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.

Dear Mr. Moyers: I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. For two decades, I was what you experts might call a "recreational" user — or at least that's what I wanted to believe. I got drunk on holidays, smoked pot at concerts and sometimes indulged in a little cocaine on special occasions. My consequences were few: occasional hangovers, a couple of busted relationships and a busted lip in a fight outside a bar at closing time.

In the meantime, I was a successful broker on Wall Street, then started a thriving consulting business. I took care of my sick mother until she died last year. I even was honored by my local United Way for my volunteer work.

But in the last six months, I've tried to stop my drug abuse. I can't seem to do it on my own. How do I know if I have a problem? — Benjamin C. in New York City

While an individual's circumstances are often different, the telltale warning signs of addiction usually are easy to spot.

Dear Benjanim: You get credit for knowing it is time to stop and for recognizing that if you can't do it on your own, then you may have a problem.

Start by looking at what motivates you to quit and why you've been unable to do so. Also, consider these questions: Do you use drugs either to deal with problems or because you can't imagine social activities without being under the influence? Do you obsess about using substances when you aren't using them? Do you steal or do other things that go against your values to obtain illegal drugs, and if so does it bother you even though you continue to do it? Have you compromised your health or well-being when getting drunk and high? Have you made repeated vows to stop using substances? If you have tried to stop, do you experience withdrawal or other physical consequences?

Only you know the answers, but sometimes it takes a professional counselor or trained therapist to accurately interpret the truth. Addiction strikes roughly one in 10 Americans, so most people never ponder if they are addicted. The fact you are concerned suggests to me that you probably have a problem that requires help.

Benjamin's challenge stems from his personal experiences. Yet I also get questions from people whose concerns arise not from what's happened to them, but from a family history. It's a different set of circumstances with the potential for the same devastating result.

Dear Mr. Moyers: My 21st birthday is in June. Up to now, I've never had a drink or tried any drugs. I grew up being wary. My parents are divorced because of my father's drinking. My mother herself is a recovering alcoholic. She says her father (my grandfather) was an alcoholic, too, but he died before I was born. Do you think I am at risk? — Linda P. in Springfield, Ill.

Dear Linda: Kudos to you for not taking that first drink or using drugs! Without a doubt you are at risk for addiction for the simple reality that it runs through your family history. There is a genetic link to addiction. Sometimes it jumps directly from parent to child and sometimes it jumps over generations. But the result is the same. Devastation now or later. Make your upcoming birthday a celebration of your commitment to stay away from those substances.

William C. Moyers is the vice president of external affairs for the Hazelden Foundation and the author of "Broken," a best-selling memoir. The paperback edition was released in August 2007. Please send your questions to William Moyers at [email protected]. To find out more about William Moyers and read his past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.