Everyone has to say “No” at times. Sometimes it’s easy, but most of the time it’s hard. Adults have to say “No” when asked to do something that’s against their principles. Very important is learning how to say “No” when you’re invited to do something you’d rather not do. You will want to learn how to refuse an invitation without hurting the feelings of the person who asks you.

THE QUESTION OF LIQUOR

More and more the problem of drinking among young people comes up. Teen-agers and young adults throughout the country are faced with the question: “Should I take a drink?” Here are some things to consider as you make your decision.

Why People Drink

Many people, when asked why they drink, simply say, “Because I enjoy it.” But drinking is usually more deeply motivated than that. There are many different reasons why people drink. The most common reason is to relieve feelings of insecurity. If everyone else is drinking, a person feels left out of things if he doesn’t take a drink. People who call themselves “social drinkers” depend upon alcohol to keep them in good spirits and to keep the conversation rolling. They lean upon drink as a sort of social crutch. If they don’t feel at home in a situation, alcohol loosens them up and makes them feel more congenial and sociable.

The danger is that as social drinkers depend more and more upon alcohol to provide their entertainment, the drinking can get out of hand. They begin to realize that they must have a cocktail before they can relax. Sometimes it even gets to the point where they feel physically ill unless they are continually stimulated by alcohol. They have let drinking become a necessity.

Alcoholics are usually people who feel neurotically insecure and unsure of themselves. They feel that they are inferior to others and unable to face the world. They use alcohol as an artificial stimulant to give them a temporary sense of security. They lose themselves more and more in the habit, forsaking everything else. If they are lucky, these people end up in the hands of competent workers who help them realize that they can exist without alcohol. Less fortunate alcoholics may literally drink themselves to death.

Teen-agers often start to drink because of social pressure. When others in a group are drinking, they feel that they also are expected to. They’re afraid to refuse for fear of being considered “sissy.” Some young teen-agers drink in an effort to appear more sophisticated than they are.