Miss Jackson was a health teacher at the most under financed co-ed high school in the state. Even though she had been teaching for only three years, she had already established a reputation as a person with teaching techniques that encouraged and motivated the students in her class to learn and to think.

For example, one Wednesday morning at 10:00 she addressed the students in her class and said the following: "For the next three or four days we are going to learn about some commonplace alcoholism signs from a general point of view and we are also going to learn about some of the most familiar signs of alcoholism from a less general and more specific point of view."

"Not all of these alcoholism warning signs will undeniably establish that a drinker with a drinking problem is a person who is addicted to alcohol, but the more signs that an individual exhibits, the more likely it is that she or he is an alcohol dependent person."

Miss Jackson then explained to the members in the class that each person would be responsible for researching three alcoholism signs and then presenting his or her findings to the other class members by way of a nine minute oral presentation.

The day after all of the pupils completed their presentations, Miss Jackson passed out a sheet of paper with a list of all the alcoholism signs that were discussed and presented in class and in the presentations. Miss Jackson then asked the students in her class to study the list and rank the top eight alcohol addiction signs that were most indicative of alcohol addiction. After about ten minutes, Miss Jackson collected the sheets of paper and told her pupils that after she goes over the results, she will discuss her findings the morning of the next school day.

Miss Jackson told the pupils in her class to look over the information she handed out and then to raise their hand if they had any questions, issues, or concerns. Within 20 or 30 seconds, almost everyone in the classroom raised her or his hand. It was clear to see that the pupils had some questions, issues, or concerns about their results versus the answers given by the alcoholism experts. For instance, virtually every pupil disagreed with the highest ranking answer given by the alcoholism professionals, specifically, "Do you feel awfully sick when you quit drinking?"

Miss Jackson then told the students in her class why this answer was the most precise sign of alcoholism. She highlighted the fact that the most important difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction is the physical dependency that is experienced with alcoholism and not with alcohol abuse.

Basically this means that when a person who is addicted to alcohol abruptly quits drinking, he or she will go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms. After Miss Jackson explained the significance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the alcoholic, the students started to grasp the basic difference between alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction.

A few minutes later the bell rang, indicating that the end of class had arrived. Based on the enthusiasm displayed by the pupils when they were leaving the classroom, Miss Jackson realized that she had encouraged and motivated the students in her class to stop and think about a significant health issue and social problem that exists in our country.

A Woman Exhibits Signs Of Depression And Alcohol Abuse And Makes An Appointment To See Her Healthcare Professional
A woman exhibits signs of alcohol abuse and depression and gets motivated about making an appointment to see her doctor about her excessive and abusive drinking and for a psychological evaluation.

A Young Man Drinks Carelessly, Gets Motivated To Get Treatment For Depression And Alcoholism, And Improves His Life
A purchasing agent drinks excessively, gets motivated to get treatment for alcoholism and depression, turns his life around, and develops an alcohol-free lifestyle.

A Young Female Quits Drinking, Suffers Through Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms, And Makes Up Her Mind To Get Alcohol Treatment
A young woman tries to quit drinking, experiences alcohol withdrawal symptoms, realizes that she is an alcoholic, and decides to get alcohol treatment.

A Monday Evening Out With Friends From College At A Local Watering Hole Results In Excessive Drinking And Symptoms Of Alcohol Poisoning
A night out with school pals at a local pub leads to excessive and abusive drinking, alcohol poisoning, and then a sense of thanksgiving and increased self esteem.

The Alcohol Related Deaths And Alcohol Related Problems That Are Linked To Irresponsible Drinking And What Can Be Done About Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism In Our Country
Why Would Anyone Want to Drink in an Excessive Manner? There's lots of room for optimism and hope if people can start drinking in moderation and those who engage in repeated and continuous drinking can become motivated to get the alcohol rehab they require.

Hazardous Drinking Leads To Mental Health Issues And Depression, An Enabling Wife, And Encouragement For Positive Change
Excessive and abusive drinking leads to depression and mental health issues, an enabling spouse, and motivation for positive change and successful alcohol treatment. When excessive and abusive drinking motivates a person to do something positive about his or her drinking problem.

Teenage Alcohol Abuse, The Interrelationship Between Hazardous Drinking And Coping Skills, And The Need For Coping Skills Training
A focus on the fact that youth alcohol abuse is a serious problem, the relationship between coping skills and alcohol abuse, and the need for a society that emphasizes adolescent coping skills.