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Anonymous
1
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To be honest, I've never had any
experiences with alcohol. I'm glad for that. I don't need it
to "make my social life better" or whatever the excuse is.
It ruined the lives of so many people and others who were
close to them. Whoever thought of making a beverage that
slowly poisons and eventually kills people is truly insane.
Actually, it's not the drink itself that puts peoples' lives
at stake, but the amount they consume. It's a shame
how no one thinks of the consequences when they obviously
learned about it in school a hundred times over. My life as
a non-alcoholic was one consisting of good health and wise
choices. I wouldn't be surprised if I was made an example of
how not to live your life as an adolescent. I'm not
saying I'm perfect because I'm not.
Anyway, to me alcohol is nothing more
than a poor excuse for people to escape their troubles or to
simply fit in. When I first moved here in Brookings, I
didn't try at all to fit in. True, I was afraid of how
people would see me and what they would do about it. It's
moments like that that put people in a place where at first
they don't care about it but later on they try to escape it.
Imagine that state of mind as a cell and the alcohol is the
key, a key that later on gets disposed of and never to
return. The person would remain in there for a long time
until a new key comes around to set him/her free. The new
key is called help. Help to recover, reform, and remind them
never to go through that again.
One last thing I would like to
point out about the dangers of alcohol: avoiding it at all
costs is both easy and hard. What makes it hard is that no
one wants to be ridiculed or scorned by their peers if
they're pressured into drinking. People who force their
friends into doing something this dangerous and stupid
shouldn't have them. What makes it easy is understanding
what alcohol does to your body and in hindsight making good
choices regarding it. I've seen it countless times and I
know for a fact that it's more addictive and hazardous to
your health than drugs. I don't want to have a dead liver
nor would I want to spend thousands of dollars in therapy.
There are better things out there to do such as getting a
job that suits you best or even raising a family.
Alcohol is not your friend or anyone
close to you. It's there to control your life, the way you
think, and the way you interact with people. If someone
offers you a drink, just say, "No." You'd be surprised
at how one word can save you a world of pain.
__________________________________
Anonymous
2
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Alcohol distorts the mind and
bends the world to fit your inebriated perception. My
seventeenth birthday was one of the most memorable nights in
history. It was full of lust, narcolepsy, and extreme chaos
with a hint of a mental breakdown from one of the only sober
ones. Sobriety is the way to go.
I remember not being able to control
my body. Some monster was awakened inside of me. This crazy
anomaly made me feel like the weight of the world was
cursing me causing me to sway back and forth. The alcohol
became my host and I became a distant memory. I felt
carefree yet everything in the world became my issue and I
didn't know how to control my emotions.
Alcohol makes you feel volatile urges.
These impulses became harder and harder to control with the
more alcohol you consume. I stumbled to the water to get rid
of one of my urges but by the time I got there, the urge
went away. For a split second, I forgot where I was. This
seemed to reoccur throughout the course of the night. I
wanted to go to bed but I refused because of the insatiable
ravenous hunger for lust. Finally, I found someone where the
lust became mutual and we went to bed.
The memories are a bit tarnished.
There are holes in them. What I do remember is calmly
stating that the tent needed to be open so I could get rid
of the abomination coursing through my veins. Trying to
remember exactly what happened strained my mind causing a
splitting headache. Or, was that the after effects of the
alcohol? Finally, I acquiesced and gave up.
The only things left of that night are
unknown contusions caused by a symbiotic relationship
between two mammals, a sour smelling car, and wet garments
from a midnight swim. Everyone has a different view of last
night. After we all pieced it together, we all knew that
nothing was ever going to be the change. Alcohol is a silent
killer. We don't consume alcohol.
Alcohol consumes us.
__________________________________
Anonymous
3
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The topic of alcohol is a
sensitive one to me. When I hear that word, a million
memories, tastes, and thoughts come to mind. Nine out of ten
times those feelings are negative. There is no possible way
to sum up the experience that I have had with alcohol in
less than 500 words, but I can give you a bitter taste of my
background with alcohol.
I began drinking when I was eleven
years old and have consumed alcohol ever since then. I would
love to admit that taking the road of alcohol is my biggest
regret but surprisingly I have come to terms with the fact
that I would not be the strong individual that I am today if
I hadn't of learned my lessons. When you are in the middle
of the fun, it is hard to see the damage that you are
causing. But I have always been a firm believer in the fact
that "sometimes it takes a nightmare to wake up." That
is exactly what it took to snap me out of my drinking
problem.
Thanksgiving weekend, I woke up in a
hotel and was forced to become sober. I spent my
Thanksgiving alone. I had broken my relationship that I had
been in for years, my "friends" were gone as soon as the
alcohol was, I had lost my job, and my family was gone, most
of them drunk already. Over that weekend I had finally had
some time to sober up and look over the hard facts of where
my life was headed. I had two choices; the easy way and the
hard way. This is my third attempt at staying sober and I
have been sober over two months now and I promise it is the
hardest thing that I have to do every day. But in a little
over two months, I have lost weight, fixed my relationship,
can focus on school, and I talk to my mother at least every
other day now. It is hard, but it is more than worth
it.
