Writing a Eulogy

Miss Benning was a health instructor at the largest parochial high school in the region. Even though she had been teaching for only two or three years, she had already established a reputation as a person with teaching approaches that encouraged and motivated the pupils in her class to learn and to think.

As an illustration, one Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 she addressed her pupils and announced the following: “For the next few days we are going to learn about some basic alcoholism facts from a general viewpoint and we are also going to learn about some of the most common signs of alcoholism from a more specific point of view.”

“Not all of these alcoholism signs will beyond doubt establish that an individual with a drinking problem is a person who is alcohol dependent, but the more signs that a person displays, the greater the likelihood that he or she is an alcohol addicted person.”

Miss Benning then informed the the students that each individual would be accountable for examining three alcohol dependence signs and then presenting his or her conclusions to the other members in the class via a nine minute oral presentation.

The Students are Energized About Giving A Detailed Presentation to Their Fellow Students About The Signs of Alcohol Dependency

After learning about the different alcoholism signs for quite a few days, the time had come for the oral presentations. It was at once clear to see that her pupils were enthused about the subject matter because the material that they presented was first class. To say that Miss Benning was pleasantly surprised with the excitement displayed by the pupils in her class concerning this topic could not be overstated.

The day after all of the students completed their presentations, Miss Benning passed out a piece of paper with a list of all the alcoholism signs that were discussed and presented in class and in the presentations. Miss Benning then asked the students in her class to study the list and rank the top seven alcohol dependency signs that were most indicative of alcohol addiction. After around ten minutes, Miss Benning collected the pieces of paper and told her pupils that after she tallies the numbers, she will present her findings the next school day.

There was some real anticipation by the pupils while they were leaving Miss Benning’s classroom. One could swear that her pupils couldn’t wait for the next day to come so that they could learn about the outcome of their in-class research.

The Pupils Match Their Answers Against the Evaluations From A Group of Alcohol Dependency Specialists

When the next school day finally arrived, Miss Benning gave out a piece of paper that listed the top three alcoholism signs as per the pupils’ rankings. Next to these results, she added another column that was labeled “correct answer.” She then explained to the pupils in her class that the numbers in the new column she added stood for the conclusions that were announced by a board of alcohol addiction specialists.

Miss Benning asked her students to look over the information on the piece of paper she handed out and then to raise their hand if they had any issues, concerns, or questions. Within 20 or 30 seconds, just about every student in the class raised her or his hand. It was evident that the pupils had some concerns, issues, or questions about their results versus the answers given by the authorities. For example, virtually every person in the class disagreed with the highest ranked answer given by the professionals, to be exact, “Do you feel very sick when you abstain from drinking?”

The Foremost Difference Between Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism is the Physical Dependency That is Experienced With Alcohol Dependency and Not With Alcohol Abuse

Miss Benning then informed her pupils why this answer was the most precise indicator of alcohol dependency. She emphasized the fact that the major difference between alcohol dependency and alcohol abuse is the physical addiction that is experienced with alcohol dependency and not with alcohol abuse.

For all intents and purposes this means that when an alcohol addicted person suddenly stops drinking, he or she will go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Miss Benning then explained to the students in her classroom that alcohol withdrawal symptoms are responses by the brain and by the body to the deprivation of alcohol to which they had become accustomed. Stated more forcefully, alcohol withdrawal symptoms are messages from the body and from the brain telling an alcohol addicted individual that something is dreadfully wrong and needs to be rectified. These signals consist of several dangerous, painful, and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms that can possibly result in a person’s death if the appropriate therapy is not promptly obtained.

Miss Benning then discussed the multitude of alcohol withdrawal symptoms that can be experienced when an alcohol addicted person abruptly stops drinking.

The point that Miss Benning tried to underline was this: an individual who engages in alcohol abuse can experience almost any and every one of the alcohol addiction signs that the students had ranked, but the one sign or symptom that few, if any, people who engage in alcohol abuse ever experience is alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

To state this as precisely as possible, Miss Benning emphasized the point that alcohol abusers, unlike alcohol addicted people, are not alcohol dependent and as a result, when they quit drinking, they almost never go through alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

The Pupils Feel They Have Uncovered A Dissimilarity With the Findings From The Group of Alcohol Dependency Authorities

The pupils also disagreed with the second ranked answer given by the drug and alcohol addiction experts, namely, “Have you ever had a drink the first thing in the morning to get rid of a hangover or to steady your nerves?”

Miss Benning explained to the pupils in her classroom that this sign does not inevitably indicate that the problem is alcoholism, but that it does stress the need that alcohol addicted people have to drink in order to keep away from alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

After Miss Benning explained the significance of alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the life of the person who is addicted to alcohol, the pupils started to grasp the basic difference between alcohol abuse and alcoholism.

To add a sense of closure to the subject, Miss Benning asked the students in her class to take out a sheet of paper and answer the following question: “if every person who is alcohol dependent knew about every one of the alcoholism signs and alcohol withdrawal symptoms we have studied, what percentage of them do you think would seek alcohol rehab?”

