C2 - Wednesday, June 6, 1984 - North Shore News

Former alcoholic councils teens

‘““WE HAVE to treat
the whole family, not
only the kids involved.
It’s important to realize
that every pathology
has an ecology.’’

By JOANNE MacDONALD

The speaker is American
author Tom Alibrandi. As a
former alcoholic, he _ has
been involved in the field of
alcoholic abuse counselling
since 1966. His target group
may seem unique, in thai it
does not focus on adults.

Instead, Alibrandi is
concerned with young
alcoholics, a burgeoning
segment of the population
abusing alcohol. Treating
some children as young as
seven years of age, Alibrandi
says young alcoholics have
turned to alcohol as a way to
escape ‘“‘the pain of the
world as it is now, whether
that’s defined as their
family, their envjronment,
or whatever.””

photo

Tom Alibrandi ... AUTHOR

Alibrandi, in Vancouver
recently to conduct a
workshop on. adolescent
alcoholism, said in an in-
terview with the North Shore
News that studies have
shown by age 18, 85 per cent
of youths drink alcohol,
with 42 per cent of those
classified as problem
drinkers.

“That's twice the rate for
adult drinkers,’’ said
Alibrandi

He said US) studies have
also demonstrated the urgent
need for a restructuring of
social service funding. ‘‘We
have more than twice the
money for drug treatment
than we do for alcoholic
counselling and it should be
the other way around,’’ he
said

Alibrands initially became
involved in) alcohol abuse
counselling in the carly 1970s
when he was asked to run a
court diversionary program
in Orange County,
Cahforma Among the ad-
Qlescents directed to the
program were 15 and 16 year
olds which Albrandt termed
middle to late stage
ahkoobolics

“They were cxapenencung
things like severe learning
disabiligies and cirrhosis, and
getting charged with drunk
driving" he said

Through his program
Alibrand) discovered there
were no testing devices for

teens and, in 1976) he
undertook a landmark study
which helped to determine
adolescent drinking tates
Tests were dercloped
which cxamincd pre teens
Co oWhich way wete they

leaning, towards addiction
or otherwise? 9) and teens
The latter: group was sepa
rated into three catcgorics
potential problem drinkers

problem drinkers and __ scene’’ between the fifth and He focussed on three schedule takes him all over and also teaches related
alcoholics. six grades and, in some essential elements in his the United States and parts courses at six California
Alibrandi said the. study cases, earlier. seminars — assessment, in- of Canada, instructing university campuses. One of
revealed that up to 1976 While in Vancouver, tervention and treatment of concerned groups on howto his books, ‘‘Custody’’,
drinking rates for adoles- Alibrandi addressed _ alcoholic abuse. set up programs dealing with which deals with family in-
cents had risen 400 per cent. members of Lions Clubs ‘“‘Everyone needs a way to alcoholic pre-teens and _ tervention and treatment, is
from 1964, with teens prov- from throughout the Lower blow off steam, and _ adolescents. used as a university course
ing to be ‘‘way ahead of Mainland at a three-day alcoholism is just the tip of While writing is book.
adults’’ in their drinking workshop co-hosted by the the iceberg. It’s a way for Alibrandi’s main Another book, ‘‘Young,
habits. Lions Club and the Greater kids to act out their occupation, he is still ac- Alcoholics,’’ was the subject
The study also showed Victoria Alcohol and Drug  problems,’’ he said. tively involved with the of a documentary op U:S.
that children enter the ‘‘use Counselling Service (DARS). Alibrandi’s current  aicohol abuse workshops public television. ,

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