Fifty percent of U.S. homicides are related to alcohol.

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

4. It is projected that more than 3 million adolescents in the U.S. between the ages of 14 to 17 are problem drinkers.

5. In the U.S., more than forty percent of those who start drinking at the age 14 or younger become addicted to alcohol.

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

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

8. Alcohol-related difficulties are unevenly found among both juvenile and adult criminal offenders.

Dante Gets A Meaningful Jolt of Reality About the Long Term and the Short Term Consequences of Teenage Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

After Miss Johnson presented the aforementioned alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse facts and statistics, it was apparent that what Miss Johnson made known to Dante was a real jolt 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 outcomes of alcoholism and alcohol abuse, but she also made the effort to demonstrate what she was saying with alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency statistics and facts that related to everyone, and principally to young people.

Without a doubt, it was almost as if a light went on and Dante at once realized why he should not be engaging in hazardous and abusive drinking with or without his classmates any longer. Dante thanked Miss Johnson for her concern and for the information she discussed.

Miss Johnson then asked Dante how he felt about getting a physical exam and an alcohol appraisal for the alcohol treatment he would probably need. Dante thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get a complete physical and to go through an extensive evaluation of his drinking behavior so that he could start an alcohol treatment program promptly. After meeting with Miss Johnson, not only did he think that he had established an enhanced relationship with her, but it was also apparent that Dante’s self esteem and personal happiness had been boosted as he began to address his excessive and abusive drinking.

Recent alcohol abuse statistics reveal that alcohol abuse among teens is increasing in the United States. What are some of the reasons for this? Quite a few chemical dependency specialists think that beer, liquor, and wine advertisements constructed by the media are a key reason for the escalation of teen alcohol abuse.

Other alcoholism professionals declare that the increase in teenage alcohol abuse is due to the toleration and accessibility of liquor, beer, and wine in our society.

Still other substance abuse experts declare that more than a few of our adolescents involve themselves in destructive drinking because of the increased fretfulness that they go through.

From a slightly different vantage point, because both parents in more than a few families work full or part-time, the lack of parental supervision evidently has to play a major part in the rise in teenage alcohol abuse. And as a final point, an assortment of alcohol abuse specialists state that the proliferation of teen alcohol abuse is due, in some degree, to our lax society.

Coping Skills and Hazardous Drinking

One element of teenage alcohol abuse that appears to be somewhat missing in the alcoholism research results, to the contrary, is the insufficiency of educational courses that teach teenagers how to enhance their coping skills so that their destructive drinking behavior is drastically decreased or gotten rid of.

Stated differently, science has displayed the fact that there is an indirect link between poor coping skills and hazardous drinking. In essence, this means that the poorer the coping skills, the higher the prevalence of alcohol abuse. To the extent that this is a correct argument, why isn’t coping skills training an essential part of the academic prospectus in all of our elementary schools, junior high schools, and high schools?

A Society That Puts Emphasis On Adolescent Coping Skills

Let us construct a scenario for explanatory purposes. Let us imagine a society in which students are trained how to achieve outstanding coping skills all the way from kindergarten up to and including their senior year in high school.

In such a society, when life gets difficult, students who are “coping skills masters” will be able to respond in a healthier and more successful way, contrary to others who are unsuccessful in their attempts to execute their coping skills.

Stated more explicitly, students who display good coping skills will be more able to think clearly and engage in superior decision making as opposed to teens who, because they do not possess good coping skills, resort to the “quick fix” of hazardous drinking, alcohol abuse, and teenage alcoholism.

What would happen in the above “ideal” society, moreover, if adolescents not only got top shelf coping skills education but also obtained a top quality education that emphasized the long term and short term injurious results associated with drug abuse and alcohol abuse? Such an emphasis on drug and alcohol abuse facts, along with more advanced coping skills training, it is proclaimed, would help teens avoid the apparent charm associated with youth drinking and, consequently, would drastically reduce the hazardous drinking behavior exhibited by teens in our country.

