Beyond Addiction from Creators Syndicate

The Politics of Drug Use for 12/22/2007

Sat, 22 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

The cacophony between supporters of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton about his use of illegal drugs many years ago has drowned out what the presidential candidates really should be debating.

How do we talk to kids about the risks when we ourselves have our own war stories from our younger days?

Clearly, it's not in the approach of our current president. During the 2000 campaign, t ...

Updated: Sat Dec 22, 2007

Hurt and Hope in 2007 for 12/29/2007

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Each week in this space I field questions from readers who want to know more about addiction and what to do about it.

But in the spirit of the end of the year, I'm using this column to look back at the hurts and hopes of 2007 and make a prediction for what's ahead in 2008.

Hurt: to Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears and all those Hollywood celebs who kept doing the same thing over and ...

Updated: Sat Dec 29, 2007

Hurt and Hope in 2007 for 01/05/2008

Sat, 05 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Each week in this space, I field questions from readers who want to know more about addiction and what to do about it.

But in the spirit of the end of the year, I'm using this column to look back at the hurts and hopes of 2007 and make a prediction for what's ahead in 2008.

Hurt: To Lindsey Lohan, Britney Spears and all those Hollywood celebs who kept doing the same thing over and ...

Updated: Sat Jan 05, 2008

Dealing With Relapse for 01/12/2008

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

When it comes to stories of the struggles with addiction, it's important not to kill the message — or the messenger, either.

Dear Mr. Moyers: It's hard to know if you or my daughter is more responsible for my anger. We heard you speak in Pittsburgh last month. She's 22 years old, a good girl with a college education who seemed committed to the road of recovery back from the ...

Updated: Sat Jan 12, 2008

The Denial of Blind Faith for 01/19/2008

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

In the words of people wiser than me, "Denial is not just a river in Egypt." But like a river, it does roar, twist and turn through the lives of many people and families who struggle with addiction. I was reminded of this truth twice this week in queries from a Catholic seminary student and the wife of a rabbi.

Dear Mr. Moyers: You are coming to speak to our community l ...

Updated: Sat Jan 19, 2008

The Disease of Misperceptions for 01/26/2008

Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0800

It's been 54 years since the American Medical Association (AMA) formally declared that alcoholism is a disease.

Since then, science has made important strides in explaining why one in 10 Americans who starts using alcohol eventually becomes addicted. For them, one beer or one glass of wine ends up being one too many. Their lives are disrupted by drunk driving, liver cirrhosis or other he ...

Updated: Sat Jan 26, 2008

The Color of Recovery for 02/02/2008

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

It's still too early to know yet what killed actor Heath Ledger.

But the typical media frenzy surrounding the sudden death of a young celebrity already suggests a drug overdose may be the cause.

No matter the final official determination, Ledger's legacy now seems doomed to become part of the "Hall of Shame" that includes Britney Spears, Lindsey Lohan and so many other n ...

Updated: Sat Feb 02, 2008

The Politics of Personal Experience for 02/09/2008

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

There's been plenty of media buzz lately about President Bush's recollections of being buzzed in days long ago. The president, whose drunk driving arrest and other run-ins with alcohol growing up is well known, has not talked much over the years about how or why he stopped drinking in 1986.

But last week, he offered perhaps his most pointed and candid assessment of his struggles, referri ...

Updated: Sat Feb 09, 2008

Young, and Sober for 02/16/2008

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Each week, I get scores of letters and emails from parents who, more often than not, share their heartbreaking stories of addicted children unable to break free from the grip of alcohol or other drugs.

At times, it seems like nobody under the age of 21 has a tale with a happy ending. Dropping out of school, teenage pregnancy, gang violence, jail and even death are the final chapter that ...

Updated: Sat Feb 16, 2008

How Not to Win the War at Home for 02/23/2008

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

In this space a few weeks ago, I lamented the realty that President Bush's personal experiences with alcohol and other drugs had not translated into public policy promoting treatment over punishment for people like us.

I say us, because while the president and I don't have a lot in common, we're both fortunate. Despite hitting bottom in our personal struggles with mood- and mind-altering ...