I cannot say that I will be sober
tomorrow, but all I have is today. I have been forced to
grow up from my years of drinking and I have learned so much
from it. The most important thing that I have discovered is
that one step at a time is the only way to keep from
drinking because right now is all that I have. So with the
grace of a woman and not the grief of a child, I will stay
strong and fight on.
__________________________________
Easton
Webster
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There has and always will be a lot of
alcohol abuse in Brookings Harbor High School. Underage
drinking is dangerous, but it is inevitable that a big
portion of the students here will eventually give in to the
peer pressures of drinking. Or perhaps some students drink
just to satisfy their curiosity. This is my experience, and
I hope students read it and learn the dangers of binge
drinking.
I was first introduced to alcohol on
my birthday during the start of my sophomore year at BHHS.
The night was planned two weeks in advance. My group of
friends and I had gathered enough money to pay for the
alcohol, and we had found out "party spot" upriver. We made
sure that cops would not be an issue, as we had to cross the
river three times just to get to the spot.
Even though it was my birthday, I had
obligations with my family, so I ended up arriving a little
later than everyone else. When I arrived I was greeted with
a half gallon of Gilbey's Vodka. At the affordable teenage
price of $8.50, you can't go wrong. I took the bottle to my
lips, and drank the harsh tasting liquid until a little
under half of the bottle was depleted. I felt great, as I
had greatly impressed my peers and I had "won" my own
drinking game.
As time went on, the effects of the
alcohol kept getting stronger. I was at the point where I
could walk, but not in a coordinated way. With a group of my
friends, I set out into a nearby ravine in search of
firewood. About midway through the journey, I lost full
control of my body. After falling into sharp jagged rocks
that lay through the ravine, I lay face down into the rocks,
and admitted my defeat to the alcohol. My peers had to team
up to get me back to the "party spot."
I do not remember the rest of the
night, but there are a few sound recordings that I wish you
could hear. I do know, however, that I was the only person
that came back to camp without any firewood. I woke up
laying in vomit, and it was around noon. I spent the rest of
the day vomiting and I was experiencing the effects of
alcohol poisoning.
Despite my harmful alcohol experience,
I still have managed to get an MIP during my junior year for
alcohol. This just shows how easy it is for a student to
fall into the pressures of drinking. Our schools raise us to
believe alcohol is harmful, and it is by all means, but they
do not go over the safety guidelines for a large majority of
students that do drink. For educational purposes, schools
should be teaching the students how to use alcohol in a safe
way. This would in turn save many adolescent lives, as I
have already witnessed the deaths of some of my close peers
from binge drinking.
__________________________________
Anonymous
5
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I have never really been into
the "party" thing. Most highschoolers go to parties, drink
and do all that stuff. I just have never really been
interested in drinking or partying, I suppose. I don't
understand why you would want to risk getting in trouble by
the law and your parents. I have seen what alcohol does to
people, and I'm really not that impressed.
I have a family member; let's just say
he has a slight alcohol problem. He has been in jail many
times over it. He has hurt many people emotionally and
physically when he is drunk. He says mean hurtful things to
the people he loves, and he is always having to apologize
the next day over what he has said or done. When he is sober
he is funny, nice, sweet and he's probably one of my
favorite people...or, well, he used to be one of
them.
I have watched him get kicked out of
houses and abandon his family. I have seen him in and out of
jail several times. I have seen him make up stories in his
head and believe them, when it actually really never
happened. He's scary. His eyes turn a weird yellow color and
his face turns bright red; you can always tell when he's
been drinking.
By having a close family member who is
alcoholic, I have seen and watched the horrible things he
has said or done. He isn't even allowed to be around my mom
or grandpa anymore. I wish things could be different, and
that he would have taken a different path. But, I think by
experiencing this, I have not had or wanted to try alcohol.
I plan to keep it that way.
__________________________________
Anonymous
6
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Alcoholism has been known to run in my
family for many generations and it has only brought negative
consequences and hardships along with it. My mother, my
father, my sister, my grandparents, my aunts, my uncles, my
cousins and so forth have all dealt with issues pertaining
to alcohol use. I feel like it has separated my family and
put a barrier between my mother's side of the family and my
father's side. I was taught as a young child, along with my
cousins and siblings my age, to steer clear of the use of
any alcohol, but as I grew older I saw almost every one of
my innocent family members fall victim to its use. I
witnessed my sister go to rehab three times while she was in
high school. The more I witnessed its abuse, the more normal
it became for me, although I still vow to this day to not
fall into the trap of becoming an alcoholic.
Alcohol devastated my family and me
the most when it came to my parent's separation. My father
was and still is a heavy drinker. Although he seemed to have
had his alcoholism under control for many years when I was
younger, the more I look back on memories the more I realize
that his disease was literally tearing my family apart.
After my grandmother passed away he had a difficult time
coping with his problems and became even more dependent on
drinking to take away his sadness and stress. As a twelve
year old child at the time of the separation I was exposed
to several abusive fights between my parents. I remember
being extremely frightened but at the same time hauntingly
used to the fact that my father was constantly drunk and
taking it out on us. When my mother and my father finally
split, it was like a burden relieved from my shoulders for
having to protect my mom but I was still angry and hurt that
he was leaving us. It felt wrong that my father was the one
abandoning us when he had put us through so much and yet we
still cared for him. For years I didn't speak one word to my
father but I still expected an apology that never
came.
Today I have forgiven my father for
what has happened although I know deep down that I will
never forget it. These past experiences have shaped me as
the person I am today and have made me want to strive to
stay completely away from alcohol because I know first hand
what it can do to a family. I have seen most of my family
members fall from the top to the bottom because of alcohol,
but I know that I will rise from these circumstances and be
successful in beating this disease.
__________________________________
Anonymous
7
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Disqualified and
Removed
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Anonymous
8
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Alcohol has never really
affected my life. Although I know that there have been many
alcoholics in my family, I have never been put in a bad
situation with one.
Alcohol to me is not a terrible thing
unless you abuse it. Drinking every day is a bad thing.
Having a few drinks once a week or going to parties every
once in awhile is okay. If you can control yourself and are
in a safe place there should be no problem with
drinking.
Although people say never to drink
when you are sad because it is a depressant, I think
drinking when you are sad is the best time. Depending on
whom you are with. Having a few drinks and going out and
having a good time is the best way to make you happy and get
the depression to go away. Alcohol at times can be your only
friend as well. It is there for you when you are sad and
when you are happy. What more could you ask for?
During a heartbreak I feel like is the
time people start drinking the most. They just got dumped
and want to go out and mingle and get their ex off their
mind. Everyone has gone out and got wasted after someone
broke their heart. Some people just go a little overboard
while doing that though. Never get drunk enough to call your
ex back. When you have done that, it's time to start
thinking which is worse, the heartbreak or the
hangover?
Even though I am only seventeen years
old, I have experienced a few drunken times with all my good
friends. Honestly they are the best memories I will never
remember. I have experienced nights on the bathroom floor
because we went way too hard. Never do I want that to happen
again. I have learned from my experiences that I have had
drinking alcohol but it doesn't mean that I am going to stop
drinking because of them. Alcohol makes out for a good time
and can make any awkward situation become fun and it makes
the person you hate the most your best friend for the
night.
I am not writing this essay trying to
convince anyone that alcohol is good for them. I am writing
it saying that, although alcohol is very bad for you and
parents are always worried about their kids drinking it, I
think you need to realize that everyone will drink in their
life time and go out and have wild nights. Be safe about
where you drink and how much you drink. If you think you are
starting to get a drinking problem then you know it's time
to stop or go get some help. People need to learn how to
have self control. Alcohol is not a terrible thing unless
you make it that way.
_________________________________
Anonymous
9
______________________________________________________
Alcohol has played a big role in
my life. This is not a glorified position, but one of
tyranny and pain. Through these eyes that are scared by the
effects of alcohol, I have seen a family be torn at the
seam. From having to take care of my mom when she was so
drunk she couldn't even walk to seeing my step dad get drunk
and beat up my mom, I've seen a lot. Like all things,
alcohol in moderation isn't bad, but most of experiences
with it have been more negative. The following events are
the exact reason I refuse to abuse alcohol.
I remember it like it was yesterday.
Arriving home from school on that day I found my mom lying
on her bed with a bottle of vodka and a bottle of pills. I
rushed over to her to see if she was still alive. There was
no pulse. I grabbed the phone in a panic and called 911.
When the ambulance got there they said it might be too late,
but they rushed her to the hospital. I broke down, not
knowing if my mom will make it through the night.
My mom remained in a coma for a month.
She did very well for awhile until she went back to the
bottle. She ended up passing away on February 18, 2011. That
was the day she put the bottle to her head and pulled the
trigger. She couldn't see how her addiction would lead to
her hurting of her children so much. My mother used alcohol
to cope with her problems, but it ended up becoming a bigger
problem than the sum of all her problems.
Through scarred eyes I see the world a
little differently. I've seen the effects alcohol can have
on a family. The one thing I have learned is not to use
alcohol to cope with issues you may encounter because most
of the time it will only make it worse. My mother's
addiction took her away. All I know is that when I have kids
they'll never have to see things through scarred eyes.
They'll respect alcohol and not abuse it. R.I.P.
Mommy.
__________________________________
Anonymous
10
_______________________________________________________
The greatest challenge in my life was
having an alcoholic for a father. My dad had a really bad
problem that eventually took his life. He was drunk almost
all the time and lost a lot because of his drinking. He lost
his license, my mom, me, and he even spent time in jail
because of his drinking. My mom divorced him because he was
a mean drunk. (He never hit us but he was very
verbal.)
It was hard being around him, because
he was drunk most of the time. It seemed like I didn't have
a father most of my life, and that was hard to deal with. He
didn't come to any of my school functions or games. I never
could invite any friends over because I was embarrassed; and
my friends' parents wouldn't allow them to come over when
they knew about my dad. After my parents got divorced, I
never wanted to go and see him, and if I did go I didn't
stay long. When he would call, I didn't want to talk to him
because I would always end up in tears. I got so tired of
being with my dad I stopped going to see him at all, but I
worried every time my little brother went to see him. I was
afraid my brother wouldn't come home. I finally told my dad
flat out I wasn't going to see him any more until he got his
act together. I was only 11 but I knew what he was doing
wasn't right. If he hadn't died then I still would be
dealing with it today because I knew he wouldn't have been
able to stop the drinking that caused all the problems. I
learned that it wasn't his choice to keep drinking; he had
an addiction. But at the same time it was his choice to get
help and he didn't. I also learned that I have a 50/50
chance of becoming an alcoholic, so I will need to be
careful about my alcohol consumption. I had to learn
responsibility at a young age because I had to help my mom
and help take care of my brother. I also had to learn to
forgive. Forgiving my father made me a stronger person. I
don't think I would have learned any of this without going
through the experiences I did with my father. I'm proud to
be the person I am today.
_________________________________
Anonymous
11
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There is so much alcohol use and
so much promotion and positive spin put on drinking. This is
done by the beer companies and the media, and although most
everyone knows that alcohol has strong negative physical,
social and psychological effects, most people buy into it.
What makes people so inclined to drink? I genuinely
don't know. I'm not saying I genuinely don't know as if I'm
better or above others, but simply saying it because of the
fact that I have never tried alcohol, so I don't know what
it's like. I am not more correct in my choices than anybody
else who is striving to be happy. I have taken the road I
see fit and been advised to follow. If a group of people is
told to reach a certain destination, and there are countless
paths to reach it, who's to say which path is right if they
all lead to the same place? Some paths may have detours
or complications, leading to a threatening or dangerous
situation that will delay or even stop any further progress,
and others may lead directly to the destination.
It hasn't been hard, and it hasn't
been easy. Not trying alcohol that is. In fact, it hasn't
really crossed my mind. I've been indifferent to the
drinking scene, finding peace in the fact that everybody
does their thing, and mine does not include becoming
intoxicated. Growing up, I have never really been asked
seriously to go party hard or anything like that. My friends
and peers basically knew there was no chance of it
happening, and with that being established, that's how
things ended up. It was never an issue and has rarely been
brought up throughout my high school years. I don't drink.
Over time I have gained the respect of others by sticking to
my standards. Not only do others respect me, but I have
learned to respect others. By not denouncing their ways and
what they do, a mutual understanding has been developed.
Things are better not when people look at others and try to
change or improve them, but see that within themselves. If I
focused on what my classmates are doing and thinking it's
wrong, I myself would end up nowhere.
The fact that I have not indulged in
drinking does not mean that I am blind to the effects it
has. I understand that observing is nowhere close to the
same as living or experiencing, but being on the outside of
anything gives a different perspective. I have seen in my
life that in basically any case, alcohol leads to trouble.
Whether it be youth underage getting drunk at parties or
getting MIP's, or just alcohol addiction that controls
somebody's life. With it being a highly addictive substance,
it is nearly impossible for people to drink the "right"
amount every time. If somebody is under 21 years old and is
caught while in possession of alcohol, there are very
negative consequences. I would not want to be in that
situation, but certain things come with certain
consequences. I have seen multiple divorces of the parents
of my friends. I have no idea of the lives that others live
and I won't pretend to know where their problems come from,
but I believe that alcohol may, for a moment, numb a little
pain, but in the long run will not bring anything positive.
I'm glad that my way of life has led me where I am, and that
I can accept others' decisions to be their own.
__________________________________
Anonymous
12
______________________________________________________
Alcohol is like poison to some
people. It can totally change everything about a person.
Alcohol has always seemed to be part of my life in a way. It
has always been around me because of my family.
My family has always been attracted to
alcohol since I can remember. My mother has been an
alcoholic for some time now. My father has never been
around; he wasn't a drinker anyways. Almost every night my
mother would come home drunk. It was obvious she was
drinking, but every time we would say anything about it she
would deny it. I was finally able to get away from all the
drinking recently.
Getting away from all the drinking is
a big relief. A friend of mine offered me to move in for the
rest of the school year. Ever since moving in, things have
gone a lot better for me. My mother wasn't the only one
drinking where I used to live. Some time ago my mother
allowed my older brother to move in. Also moving in was his
older girlfriend and their two year old daughter.
Even though it's family, it was a
mistake that my mom made letting them move in. We found that
out the hard way. After some time my brother started saying
"This is my house." My mother and I started becoming
miserable living there.
After multiple nights of fighting and
dealing with cops, I decided it was time to move out. That
is when my friend let me move in. My mother felt the same
way. She couldn't handle it anymore so she moved to another
town. She didn't want to be living there without
me.
Besides the fact I don't have a
relationship with my brother, I don't get to be part of my
niece's life. Everything has been going good. Of course, I
miss my mother, but I hope to see her soon. I am just trying
to focus on school, work and getting into the Coast Guard.
I've learned a lot these past years living with alcoholics.
The best thing I've learned from this is that I will not let
alcohol ruin my future family.
__________________________________
Anonymous
13
______________________________________________________
As a Belgian citizen, I have had
some experiences with alcohol, but always in a legal
context, let's mention it. In most European countries, since
10 January 2010, it is illegal to sell, serve or offer any
form of distilled alcohol to those under the age of 19 or
any alcoholic drink to those under 16. De facto, there is no
real drinking age. Therefore, alcohol is not such a big deal
as it is in the United States, and most teenagers have had
alcohol before they turn 15. I know it might seem extremely
bad for Americans, but I am one of those people, and it is
honestly hard for me to have a well-defined opinion about
drinks. My friend and I have always been quite responsible
teenagers, forbidding one another to exceed the safety
limit. Thanks to our self-consciousness, we had really good
times when partying, by experiencing some memorable nights
together. I have to admit that a part of our fun was related
to alcohol, that's true.
Unfortunately, some foolish people
cannot control their alcohol's appeal and their desire to
drink. I particularly remember the year end trip with my
class last year. Alcohol was definitely circulating among
students at night, but as previously said, it wasn't a
taboo, we had the right to act so. On the last night, while
my group of friends was hanging out in a room, consuming a
reasonable quantity of alcohol, one of our roommates came
in, in a really bad state. He was totally drunk. Alcohol
makes some consumers joyful and funny, but it can also make
some aggressive faces take the upper hand. Because my
roommate stands in this last category, he started to be mean
towards people in the room, to insult them. It ended up with
a bunch of angry people just about to fight when the teacher
came in and calmed it down. Everybody was sent to his room,
and our last night Roma was screwed up. After this
lamentable episode, it dawned on me that alcohol changes
people, and that it wasn't always as fun as I wished.
Furthermore, I noticed that Europeans
tend to drink more often than Americans, at least those I
met since I was here. It seems like the "no alcohol legal
age" encourages teens to drink really early and to get used
to this type of drinks. In European minds, there is no party
without alcohol. So I think it is the responsibility of the
parents to show their children a good example, by consuming
wine or beer only occasionally.
Anyway, whether alcohol is good for
your mind or bad for your health, it is a part of society,
and will probably always be. Yet consumers should take care
of themselves and learn how to stay reasonable when
partying. And as the famous jazz singer Frank Sinatra
said: "Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the Bible
says love your enemy."
__________________________________
Anonymous
14
______________________________________________________
My family tends to steer clear
of alcohol and its dangerous grasp. There are however, two
exceptions to this rule. My grandmother and uncle, both on
my mothers side, have both suffered from alcoholism. I
become aware of my grandmother's heavy drinking nearly
eleven years ago. My uncle has been drinking for as long as
I can remember. Both have suffered from their habit, and
their experience has taught me many things.
My grandmother, who has been sober for
four years, suffers from a loss of motor control, due to her
part alcoholism. She constantly twitches her hands, is
unable to move her lower lip with any efficiency, and will
slur heavily when stressed or tired. Although she is only in
her early seventies, an outsider might guess her age to be
ninety. These effects are permanent and because of the
constant fidgeting, she has recently lost her driving
privileges.
I have not seen my uncle for twelve
years due to a restraining order that my parents put on him.
He is extremely intelligent, and so skilled at playing the
base that famous bass players have actually commented on his
abilities while he was backstage. Unfortunately, his
alcoholism has rendered him useless to society. He currently
lives off borrowed money in California. He has tried to quit
multiple times, once even hospitalizing himself due to
withdrawal. My family and I hope for the best, but he seems
to be unable to free himself of his addiction.
My uncle and my grandmother talk
frequently over Skype, but she cannot seem to convince him
to quit. She told him of the miraculous powers of Pepsi and
how it helped her to shake her addiction, but he continues
to ignore or pretend to ignore her pleas. I have spoken to
my uncle several times over the past month, and I find him
to be an interesting man. It is sad that his alcoholism has
made him into what amounts to a bum. I have few memories of
him before my parents got the restraining order, and they
are for the most part pleasant. It is my hope that he will
overcome his addiction, and that I may meet him in the
future for the first time in over a decade.
__________________________________
Kaleigh
Brown
______________________________________________________
Alcohol will turn you into a
whole new person. I used to be all into drinking and being
"cool" but now I think, what's so good about getting drunk
and tasting my life away? The definition of alcohol is
"a colorless, limpid, volatine, flammable, having ether like
odor and pungent burning taste." There is nothing
delightful about alcohol.
Isn't it weird how being drunk is only
fun when you are around other drunk people? Well,
that's because while being intoxicated with alcohol you
become immature, clumsy, loud and obnoxious. People who are
sober feel annoyed while drunks are around because they feel
like they have to take care of them the whole night.
Basically they baby sit the drunks so they don't do anything
they'll regret, and help them when they're sick. That is not
my idea of fun.
I get annoyed at the sight of alcohol.
I look at it and wonder why someone would want to drink
something that tastes so disgusting just so they can act
like a fool. All I can ask myself is, "Why?" Drinking
alcohol turns into carelessness, which turns into anger,
then abuse of yourself or others. My grandpa, grandma, and
aunt died from the effects of alcohol and I am not going
down the path they chose.
Alcohol makes you gain weight. It
hurts your brain, your kidneys, and liver. Why do that to
your healthy body? Every day you should wake up feeling
like a million bucks. You should feel good about yourself.
Alcohol will make you feel terrible about yourself. While
you are drunk you will think you are attractive, but when
you aren't drunk you're going to wish you were so you felt
attractive. Follow my example and don't drink alcohol. It's
a waste of time and money. Once you're addicted you just
won't be the same.
