When I was a sophomore in high school, I registered for a substance abuse class. At that time period, I did not realize that alcohol abuse actually was a sub category of drug abuse. While taking this class and learning more about drug and alcohol abuse and especially 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 a lot about alcohol treatment and the diverse alcohol rehab facilities that are normally available to people who engage in heavy drinking.

Dangerous Effects That are Correlated With Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

Some of the damaging results correlated with alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class certainly alarmed me. The ruined lives and many problems experienced by most alcohol addicted individuals made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. Stated differently, I did not want to face the wreckage and ruination that alcohol addicted individuals almost always experience.

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 an adult?

What teenager wants to encounter alcohol withdrawals when he or she tries to quit drinking? Why would an individual 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 an individual has a career, a family, and develops personal responsibilities makes sense. But why would a young person want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that focuses on excessive drinking?

These issues were so meaningful that I discussed some of them in class throughout the school year. What was utterly inconceivable to me was the number of students who simply didn’t care about the negative consequences of irresponsible drinking that I discussed. It was almost as if they couldn’t be troubled with the truth and how these effects can wreck their lives. For the first time in my life I started to figure out a saying that my grandfather used to articulate throughout my adolesence: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.

It’s Beneficial, Enlivening, and Important to Remove Yourself From the Debilitating and Unhealthy Results of Drug and Alcohol Abuse

And even at my young age, I also started to understand how important, liberating, and beneficial it is in life to keep yourself from the unhealthy and debilitating effects of alcohol and drug abuse. Without a doubt, realizing this not only led to a number of conflicts and problems in school but also led to enhanced friendships and relationships.