Updated: Sat Feb 23, 2008

A Cathedral of Hope for 03/01/2008

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0800

I spoke at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., the other night. It was a remarkable moment for me. There I was, in a national monument of spirituality — "America's house of prayer for all people" — telling my story of addiction, redemption and recovery. From the floor of a crack house in Atlanta in 1994 to the sanctuary of the cathedral 14 years later ... go figure ...

Updated: Sat Mar 01, 2008

A Double Hurdle for 03/08/2008

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0800

When I went to treatment in 1989, about 6 percent of my fellow patients showed up at the front door with more than one problem. In addition to their addiction, they also struggled with what is commonly referred to as a "co-occurring disorder" — such things as depression, an eating disorder or schizophrenia.

Today, about 65 percent of the patients arrive for treatment with ...

Updated: Sat Mar 08, 2008

A Family Affair for 03/15/2008

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Two events occurred recently that remind me of the stakes in getting the public to accept addiction as a disease that affects the entire family — but one that is treatable with benefits for everyone.

On March 5, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to expand private insurance coverage for people seeking treatment for drug dependence or alcoholism. It's the first tim ...

Updated: Sat Mar 15, 2008

The Drive to Drink Younger for 03/22/2008

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

On vacation with my family this week in Florida, I am reminded of the never-ending debate about drinking and young people.

It's spring break, and this annual migration of teenagers and college students to warmer climes, mostly without a parent or teacher escort anywhere in sight, highlights the role alcohol plays in defining good times and bad on these trips.

At 2 a.m. in the hall ...

Updated: Sat Mar 22, 2008

The Intention of Intervention for 04/05/2008

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

If you're like most people who learn that a family member has cancer or another life-threatening illness, you instinctively react with compassion, a desire to help and support.

But more often than not, family members don't know what to do when their loved one is struggling with alcoholism or drug dependence. Some of them even go so far as to feel guilty or shameful about trying to help t ...

Updated: Sat Apr 05, 2008

Warning Signs for 04/12/2008

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

In last week's column, I addressed the role of the family in interceding on behalf of a loved one who struggles with addiction to alcohol and other drugs. Often, it takes a family's involvement and a professional interventionist to cut through denial, shame and fear to steer the addicted person to get help.

But sometimes it is the addicts themselves who reach out for help.

Updated: Sat Apr 12, 2008

Legalized Drugs and Dark Side of Alcohol for 04/19/2008

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

What better way to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the end of Prohibition in America than with a cold beer. That's exactly what some of the nation's brewers did last week to mark the end in 1933 of our 14-year failed experiment in enforced sobriety. They had a party.

"April 7th is a day to recognize the past 75 years of beer and the beer community's contribution to Americans' qual ...

Updated: Sat Apr 19, 2008

Simple Steps to Recovery for 04/26/2008

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Each week, I get scores of letters and emails pleading for help. Usually they are framed by circumstances and conditions intended to explain or otherwise mitigate reality's harsh truth. While there are a lot of reasons why people get in trouble when they get high, there is only one reason they keep getting high despite those consequences. They're addicted to alcohol or other drugs.

Only ...

Updated: Sat Apr 26, 2008

The Drive to Drink for 05/03/2008

Sat, 03 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

My soon-to-be-16-year-old son, Henry, took the written exam for his driver's permit this week. He didn't pass. I shared his disappointment. And I admired his commitment to study harder for next time.

But secretly I was relieved. If only for a few more weeks, I selfishly know, my son won't be behind the wheel of a car. With cell phones and iPods and those little headphones stuck in the ea ...

Updated: Sat May 03, 2008

Sidestepping "Higher" Ed for 05/10/2008

Sat, 10 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The end of the school year is here for millions of college students. It's a time for final exams and report cards, commencement ceremonies and parties. And while many will celebrate what they've learned over the years, their education won't include lessons on the dangers of alcohol or other drugs. Some are likely to pay for their ignorance with serious consequences.

Dear Mr. Moye ...

Updated: Sat May 10, 2008