__________________________________
Anonymous
16
______________________________________________________
Alcohol has greatly affected my
life in a negative way. I have gotten two MIPs in the last
two years because I was dumb and irresponsible. I have been
on probation for almost two years all together because I
made the wrong choices. When I was fifteen I got my first
MIP It made my life very difficult. I got in a lot of
trouble at home and by law. I had to do twenty hours of
community service, and it was not very fun.
My second MIP was definitely the
worst. I had to attend drug and alcohol classes once a week
for 3 months, and I have been on probation for about six
months now. Because of all this, it is going to be a little
more difficult to achieve the goals I have set for my life.
I no longer have a clean record which will make it difficult
to become a police officer like I have been planning to do
since my freshman year. I would do anything just to go back
and not do the dumb things I did, but I have learned that I
have to take responsibilities for my actions no matter to
what extent. I have just had to keep my head up and stay
positive. I'll be done with all this soon, and it will just
be a thing of the past.
If I could give anyone any advice at
all, I would tell them to save the partying for when you're
of age. Alcohol will ruin your life. I know it has already
ruined mine. And just let them know that there are
alternatives to going out on the weekend and drinking. The
thing that helped me was playing a sport. You may not have a
lot of free time, but the less time you are bored the less
likely you are to make dumb decisions like I
have.
That is how alcohol has had a very
negative impact on my life.
______________________________
Anonymous
17
_____________________________________________________
You think it could never happen
to you, you think you will never get caught. That's what was
going through my head when a group of friends and I decided
to have a party to celebrate the New Year a year ago. After
arriving at the house playing the music having a drink, and
about ten minutes have passed when there was a knock at the
door. Open it up and the Police standing on the door step.
There were a million things running through my head. How mad
my parents are going to be and how I was going to get kicked
off the team.
That night I ended up with an MIP,
along with three of my friends. Having to go to my coaches
house the next day and telling him what had happened the
night before. I and two of my friends were suspended for
four weeks, eight games, which meant the first round of
league. About three weeks into my suspension with only two
games left till I could play again, I made one wrong move in
practice and blew my knee out, and I was out for the rest of
the season. I ended up not playing a single game that entire
season.
I had asked my dad the next day if he
was mad at me, he said no, that he wasn't mad but that he
was disappointed. Disappointed the one word you never want
to hear your parents say. My parents had trusted me and I
had let them down. Then seeing the look of disappointment
from my coaches, teammates, friends and family was hard to
deal with. But by seeing that look on everyone's face made
me think I never want to make that mistake
again.
But by getting an MIP when I was only
seventeen years old I think was actually a good thing for
me. Looking back on it now a year later I'm glad I got
caught that night because if I hadn't I would be drinking
and partying would have been my lifestyle. A lifestyle I
don't want to live. As strange as it sounds I'm happy I
ended up with an MIP that night. It stopped me from
going down the wrong path.
_________________________________
Anonymous
18
____________________________________________________
People often come up with the
all too familiar excuse "there's nothing to do." But do
they ever really give a thought to activities besides
getting wasted on a Friday night followed by puking their
guts out and topped off with passing out on a random
person's couch? We live in one of the most beautiful
areas, with tons of things to do! How about a hike
along the scenic Pacific Coast? Or a day up the Chetco
River hanging out on the sand bars with friends. The reality
is people do pick up these hobbies and take advantage of our
surroundings but more often than not these activities are
accompanied by a "good ol' bud light" or some other
alcoholic beverage. We live in America, the land of
opportunity, and yet people waste their time with mediocre
activities that don't allow you to get any further in
life.
From my point of view, I see alcohol
as a poison. A poison that people voluntarily pour into
their bodies to cope with life in the real world. They think
that drinking a couple beers will allow their mental states
to subside, allowing them to have a little more fun or calm
down a bit after a stressful day of work or to celebrate the
end of finals at school. Instead of using their minds to
find solutions to their problems, people put into their
bodies a foreign substance that changes their perception of
the world. People that drink heavily or regularly aren't
aware of their mental power, they use only a small portion
of their mental capabilities to deal with normal and healthy
human emotions. I feel like drinking is a slow suicide; at
first it is just a fun thing to do on the weekends but it
escalates and grows until it consumes the entire body.
Eventually those individuals cannot even function without a
trace of alcohol in their systems. I know it's a very
radical statement, but I believe that people who drink
heavily hate themselves to some degree. They cannot stand
their own being so they drink to morph their personalities
in an attempt to become something they are not.
Obviously everybody is different and
deals with situations in different ways. Some are just more
open to natural and healthy ways to help their bodies and
minds come out of slumps. For those that cannot help
themselves, they numb their bodies to pain and hurt with the
air of alcohol, a seemingly small drink that has affected
nearly everybody in our nation to some degree.
_________________________________
Anonymous
19
____________________________________________________
I have multiple stories about alcohol
awareness that has been good and bad. I haven't just lost
family and friends to the harmful effects of alcoholism but
it's also people I know that have been affected, it's also
affected friends of friends and just people I do not know.
