PARENT BE AWARE OF THE DANGER
ONE OF THE WORST THREATS OF ALCOHOLISM IS DRINKING AND DRIVING. OVER 50% OF ALL PERSONS... 60% OF ALL TEENAGERS... INVOLVED IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTSHAVE BEEN DRINKING. THIS FACT EXPLAINS WHY MORE THAN HALF OF THE TEENAGE DEATHS ARE ALCOHOL/DRUG RELATED; EVERY FIVE SECONDS THERE IS AN ALCOHOL OR DRUG RELATED TRAFFIC ACCIDENT IN THE U.S.IS ALCOHOL ADDICTING? ALCOHOL HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR MAKING A PERSON PHYSICALLY ADDICTED, AND THE BODY SLOWLY MAKES A BIOCHEMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENTS CALLED "TOLERANCE" TO Its PRESENCE. TO SECURE THE SAME EFFECT, THE BODY DEMANDS MORE AND MORE ALCOHOL. IF A PERSON ATTEMPTS TO QUIT DRINKING, THE BODY REACTS VIOLENTLY. THIS UNCOMFORTABLEREACTION REDUCES THE INCENTIVE TO STOP.OVER 3.4 MILLION TEENAGERS ARE ALCOHOLICS. MEDICAL AUTHORITIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT TEENAGERS CAN DEVELOPE CHRONIC ALCOHOLISM WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF TAKING THEIR FIRST DRINK. STUDIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT 50% OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GET DRUNK ONCE A WEEK, AND MANY ARE DAILY DRINKERS.TEENAGERS WHO EXPERIMENT WITH DRINKING ALCOHOL ARE VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO ITS EFFECTS, AND PRESENT DAY RESEARCH PROVES THAT THE EARLIER THE AGE A PERSON STARTS DRINKING ALCOHOL, THE MORE LIKELY IT IS THAT THEY WILL DEVELOP CHRONIC ALCOHOLISM. BECAUSE OF THIS, IT IS NOT WISE TO ALLOW A TEENAGER TO DRINK IN THE MISTAKEN BELIEF THAT THEY WILL DEVELOP A MATUREATTITUDE TOWARD ALCOHOL.MIXING DRUGS AND ALCOHOL THE MIXING OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS IS A DEADLY COMBINATION. WHETHER THE DRUGS ARE "STREET THINGS" LIKE MARIJUANA OR COCAINE, OR PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS SUCH AS BARBITURATES ORSTIMULANTS, THE POTENTIAL FOR A DEADLY OVERDOSE IS TREMENDOUS. SINCE ALCOHOL IS A DEPRESSANT, ANTIDEPRESSANTS, ANTIHISTAMINES OR SLEEPINGPILLS ONLY INCREASE THE RISK OF FURTHER SEDATION. OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUGS SUCH AS ASPIRIN OR SIMILAR ANALGESICS MAY BE HAZARDOUS IF MIXED WITH ALCOHOL, INCREASING RISK OF PEPTIC ULCERS AND BLEEDING FROM THE STOMACH.ALCOHOLISM - A DISEASE OF DENIAL ALCOHOLISM IS A DISEASE OF DENIAL. THOSE WHO SUFFER FROM IT DENY THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM. IT ONLY ENHANCES THEPROBLEM TO "PROTECT" THE DRINKER; THIS IS CALLED "ENABLING". FOR THE PARENTS, SPOUSES OR FRIENDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH ALCOHOL, THERE IS HOPE. TREATMENT AND PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE