How many children are born each year with fetal alcohol syndrome? How many people's lives are cut short due to excessive and abusive drinking? How many people get injured or lose their lives in alcohol related traffic accidents every year? How many individuals lose their lives every year because of drinking problems? How many junior high, high school, and college students lose their lives every year due to an alcohol overdose? How many people are the victims of alcohol related crime or violence each and every year? How many people face serious consequences in their lives because they received a DUI conviction? How many people die each year from a condition that is totally preventable, such as alcohol poisoning? On an annual basis, how many alcoholics fail to get the professional alcohol treatment they need?

So what is the reason for asking these questions? Essentially to emphasize the devastating and destructive nature of abusive and unhealthy drinking. In fact, and based on the questions articulated above, it's a wonder why anyone would choose to drink in an abusive and hazardous manner.

Stated more forcefully, with the host of legal proceedings, financial dilemmas, health problems, employment issues, and relationship difficulties that are associated with alcohol addiction and chronic alcohol abuse, why would any person with good problem solving skills want to drink in an excessive and hazardous manner? Indeed when some of the above topics are looked at more closely, unhealthy and excessive drinking becomes more illogical and makes even less sense.

Wouldn't you believe that alcoholics would be able to see some of the alcoholism symptoms that they display? In a similar way, doesn't it seem feasible to think that more chronic alcohol abusers would be able to perceive some of the alcoholism signs that they exhibit? In addition, wouldn't you think that people who are alcoholic would try to learn more about their alcoholic symptoms by researching some basic alcohol-related statistics, information, and facts?

After reviewing the medical research literature, the point is so important that it needs to be reiterated: With all of the destructive and debilitating effects that are even remotely correlated with repetitive and continuous alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency, why would any person want to involve himself or herself in unhealthy drinking?

What can be done about the extensive nature of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency in our country? First, society needs to get the message to more people about the unhealthy and debilitating effects of continuous and repeated drinking. Second, individuals who are alcohol abusers or alcohol dependent need to look at themselves in the mirror and ask why they are not getting the professional alcohol therapy they need.

Third, our students need more relevant and more meaningful preventative and educational approaches and methods so that more students at all grade levels, including those who are at college, "get the word". And fourth, our students need to learn how to become problem solvers in life rather than gravitating to the "instant gratification" and the "quick fix" of an alcohol or drug abuse "buzz" or "high".

There's a lot of room for hope and optimism if individuals can start drinking in moderation and those who engage in careless and excessive drinking can become persuaded to get the alcohol rehabilitation they need. Indeed, why put your loved ones through pain, turmoil, and suffering because of your excessive drinking when you have the power to control your life by drinking in moderation or even abstaining from drinking if you cannot control your drinking behavior?