Alcohol is used for many different things, such as for
people who are depressed and feel it's the best thing to do
at that time, and it is also used for celebration. But do
you really think it's the best solution to end all problems
or to celebrate something so small? Well it's not,
alcohol and drugs are commonly used by a lot of people just
the more common thing lately is alcohol. I have seen friends
and family drinking and just the sight of someone stumbling
around, drunk has sickened me. I do admit I have drank
before but it was never enough to get me drunk, it's only
been a little bit and it was at the safety of my home with
an adult. Alcohol has limits to how much you should drink;
alcohol can affect your body in multiple different ways
rather than just making you sick to your stomach.
I've had some friends who thought it
might be fun to get wasted and party it out on just about
any holiday there is and just on an everyday basis. But I
know that's not the right way. Alcohol has affected my life,
my families, and others lives in a lot of ways, my friend
drinks on a daily basis and after multiple years of drinking
he ended up being in the hospital getting his stomach pumped
from alcohol poisoning. I would be freaking out because that
guy in there on the bed is one of my best friends from grade
school. Just because some other people are drinking
shouldn't mean that it's okay if you do it. I remember
watching the news Saturday morning and saw a 20 year-old
dead, along with a 42 year-old man and a little 9 year-old
girl. Their dad had been driving and was
intoxicated.
Alcohol has been in my life for as
long as I can remember never being out of reach with it
considering friends and family were holding it. Alcohol is
advertised on billboards, TV and much more places. I believe
alcohol has affected thousands of people's lives in some
way.
__________________________________
Darion
Saucerman
______________________________________________________
Alcohol has not been a part of
my life. I am one of the lucky few. Although my family has a
long history of alcoholism; my parents are not. The time we
have any alcohol in the house is for 2 times a year at most.
I don't even drink the stuff, it sounds horrible. The horrid
stories of how lives were ruined and how stupid people act,
puts me off enough. My "peers" who try to pressure me into
alcohol or whatever always seem like to be morons that will
fail in life. From the process of how it is made in sounds
disgusting, beer itself is fermented (a.k.a. moldy) bread
juice. Another thing I don't understand is the fact people
drink the stuff just to get drunk. That is one of the
stupidest things I ever heard. The stuff literally poisons
your body and destroys your brain. I've seen nice people
become incredibly violent and ignorant. I couldn't live with
myself if I acted that stupid.
One reason I can think that alcohol
has been in my family is my grandfather. He beat my grandma
while she was pregnant with my mother. He was very violent
and one day he just left when my mom was really young. Now I
hear he is a schizophrenic who is drinking himself to death,
that's what I heard at least. It is stuff like that and how
he could have gotten away with it with the excuse "I was
drunk." appalls me. Other stories of drunken people kill
each other and other innocent people make me wonder about
the state of our society.
If you say I don't know what I am
talking about because I never drank. You should go read the
other stories of the tragic victims of alcohol. There are
hundreds, if not thousands, of them. If that doesn't
convince you, I don't know what will.
__________________________________
Nathaniel
Fleming
______________________________________________________
How has alcohol affected my
life? Well, I'm one of the lucky few where alcohol
hasn't really ever been in my life. I have seen it and been
around it but it has never affected my life and I have never
drank any, not even a sip. But I have seen it affect other
people and their life's unfortunately.
The affects of alcohol are very
dangerous and it can actually become very expensive very
quick and is technically a drug because it is addictive. And
when people become addicted to it is when it can ruin lives
and families. If you're addicted to alcohol and want to quit
think about this before you take your next sip of a drink.
What if you pass away somehow and alcohol is part of the
reason. Who would you leave behind? A son, daughter,
wife, friends? If you have kids could your wife or
fiancé or girlfriend take care of the child or
children on their own? What about all your friends you
would hurt and that would miss you. Could your kid or kids
deal with your passing away? If they are young
and don't really understand how does the mom tell them you
won't be back or even the husband if it's the wife that
passes away.
Now think about the benefits you could
have without alcohol in your life. How much money would you
save each year by not buying any alcohol? You could be
more motivated to finish a project you have going, a car
restoration, maybe your wanting to build a porch for your
house. Now I'm not saying that you have to stop drinking
completely, but maybe don't so much or so often. Drink only
on special occasions. But if you stop completely then that's
even better. I know that I may not have any personal
experiences with it but I have seen it affect other people
and how much happier they became after changing. If you quit
your friends and family will still love you for who you are
and you will be healthier than you were and if you don't
want to try for yourself. Do it for your friends and
family.
__________________________________
Anonymous
22
_____________________________________________________
Alcohol is a drug that has
affected many people's lives, even more so than other drugs
that are illegal. Alcohol has been banned by this county
before, and is the cause of many deaths, disputes and
injuries. This drug is very unforgiving, and it completely
takes over the minds and bodies of those who are
intoxicated. It has impacted my life several times, whether
it is me learning a lesson from my own experiences, or by
watching it affect the lives of those around me.
I am very aware and cautious of the
consequences of using alcohol, and I understand that abuse
of this drug could mean your last chance. Alcohol has been
apparent in my life with my family growing up, and I have
understood the aspects of the use of this drug for a long
time, just from experiences. I was taught at a very young
age how to appropriately stay away from alcohol and it has
always been forbidden of me to drink until I am of age. The
consequences of me getting caught drinking were explained
long ago, and the rules have stayed the same to this
day.
