DR. WALLACE: As an adoptive mother, I always read your responses to adopted children and adoptive parents with great personal interest. Please allow me to share my favorite story about an adoptive mother:
A woman dropped by her friend's house for coffee one morning. As the two ladies were watching the homeowner's two children play outside, the visiting woman asked, "Which child is yours?" The mother replied, "They are both mine." The first woman said, "I mean which one is adopted?" The mom thought for a few seconds, looked her friend squarely in the eye and said, "You know, I forget!"
Feel free to publish this story anytime if you feel the message it conveys is worthy. — Lois, Baltimore
LOIS: I enjoyed your letter and felt it quite worthy to be shared with our readers. This type of story teaches us all a timeless lesson that should be pointed out from time to time. Thank you very much for making an uplifting message so graciously!
MY PROOF ALCOHOL IS DANGEROUS
DR. WALLACE: Why are you so against alcohol when it's completely legal for everyone who is 21 or older to drink it? With all of the pressure of modern life, don't we deserve a chance to blow off a little steam? — Anonymous, Las Vegas
ANONYMOUS: If everyone drank only occasionally and only moderately at all times, alcohol would not be the huge societal issue that it is. However, there are individuals, who, for a variety of reasons, participate in rampant problem drinking in this country and elsewhere around the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drinking too much can definitely be harmful to your health: "Excessive alcohol use led to approximately 88,000 deaths and 2.5 million years of potential life lost (YPLL) each year in the United States from 2006-2010, shortening the lives of those who died by an average of 30 years. Further, excessive drinking was responsible for 1 in 10 deaths among working-age adults aged 20-64 years. The economic costs of excessive alcohol consumption in 2010 were estimated at $249 billion, or $2.05 a drink." And let's not forget the health risks:
Short-Term Health Risks
"Excessive alcohol use has immediate effects that increase the risk of many harmful health conditions. These are most often the result of binge drinking and include the following:
— "Injuries, such as motor vehicle crashes, falls, drownings, and burns.
— "Violence, including homicide, suicide, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence.
— "Alcohol poisoning, a medical emergency that results from high blood alcohol levels.
— "Risky sexual behaviors, including unprotected sex or sex with multiple partners. These behaviors can result in unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.
— "Miscarriage and stillbirth or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) among pregnant women."
Long-Term Health Risks
"Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including:
— "High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems.
— "Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon.
— "Learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance.
— "Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.
— "Social problems, including lost productivity, family problems, and unemployment.
— "Alcohol dependence, or alcoholism."
Alcohol has ruined many families because it has high potential for misuse and abuse. Yes, there are indeed persons who can drink very carefully and moderately. Unfortunately, a large number of others, either chronically or occasionally, drink too much alcohol. The overall risk is so high that I advise teens (and most people of all ages) to simply avoid alcohol consumption entirely.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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