After about one or two minutes, Miss Benning asked for the students’ responses. While many pupils believed that roughly 70 to 80 percent of alcohol dependent individuals would seek alcohol addiction rehab if they knew about the facts related to alcohol dependency signs and alcohol withdrawal symptoms, most of the pupils thought that this number would not be less than 60 percent.

The Pupils Were Shocked to Discover That Only 25% of Individuals Who are Addicted to Alcohol in the U.S. Ask For Alcohol Dependency Treatment

To the amazement of most of the students, Miss Benning proclaimed that according to various scientific studies, only 25% of the alcohol dependent individuals in the U.S. seek alcohol dependency treatment. This shocked most of the pupils because they thought that first-hand knowledge of the overwhelming statistics and facts associated with alcohol addiction would motivate most of the individuals who are alcohol dependent to get alcohol rehab.

Miss Benning then explained that people who are alcohol dependent not only need alcohol everyday in order to function but they also need alcohol on a daily basis so they can steer clear of possible alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Apparently, the alcohol dependent person’s need to drink on a daily basis is stronger than facts or logic. To be sure, since the desire for alcohol is “reality” to the alcohol addicted person, this is difficult to negate.

The Combination of Alcohol Addiction and Mental Health Issues Commonly Leads to Relationship, Friendship, Marital, and Divorce Problems

Finally, Miss Benning told her students that it is important to understand that alcoholism and a range of mental health problems such as depression are highly associated. Furthermore, the combination of alcohol addiction and mental health issues regularly lead to relationship, friendship, marital, and divorce problems.

The Students are Motivated to Learn About Alcohol Dependency Symptoms and Signs in Today’s Society

A few minutes later the bell rang, indicating that the end of class had arrived. Based on the enthusiasm manifested by the pupils when they were leaving the classroom, Miss Benning knew that she had stimulated and motivated the pupils in her classroom to stop and think about an important health and social problem that exists in our culture.

Ralph had just received his fourth DUI. Even though he was quite depressed about this, he was thinking about representing himself in court. His father, Sam, if may be pointed out, told him that this would be a huge mistake. When Ralph heard this, he asked Sam why he should even consider hiring a ”driving under the influence” attorney.

Even though Sam wasn’t an attorney, he told his son that he learned the hard way when as a young man he received a “drunk driving” arrest, represented himself in court, paid five thousand dollars in fines and penalties, and served four months in the city jail. As he mentioned to his son, after he got out of jail, he found out from a lawyer friend that had he hired a DUI lawyer to represent him in court, he more likely than not would have had his fines and penalties considerably reduced and he may have never served any time in the county jail.

What a DUI Lawyer Can Do in a DWI Arrest.

When Ralph heard this he knew he needed more DUI facts so he asked his dad for more information about what a ”drunk driving” attorney can do in a “driving under the influence” arrest. His dad then stated the following: “A DWI lawyer will be able to discover ‘irregularities’ and bring this evidence to the attention of the prosecution and the court. And in some cases, and based on this ‘evidence,’ your DUI lawyer will be able to get your charges substantially reduced or maybe even dismissed.”

When Ralph listend to his father explain this, it was as if his eyes were opened for the first time about the importance of hiring a DWI attorney. More to the point, Ralph realized that he needed a DUI lawyer.

The Whole Story About Taking Field Sobriety Tests

He then told his father that he had heard a lot about field sobriety tests. As a result, he asked his father what a field sobriety test was.

His dad responded with the following: “Ralph, field sobriety tests are administered by police officers to determine if a person has been operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, alcohol, or both. Field sobriety tests frequently consist of the ‘walk and turn,’ test, the ‘one-leg stand,’ test, the ‘pen light’ test, and other field sobriety tests. If you are arrested by the police for a suspected DUI, you should know that you are not legally required to take these field sobriety tests. In fact, many DUI attorneys believe field sobriety tests lack scientific merit and are invalid.”

Ralph’s father then wanted to underline the following: “Ralph, keep in mind that you are not legally required to take any field sobriety tests. The police officer that gives the tests is the only ‘judge’ of your performance and is consequently typically documenting only the things you do incorrectly. As a consequence and in most instances, a polite refusal to perform any sobriety test will be appropriate.”

Near the end of their conversation, Ralph said that was starting to grasp the importance of “driving under the influence” laws and what ”drunk driving” lawyers can do for a person who has received a DWI arrest, but he was still wondering why he was stopped by the police in the first place. In his own words Ralph asked his father the following question: “Dad, why was I stopped by the police? Specifically what were they looking for”?

His dad answered Ralph in the following way: “Ralph, there are many different reasons why you could have been ‘pulled over’ by the police. Some illustrations include the following: weaving in and out of traffic, missing a front license plate, tinted windows, speeding, involvement in a traffic accident, driving erratically, and expired registration tags. What is more, an anonymous individual may have reported you to the police after seeing you leaving a restaurant, a sporting event, a party, or a bar ‘under the influence’ and getting behind the wheel of your vehicle. In short, there are many possible reasons why you were ‘pulled over’ by the police.”

After getting “schooled” about “drunk driving” arrests, the role of DWI attorneys, and the fact that he didn’t have to agree to take any field sobriety tests at the time of his arrest, Ralph decided that he would without question hire a ”drunk driving” attorney to represent him in court.

