Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol Abuse

Alcohol Abuse

I’d like to start with the story of a man who nearly lost everything because of alcohol abuse.   He was camping one weekend, with his son.   The boy was bored, so he asked his dad if he could go play at the park. His dad was not only hung-over from the night before, but probably still drunk.   So rather than get up and take his young son to the park, he sent the boy off to play; alone.   The man lay in bed for a moment before the realization of what he had done hit him.   Instead of enjoying this time with his son, he had just sent the 5-year-old boy to play by himself.   He sat up, wondering how long he’d have to wait before he could crack open another beer.   Surely that would make him feel better.   Instead, he walked to the park where his son played and sat down on the bench.   As he sat on the bench all this man could do was think about the cold beer waiting for him back at the campsite.   Then the man looked up at his son.   Suddenly, it occurred to him that his life was passing him by.   The most important thing in the world wasn’t getting back to that beer.   It was his son.   His drinking had already caused him to lose his job, his income, his wife, and almost his home.   He’d had too many close calls with drinking and driving and other risky behaviors while he was drinking.   In all reality, he should probably be dead.   As he watched his son he decided he was just sick and tired of being sick and tired.   At that moment he made the decision to change his life.   Maybe he couldn’t get back all that he had lost, but he could certainly make the most of his life from that day forward.   That was the last day I had a drink.   My name is John, and I am an alcoholic.   This is not just any story; it’s MY story.  
You may struggle with alcohol yourself, or know someone who does.   According to Alcoholics Info.com, approximately 14 million adults in the United States abuse alcohol (“Statistics on Alcoholics”). Results of a study done by The American Journal of...