Youth Risky Drinking: Room for Hope, Success, and Optimism and the Need For Effective Goal Setting

There are indubitably more than a few well thought-out reasons why so many of our teenagers abuse alcohol. Such a thorny subject matter, if optimism, success, and hope are to be attained, demands successful goal setting, a comprehensive and relevant educational and preventative response by our educators, politicians, parents, and students, and supplying coping skills training and stress management classes so that our teenagers can learn how to cope with life’s predicaments in a more rewarding and responsible manner rather than resorting to dangerous drinking behavior to solve their difficulties.

Larry was a seventeen year old high school junior who was manifesting several alcohol-related problems at school. For that reason, the principal informed him that he had to see Miss Johns, the school counselor, before he would be permitted to return to class.

Later that afternoon when Larry went home after school, he had to go over his school suspension with his parents. His parents were “fairly conventional” and informed Larry that dropping out of school was not a doable educational plan of action. They explained to Larry that failing to graduate from high school would more likely than not be like a lead weight around his legs that may hurt his educational attainment for the rest of his adult life. Furthermore, Larry’s Mom and Dad were quite displeased that he was drinking in the first place and drinking with his pals in the second.

His parents explained to Larry that even though he may be young, he needs to comprehend fairly rapidly that drinking is the route to failure, pain, financial problems, and ill health.

It was plain to see that his Mom and Dad were absolutely in concurrence with Larry’s principal and explained to Larry that he had to see Miss Johns, the school psychologist. After his talk with his Mom and Dad, Larry at long last agreed to see Miss Johns the next school day. So Larry phoned the school and made an appointment to see Miss Johns the next morning before school.

The Therapist Asks Larry if He Understands Why His Recent Alcohol-Related Activities Caused Quite a Bit of Apprehension By the School Administrators

When Larry went to see Miss Johns, she instantly analyzed all of the alcohol-related problems Larry had gotten into and asked him if he knew why his recent alcohol-related activities were such a cause for concern.

Quite honestly, Larry was unsure why the principal informed him that he had to see a school counselor. As he stated to Miss Johns, why should he see a professional counselor about his drinking circumstances? In view of the fact that virtually all of his peers drink the same amount that he does, in essence, drinking shouldn’t be such a big issue. Stated another way, if almost everybody is drinking, why is this such a major concern?

Miss Johns asked Larry when he started to drink alcoholic beverages. He said that some of his older pals introduced him to drinking hard liquor when he was twelve or thirteen years old and in the seventh grade.

Miss Johns told Larry that while his classmates may in fact 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 discharged from school due to alcohol-related absenteeism, fighting, and delinquency, not his friends. What is more, Miss Johns also underlined the fact that Larry, and not his peers, is the one who is failing and who is missing almost two days of class per week because of his alcohol related problems. Finally, Miss Johns stressed the fact that due to his drinking circumstances, Larry is getting into a negative cycle of alcohol abuse that can finally wreck his hopes, dreams and aspirations.

In a word, Larry’s involvement with adolescent alcohol abuse was beginning to impede his ability to conduct himself like a responsible young man. As stated by Miss Johns, “Just because most of your friends drink wine coolers, wine, hard liquor, or beer does not mean that it is the best thing in the world for you.”

Larry Learns That Ultimately He Must Take Responsibility For Himself In Order to Steer Clear of Dangerous, Destructive, Damaging, and Unhealthy Consequences Down the Road

Miss Johns explained to Larry that one’s friends can undeniably influence an individual in a negative way, but that the person herself or himself has to in due course take responsibility for herself or himself in order to stay away from unhealthy, dangerous, damaging, and destructive consequences in the foreseeable future.

Fortunately, Miss Johns was extremely well equipped for her scheduled meeting with Larry. She showed him research studies and reports she had underlined that listed different drinking facts and statistics that targeted most people in general. Then she showed Larry quite a bit of data that applied especially to teens.