I have been in quite a bit of trouble
with my parents for drinking, and I went through very rough
times in order to learn how to be responsible and safe;
being grounded for months at a time really makes you think.
It was always hard to understand why I was in trouble, and I
was always stubborn about the subject. Once I went through
the punishment and matured, I really understood why adults
do not want children drinking. We simply are not mature or
experienced enough to make the right decisions, and we can
very easily harm our bodies through our own ignorance. I
learned the hard way, but it was all for a good cause,
because we all have to learn how to be mature if we choose
to use the drug.
__________________________________
Johnny
Feuerborn
_______________________________________________________
Alcohol has never been a big
problem in my life. It may in fact be the reason or a factor
of why I was brought to this earth. My mother was 17 and my
father 19 on my day of birth. My mom was a high school
dropout before she got pregnant. My coming into existence
was probably the single best thing to happen to my dad. He
got himself into the work force to take care of
responsibilities. He had different occupations that led to
opportunities for better jobs.
Growing up with young parents, alcohol
was always around. I was lucky enough they always drank
responsibly, at least in my presence. My father was manager
of Coca-Cola in Klamath Falls when my mother and he went
separate ways. He worked a lot of hours being manager. Some
nights after a long day of work his employees would talk him
into going out for a while. Everyone needs a break
sometimes. Not dedicating enough time to our family might be
why they split. But I can't blame it solely on
alcohol.
Alcohol makes it easy to feel like
everything is okay. It takes you away from the real world.
That is what makes it so addictive. To me it is just another
entertainment taxed by the government. They know people are
going to do it, so why not make profit? The roaring twenties
is the perfect example. Government could have charged 20%
more taxes and consumers would still buy, because it is an
addictive habit.
If we want more safety related to
alcohol then maybe liquor stores should ask safety questions
to the buyer like "Do you plan to drink at a secure location
where you will not leave?" Cashiers could also simply
persuade buyers to drink responsibly more often. Maybe every
person's car should have a breath test to start? It doesn't
bother me that alcohol is around. I can only hope no harm
will come to me from someone else's actions under the
influence. I am in control of my life and choose not to
surround myself with alcoholics because eventually I will
take part in a rash decision.
I consider myself lucky to have had
such small experiences with alcohol. There is really no
reason to preach whether alcohol is good or bad. Nearly
everyone will try it. It all depends on what that person's
state of mind is and what choices they will make. I will try
to persuade a person to make responsible choices while under
the influence. If I could go back in time I wouldn't change
a thing. Everything that's happened in the past contributed
to the person I have become nowadays.
__________________________________
Anastasia
Gulyaeva
______________________________________________________
What is the definition of
alcoholism?
An online encyclopedia defines
alcoholism as the "compulsive and uncontrolled drinking of
alcoholic beverages, to the detriment of the drinkers'
health, personal relationships, and social standing. It is
considered disease."
So given that definition, do you know
someone who is an alcoholic?
People from all walks life can be
considered alcoholics. From a nice grandmother, or neighbor
to a ten year old fourth grader. From the pastor of a church
to the President of the United States. From your favorite
teacher, to your favorite relative. Alcohol can affect
anyone, not only the drinker but the family and friends of
that drinker.
Not only does the drinking affect the
health of the drinker, but it also affects the structure of
the family. The drinker's behavior causes enormous problems
for his/her friends and family.
Alcohol affects people in different
ways. Happy fun-loving Uncle John, whom everyone loves and
is the life of every party may be an alcoholic. The violent
woman, whose outbursts land her in jail continuously may be
an alcoholic. The ten year old who has seen his parents
drinking all his life and was allowed "sips" now and then
finds himself enjoying and needing to drink as often as his
parents. His school life is problematic.
Alcoholism is like any addictive drug.
The drinker may be aware of the problems he/she causes but
unable to control his/her desire to drink.
With their health deteriorating with
every drink, the drinker's life is in growing danger of
alcohol related death. From cirrhosis of the liver to
impotence, to brain damage and many other health related
problems, the drinker is always at risk.
So, before you decide to drink stop
and think about how drinking will impact your life, as well
as the lives of your family and friends.
__________________________________
Anonymous
25
______________________________________________________
Alcohol has strongly impacted my life.
I've seen the lives of many of my family members go down the
drain due to "liquid confidence." Sometimes addiction comes
at a snail's pace, other times it hits at
NASCAR speed.
The first family member I saw fall
victim to alcoholism was my uncle. He drank heavily for the
majority of his life. Eventually, he got larynx cancer from
his addiction. This resulted in the removal of his voice box
and a year later, his death.
As a result of my uncle's death, my
cousin (his daughter) developed alcoholism as well. This was
how she coped with the death of her father. My family and I
watched her tragic downward spiral, knowing what the
inevitable result would be. Not even three years after my
uncle passed away, my cousin was gone.
Alcoholism is very terrifying and very
real. It's not something that only happens to other people.
Seeing these results of drinking has absolutely changed how
I think about alcohol. I have made the decision to never
drink. Partly because I'm afraid of not having control over
my actions, and partly because I fear I'll end up like my
uncle, cousin, and countless other family members. You can
only dance with the devil for so long before you lose your
balance and fall into his grip.
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