My Fitness Edge

When I was in the tenth grade in high school, I took a substance abuse class. At that time period, 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 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 individuals throughout the world. I also learned a lot about alcohol rehabilitation and the various alcohol rehab facilities that are repeatedly available to individuals who engage in excessive drinking.

Injurious Effects That are Associated With Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse

Some of the detrimental end results related to alcoholism and alcohol abuse that I learned about in this class certainly terrified me. The ruined lives and frequent serious issues experienced by most alcohol addicted individuals made me feel like I never wanted to drink alcohol when I became old enough. Stated briefly, I did not want to face the wreckage and devastation that alcohol addicted people almost always experience.

Let this sink in for a moment. What fifteen-year-old person 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 ingesting 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 problems before he or she becomes twenty-one?

What young person wants to deal with alcohol withdrawal symptoms when he or she tries to stop 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 teenager want to sacrifice his or her education, employment, finances, and relationships for a life that centers on excessive drinking?

These issues were so noteworthy that I discussed some of them in class throughout the school year. What was completely astounding to me was the number of students who simply didn’t care about the injurious effects of irresponsible drinking that I talked about. It was almost as if they couldn’t be bothered with the facts and how these consequences can demolish their lives. For the first time in my life I started to comprehend something that my grandfather used to say to me throughout my adolesence: you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.

It’s Important, Energizing, and Beneficial to Keep Yourself From the Damaging and Unhealthy Consequences of Alcohol and Drug Abuse

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