Ralph Gets Inspired That He Will Always Drink In Moderation and Never Go Through Another “Driving Under the Influence” Arrest

Something else, however, happened after he had talked to his dad. Ralph at last began to comprehend the serious nature of DUI arrests and as a consequence, he made up his mind that from this moment forward, he would always drink responsibly so that he would never again have to suffer through another “drunk driving” arrest.

His father smiled at Ralph and told him the following, “son, it took me until I was fifty-five years old to realize what you just told me. I am really proud of you.

Ralph thanked his dad and then said, “if I can always drink in moderation, I will never need to hire a DUI attorney again!”

Does Ralph Need Alcohol Treatment For His Alcoholism or For His Alcohol Abuse?

There was, however, one thing that neither Ralph nor his dad thought about, namely, if Ralph needs alcohol rehab for his alcohol abuse or for his alcoholism. In fact, Ralph may be required by the court to get rehabilitation for his excessive and unhealthy drinking.

Shelly was identified at work as a very conservative individual who had an outstanding work record. She never went to any of the happy hours immediately after work and it was recognized throughout the company that she was an extremely religious individual who often talked about the risks regarding alcohol abuse and alcohol dependency in our country.

Try to think of the surprise within the company when one Monday morning Shelly did not show up for work and not a soul had heard from her. In reality, it wasn’t until close to 9:45 in the morning that the human resources department received a phone call about Shelly from the local city jail.

Shelly Goes Out Drinking Along With a Handful of Her College House Mates

Apparently, Shelly went out drinking together with a few of her university house mates Saturday night and sometime about 3:00 Sunday morning, Shelly was arrested for a DWI. Given that her blood alcohol content level was particularly elevated, she was mandated to spend one day in the neighborhood jail.

Shelly Talks to Her Manager and The Human Resources Director

When Shelly came to work on Tuesday morning, she instantly informed her superior what had transpired and she asked if she could possibly go and talk to the Human Resources director about her “driving under the influence” arrest.

When she got to the HR department and met with the director, she explained that she hadn’t been inebriated since her college days and that she was especially embarrassed about her “driving while intoxicated” arrest. She also emphasized the point that she required some help selecting a highly skilled and productive “drunk driving” attorney who would represent her “driving under the influence” case. Stated differently, Shelly really wanted the Human Resources manager to agree that she needed to see a DUI lawyer.

The Human Resources manager told Shelly that she ought to make an appointment with somebody within the company employee’s assistance program to go over any possible drinking problem that she might have. The HR director also mentioned that she needs to explain her desire to employ a “driving while intoxicated” lawyer to represent her concerning her “drunk driving” case.

In addition, the Human Resources director told Shelly that it was constructive that she really wanted to employ a “drunk driving” lawyer mainly because of the complexities and problematic implications that happen to be linked to a DWI conviction.

The Human Resources manager could tell that Shelly was visibly disappointed and embarrassed by this total problem. Consequently, he assured Shelly that while he doesn’t believe that conscientious people should ever get behind the steering wheel after consuming alcohol, regrettably these predicaments sometimes take place to pretty good men and women.

The Human Resources director then mentioned that since such a circumstance can’t be undone, what is crucial is what the particular person does from this point in time forward. As expressed by the Human Resources director, “does the particular person learn from his or her mistakes or does the person develop a pattern of alcohol related troubles that cause the individual chronic pain and suffering”?

Fortunately, Shelly Did Not Have a History of Abusive and Irresponsible Drinking

Just before completing their conversation, the Human Resources director shared with Shelly that it was very positive that she doesn’t have a record of abusive and irresponsible drinking. Not only this but she hasn’t had an alcohol-related condition since her university days (which was just about 15 years ago). As a consequence, Shelly should be in a position to confront her “driving under the influence” arrest with sorrow but also with a degree of self-assurance knowing that she will confront and work through this condition and become a better person in the long run.

Shelly thanked the Human Resources director for his supportive and motivating words and then walked over towards the company employee’s assistance program go over her “driving under the influence” arrest, her participation in careless drinking drinking over the past weekend, and her interest to hire a “driving under the influence” attorney to represent her “driving under the influence” case.

After listening to Shelly’s “story,” the counselor that was part of the company employee’s assistance program articulated Shelly’s immediate “action plan” that she needed to address and follow. First, she would be required to take a DUI class to learn more DUI facts and information. Second, she would also be required to take an alcohol abuse class to address her possible drinking problem. Third, she would have to see a psychiatrist, counselor, therapist, or psychologist about her depression. And finally, it would be an especially sensible thing to do if she were to talk to a DUI lawyer about her DUI arrest.

Shelly Feels a Sense of Relief Knowing That She Will Learn From Her Oversight and Grow To Be More Accountable and Successful

It was obvious that Shelly was really disrupted with the whole DUI scenario, but after talking to the Human Resources manager and to the counselor in the company employee’s assistance program, she felt comfort knowing that she would in reality learn from her blunder and become even more healthy and balanced, more accountable and successful, and an even more thankful individual.