Chapter 12 Lesson 5: Recognizing a Drinking Problem

Many people who drink too much alcohol do not think they have a problem. On the Web site below, you will learn how you can tell if someone you know has a drinking problem, and what to do to get help.

Link to explore: American Council on Alcoholism:  http://www.aca-usa.org/faq.htm

Directions

• Start at the American Council on Alcoholism Web site.
• Read through the page.
• Take notes as you read.
• When you are done reading, answer the questions below.
• Finally, using the information from the link, create a list of questions you can share with other teens to help them determine if they or someone they know has a drinking problem.

Questions

1. What are four negative reasons for drinking alcoholic beverages?

2. How can you tell a social drinker from an alcoholic?

3. What is denial?

4. How can someone help an alcoholic who does not want help?

Answers

1. Negative reasons for drinking alcoholic beverages are to:
1. Escape from tension or worries.
2. Block out painful feelings such as fear, loneliness, and self-doubt.
3. Attempt to relate better to people.
4. Substitute it for meaningful relationships with people.
5. Find courage or strength to face certain situations.

2. A social drinker has control over when, where, and how much he/she drinks. An alcoholic has lost this ability, and after beginning to drink, usually drinks to intoxication.

3. Denial occurs when a person refuses to believe that alcohol-related symptoms are caused by excessive drinking.

4. You can help an alcoholic who does not want help by:
1. Learning as much about alcohol, alcohol abuse, and alcoholism as you can.
2. Talking to the person about how their behavior changes when he/she drinks.
3. Offering hope.
4. Being patient and encouraging.
5. Not ignoring the problem and hoping it will go away.

Below are some additional resources on alcoholism. It would be especially helpful to talk with students about how to cope with parents, relatives, or close friends who have a drinking problem.

1. Teens Health – Coping with a Parent who Drinks:
   http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/alcohol/coping_alcoholic.html
2. Alcohol and the Teen Brain:
   http://www.duke.edu/~amwhite/Adolescence/
3. Ala-non and Ala-Teen:
   http://www.al-anon.org/
4. Children of Alcoholics Foundation:
   http://www.coaf.org/family/familymain.htm
5. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
   http://www.health.org/govpubs/phd688/

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