For instance, Miss Johns emphasized the difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction and explained to Larry that individuals who continue to drink in a hazardous manner continually become alcoholic.

Miss Johns also discussed the concept of binge drinking that she defined as follows: ingesting four or more drinks in one sitting for females and drinking four or more drinks in one sitting for females.

The Therapist Presents Several Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency Facts and Statistics

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

1. Alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse cost the U.S. an estimated $220 billion in 2005. This dollar amount was more than the cost associated with cancer ($196 billion) or with obesity ($133 billion.

2. More than one-half of U.S. adults have a close relative or family member that has or has had alcoholism.

3. More than 75% of female victims of nonfatal, domestic violence stated that their assailant had been using drugs or drinking.

4. In the U.S. on an annual basis, more than one third of pedestrians killed by cars were legally intoxicated.

5. One national research study discovered that students are less likely to drink alcohol if they are socially accepted by individuals at school and believe that teachers treat students in a fair manner.

6. Research indicates that youth who use alcohol may remember 10 percent less of what they have learned than teens who don’t drink.

7. Around ten to twenty percent of the individuals who drink heavily ultimately develop cirrhosis of the liver (i.e., a scarring of the liver that can be fatal).

8. Up to forty percent of the U.S. industrial fatalities and 47 percent of industrial injuries are related to alcohol abuse or alcoholism.

Larry Receives An Important Wake Up Call About the Short Term and the Long Term Consequences of Youth Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol Dependency

After Miss Johns listed the aforementioned alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse facts and statistics, it was plain to see that what Miss Johns revealed to Larry was a real jolt to him. Why? Because for the first time in his young life, someone not only took the time to explain the short term and the long term consequences of alcoholism and alcohol abuse, but she also made the effort to substantiate what she was saying with alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse statistics and facts that related to everyone, and especially to teenagers.

Without a doubt, it was almost as if a light went on and Larry at once comprehended why he should not be engaging in hazardous and abusive drinking with or without his peers any longer. Larry thanked Miss Johns for her concern and for the material she presented.

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

Larry thought about this for a minute and then agreed to get an extensive physical examination and to go through a thorough assessment of his drinking circumstances so that he could start an alcohol abuse or alcoholism treatment program immediately.

Alcohol abuse statistics reveal that alcohol abuse among adolescents is increasing in the United States. What are some of the reasons for this? Quite a few chemical dependency consultants articulate that wine, beer, and liquor ads generated by the media are a major reason for the spread of teen alcohol abuse.

Other alcohol dependency consultants think that the increase in teen alcohol abuse is due to the acceptability and ease of access of alcohol in our society.

Still other alcohol abuse specialists assert that many of our teenagers engage in destructive drinking due to the increased stress that they undergo.

From a slightly different outlook, since both parents in quite a few families work, the lack of parental guidance without a doubt has to play a fundamental role in the expansion of youth alcohol abuse. And lastly, different substance abuse authorities state that the spread of teen alcohol abuse is due, in some degree, to our “anything goes” society.

Coping Skills and Abusive Drinking

One element of adolescent alcohol abuse that looks as if it somewhat incomplete in the alcoholism research findings, to the contrary, is the nonexistence of educational courses that teach teenagers how to improve upon their coping skills so that their destructive drinking behavior is drastically lessened or gotten rid of.

Stated more explicitly, science has revealed that there is an indirect association between poor coping skills and abusive drinking. In effect, this means that the more mediocre the coping skills, the greater the prevalence of alcohol abuse. To the extent that this is a valid contention, why isn’t coping skills education a fundamental part of the academic prospectus in all of our junior high schools, elementary schools, and high schools?

A Society That Highlights Adolescent Coping Skills

Let us construct a scenario for the purpose of explanation. Let us imagine a society in which all individuals are trained how to develop superior coping skills all the way from kindergarten up to and including their senior year in high school.

In such a society, when life gets demanding, students who are “coping skills masters” will be able to respond in a more healthy and more rewarding manner, as opposed to others who are unsuccessful in their attempts to put their coping skills into action.

