1

Do you know anyone whose life has not been touched by addiction to alcohol or other drugs? For over forty years, I have asked various groups of people how many of them had their lives touched by addiction, either by their own use of that of a friend, family member, or loved one. I think everyone in every gathering has raised their hands, whether it was a college class, church group, corporate work team, executives, working class folks, inmates or soccer moms and little league dads. Addiction is our nation's number one health, social and criminal justice problem. Addiction counselors and people in recovery from addiction have been shouting this since the 1970's.

This book relates lessons learned about what works and what doesn't work in the addiction treatment field during a career that began in the 1970's. It is written for all Americans whose lives have been touched or are being touched by addiction...parents who don't know what to do with their son or daughter who is in the grasp of addiction, doctors and helping professionals who recognize that they didn't get the training they need to identify and treat addiction, the addict who is wondering where to go to get the best treatment, because all treatment programs are not the same. This book is for anyone who knows, loves or lives with an alcoholic or drug addict. It is for the addicts themselves, to give them hope and a direction.