Online Alcohol Drug Classes at Tom Wilson Counseling

December is Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month, which is a national effort hoping to raise awareness about the consequences of driving under the influence. The National Commission Against Drunk Driving reports 41% of all traffic crashes are alcohol-related. It is estimated that 30% of Americans are at risk for being involved in alcohol-related traffic crash over their lifetime. Drinking and driving affects everyone; because the costs of alcohol-related crashes ($51 billion) gets passed on to taxpayers, employers, families as well as to the drunk driver.  Most of these accidents and deaths are related to binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined for males as five or more drinks per occasion and for females, four  or more drinks per occasion. Since alcohol becomes more available in social settings during the holidays, the risk of drunk driving and being a victim of a drunk driver, increase dramatically. There are some things you can do to help reduce the numbers of im...

Adolescents drink for different reasons than adults. Adults drink to socialize and may have a few glasses of wine or beer while attending a social event, watching sports or sitting on the patio enjoying the summer. Adolescents tend to "binge drink," that is they drink for effect and to get drunk quickly. This can also be accompanied by mixing alcohol with energy drinks, a dangerous concoction that energizes and removes inhibitions at the same time. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 90% of teens who drink engage in binge drinking, defined as 4 drinks or more per occasion for women, and 5 drinks or more per occasion for men. Emergency room physicians routinely find that teens admitted to the ER have extremely high Blood Alcohol Levels, many times the legal limit for driving (.08). For example, over 200,000 adolescents are admitted to emergency rooms every year for alcohol related reasons. Colleges and a few private substance abuse counselo...

College freshman are just starting their first semester all over the US.  They face the pressure of new classes, living in the dorm or on their own, and navigating a new social network.  College administration knows that means some students will use - and sometimes abuse - alcohol and other illegal substances. The UW Marathon County want their students to make the right choice. This year Campus Coordinators focus on reducing the number of high risk activities related to alcohol abuse and other substance abuse. The university will also help students with problem gambling and  prescription drug use. The alcohol awareness class  for the University of Oregon class of 2015 is already under way. It's part of an online course designed to discourage underage and binge drinking.  The first part of the class takes about two hours. Students complete a series of online lessons that  help...

by Tom Wilson Suppose you live in Arizona and drive to Los Angeles see a concert at the Hollywood Bowl. When the concert ends, you decide to stop off and have a few beers before driving back to your hotel. On the way to your hotel, a police officer stops you for a traffic infraction. The officer asks if you have been drinking, and you admit to one beer (actually 3). The officer looks at your Arizona driver's license and then asks you step out of the vehicle to do some field sobriety tests. You are confidant that you will pass the tests, but the officer informs you that he is taking you in for suspicion of driving under the influence. At the jail your breathalyzer results put you over the legal limit. You are charged with DUI. You have to go court, hire an attorney and enter a plea. California now notifies Arizona that your license has been suspended and Arizona honors the suspension under an interstate compact agreement. As part of your agreement with the court, you agree to c...