Angie and Lenny have been married for six years. They wanted to have some fun and excitement before they decided to have some kids and so they intentionally created a super vibrant social life.
The principal issue, it needs to be highlighted, is that very nearly everything they do with their family and friends has something to do with drinking. For instance, all of the parties with friends, happy hours, dinner engagements, sporting events, and family get-togethers they frequent are associated with drinking.
If they were responsible or moderate drinkers this wouldn't be a major issue. Since they drink rather abusively, nonetheless, they are starting to perceive some clearly identifiable alcohol-related issues in their lives.
For example, just six days ago Lenny was placed under arrest for a third DUI and has been calling off from work because of alcohol-related health problems. Not only this, but Lenny's last two or three performance evaluations at work have been less than passable and he has begun to fail to remember what he does or says while he drinks. As a final point, Lenny has been experiencing sleep-related problems and his family has begun to agonize over his drinking behavior.
In a similar manner, Angie has been feeling disheartened with life and to manage these feelings, she has been drinking more frequently than any time in the past year. What is more, Angie has been experiencing more than a few throbbing migraine headaches and suffering from awful hangovers from drinking. Finally, Angie has been feeling considerably less active when she awakens, she has been getting to work late at least two days per week, and she has been getting some occasional criticism from her family members, friends, coworkers, and relatives about her hazardous and abusive drinking.
One Thursday evening while watching the television, Lenny and Angie accidentally found an interesting documentary about alcohol facts and alcoholism facts in general and about alcoholism signs in particular. This television program was a real bombshell to Lenny and Angie because many of the alcohol facts that were listed looked as if they were directly linked to some of the alcohol related problems Angie and Lenny had been going through.
With thoughts of the TV special still etched in her mind, Angie asked Lenny if some of the alcohol addiction signs they have been displaying could be a warning that they are addicted to alcohol or perhaps becoming alcohol dependent. Lenny didn't know the answer to Angie's inquiry and so he suggested that they make an appointment with one of the doctors at the nearby drug and alcohol abuse treatment clinic to find out more about the gravity of their drinking difficulties.
Paradoxically, even though their drinking behavior hadn't yet changed, it was obvious that Angie and Lenny were at the very least facing their drinking issues, they were excited about finding out more about their drinking situation, and they were interested in discovering how they could significantly cut back on or do away with the drinking-related problems that had started to worsen.
When Angie and Lenny went to bed that evening, they came to a decision that the next day, Lenny would call and make an appointment for both of them at the alcohol abuse rehabilitation clinic located downtown just outside of the business district. After they made a promise to one another that they would do whatever it takes to surmount the drinking problems that had developed in their lives, they actually had the most refreshing night's sleep they could think of in the last eight months.