“Mom, are the effects of alcohol on the body always bad” asked Susan. Susan was a seventh-grade student who was just starting to learn about the drinking problems that are exhibited by adults, other teenagers, and by her fellow classmates.

Susan’s mother answered her daughter this way, “Susan, there are good reasons why drinking alcohol is unlawful until an individual is twenty-one years old.  Because of the pleasant feelings they get when they drink, many people, particularly teenagers and young adults, go too far and drink in an excessive and abusive manner.

For the vast majority of adults, having one or two drinks once or twice per week is not harmful or hurtful to their health.  This is called drinking in moderation.  Be aware, however, that some individuals cannot drink in moderation because they cannot stop drinking once they start.  These are the individuals who need to totally refrain from drinking because of their out-of-control drinking behavior.  And these are the people who run the risk of becoming addicted to or dependent on alcohol.

Your father and I understand the temptations and problems that are associated with drinking and so we choose not to drink for health reasons and because we want to be positive role models for you and your brother.”

“But we don’t drink all that much,” explained Stephen and Katherine while talking to their family doctor.  This was in response to a series of tests their doctor had ordered to determine if Stephen and Katherine were experiencing some of the more routine effects of chronic alcohol abuse.

The doctor explained that while there may not be a causal relationship, the research literature points to a strong correlation between hazardous and abusive drinking and the respiratory problems both Stephen and Katherine had been experiencing.

The doctor’s suggestion was for Stephen and Katherine to significantly reduce the amount of alcohol they are drinking or to refrain from drinking altogether.  In other words, they had to make sure that they would always drink in moderation or quit drinking entirely.  Doing either of these, however, will be very hard for Stephen and Katherine because having three or four drinks every night was something that they honestly looked forward to.

Unfortunately, when serious alcohol related health problems emerge, the only doable solutions are abstention or substantial reduction.  Now the big question is if Stephen and Katherine can follow through on their doctor’s “orders.”