Stated more precisely, students who show evidence of superior coping skills will be more able to think logically and show signs of quality decision making as opposed to students who, because they were unsuccessful in their attempts to learn top quality coping skills, are drawn to the “quick fix” of hazardous drinking.

What would happen in the above “ideal” society, in addition, if teens not only obtained top quality coping skills education but also got a first class education that outlined the long term and short term destructive consequences associated with drug abuse and alcohol abuse? Emphasizing these drug and alcohol abuse facts, along with more advanced coping skills training, it is advocated, would help adolescents keep away from the apparent charm correlated with youth drinking and, as a consequence, would radically diminish the destructive drinking behavior undertaken by teens in our country.

Teenage Excessive Drinking: Conclusion

There are clearly various sound reasons why so many of our teens drink in a harmful manner. Such a tricky subject matter demands a wide-ranging and relevant educational and preventative response by our parents, educators, politicians, and students so that our adolescents can learn how to cope with life’s predicaments in a more productive and responsible way rather than gravitating to excessive drinking behavior to solve their problems.

Alcohol abuse statistics demonstrate the fact that alcohol abuse among teenagers is increasing in the United States. What are some of the reasons for this? Quite a few substance abuse professionals emphasize the point that wine, liquor, and beer ads created by the media are a significant reason for the expansion of teen alcohol abuse.

Other alcohol addiction experts assert that the increase in teenage alcohol abuse is due to the acceptability and ease of access of wine,liquor, and beer in our society.

Still other alcohol abuse experts argue that numerous teenagers get involved in alcohol abuse due to the increased stress that they undergo.

From a somewhat different viewpoint, due to the fact that both parents in a number of families work full or part-time, the lack of parental guidance clearly has to play a major part in the rise in adolescent alcohol abuse. And last but not least, diverse alcoholism authorities argue that the escalation of teen alcohol abuse is due, to some extent, to our lenient society.

Coping Skills and Hazardous Drinking

One facet of teenage alcohol abuse that appears to be somewhat missing in the chemical dependency research literature, alternatively, is the deficiency of educational programs that teach students how to improve upon their coping skills so that their destructive drinking behavior is extensively decreased or eradicated.

More specifically, scientific research has shown that there is an indirect association between poor coping skills and abusive drinking. In essence, this means that the poorer the coping skills, the higher the incidence of alcohol abuse. To the extent that this is a correct line of reasoning, why isn’t coping skills training a significant part of the educational core curriculum in all of our high schools, junior high schools, and elementary schools?

A Society That Underscores Teenage Coping Skills

Let us create a scenario for for the purpose of elucidation. Let us imagine a society in which students are taught how to develop sound coping skills all the way from kindergarten up to and including their final year in high school.

In such a society, when life gets stressful, students who are ”coping skills experts” will be able to respond in a healthier and more creative way, as opposed to others who fail to put their coping skills into operation.

More to the point, students who demonstrate good coping skills will be more able to think logically and demonstrate quality decision making as opposed to students who, because they do not possess outstanding coping skills, gravitate to the “quick fix” of excessive drinking.

What would happen in the above “ideal” society, moreover, if teenagers not only got excellent coping skills training but also received a first class education that emphasized the long term and short term negative consequences associated with drug abuse and alcohol abuse? Emphasizing these kinds of drug and alcohol abuse facts, along with more advanced coping skills training, it is declared, would help teens steer clear of the clear appeal correlated with adolescent drinking and, therefore, would substantially lessen the hazardous drinking behavior exhibited by the youth in our country.

Teen Risky Drinking: Conclusion

There are certainly scores of sound reasons why so many of our teenagers drink in a harmful manner. Such a complex subject demands a thorough and more meaningful educational and preventative response by our politicians, parents, educators, and students so that our teenagers can learn how to cope with life’s difficulties in a more rewarding and accountable manner rather than gravitating to hazardous drinking behavior to solve their problems.