When I was in the tenth grade in high school, I enrolled into a substance abuse class. At that time, I did not comprehend that alcohol abuse actually was a sub category of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse and particularly about alcohol side effects, I read a lot about Alcoholic Anonymous, their meetings, how their programs have twelve steps, and how successful the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program has been for people throughout the world. I also learned quite a bit about alcohol rehab and the various alcohol rehab clinics that are usually available to problem drinkers.

Harmful Results That are Related to Alcohol Addiction and Alcohol Abuse

Some of the injurious results linked to alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class absolutely startled me. The ruined lives and numerous difficulties experienced by most alcoholics made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. That is, I did not want to face the damage and devastation that alcohol dependent individuals almost always go through.

Let this sink in for a moment. What fifteen-year-old individual wants to face premature death due to his or her drinking behavior? What adolescent wants to become so out-of-control regarding his or her drinking that drinking alcohol becomes the object of one’s life? What adolescent wants to go to one of the local alcoholic rehabilitation centers to deal with alcohol-related difficulties before he or she becomes twenty-one?

What youth wants to go through alcohol withdrawals when he or she tries to quit drinking? Why would a person engage in drinking to such an extent that it would cause difficulties in every area of his or her life? Drinking later in life after a person has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would a teenager want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that focuses on abusive drinking?

These issues were so meaningful that I discussed some of them in class during the school year. What was utterly unbelievable to me was the number of students who openly didn’t care about the dangerous results of irresponsible drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t care less about reality and how these effects can destroy their lives. For the first time in my life I started to comprehend a saying that my grandfather used to say to me all through my younger years: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink.

It’s Important, Beneficial, and Enlivening to Stay Away From the Unhealthy and Debilitating Effects of Alcohol and Drug Abuse

And even at my young age, I also started to realize how invigorating, important, and beneficial it is in life to stay away from the unhealthy and debilitating outcomes of alcohol and drug abuse.