DR. WALLACE: My 17-year-old brother is becoming a real piece of work! He hoards every penny that comes his way. When it comes time to share the cost for a present for our parents, for example, he will come up with some excuse so that he doesn't have to contribute one red cent. You can imagine my surprise when I saw him loan a friend $4 at school about six weeks ago. I was amazed he did this, until I heard the end of the transaction where he said the interest would be 25% for a one-week loan!

When I told my dad what happened, and he said my brother was learning good business habits. He heartily approved and even laughed at my story. I feel my brother is a big cheapskate and treats me very unfairly when it comes to cold, hard cash. How do you read the situation? Is my brother out of bounds, or am I making too much of all this? — Stepped-On Sister, via email

STEPPED-ON SISTER: Your brother's concern for money is, indeed, extreme. Some of his hoarded money should be used for sharing fairly in the cost of family gifts. He, of course, has every right to do as he pleases with the rest of his funds, as long as his pursuits are legal!

Loaning money at loan shark prices could lead to a scattering of friends, not wise path to take during one's high school years.

MOTHER ASKS ADVICE ON SELECTING REHAB PROGRAMS

DR. WALLACE: My 17-year-old son is addicted to drugs and has been abusing drugs for two years. He admits that he can't quit on his own and he needs help. That's the small glimmer of good news. The rest of what our family has been through has been quite rough, and I trust very similar to many other stories you have heard over the years.

So, I plan to put my son in a chemical abuse program that will be approved by my insurance company. What details should I look for in these types of programs? I, of course, want the best one available so that my son has the best chance at a successful rehabilitation. — Concerned Mother, via email

CONCERNED MOTHER: To start, I suggest you select a program that views drug abuse as the primary disease and not a symptom of some emotional problem. Direct attention should be given to the individual's drug use as the source of the problem. The program should maintain an abstinence point of view.

Effective programs have some counselors who were former drug abusers. They understand the problem and can relate to those seeking help on many levels. Good programs provide not just involvement but also treatment for all members of the family, because drug addiction truly impacts the whole family.

Since drug abuse affects every area of a teen's life, the best programs assist the teen in progressively restructuring each area, including family, school, friends and leisure activities. Staff involvement plays a major role in the recovery process; ideally, the staff-to-patient ratio should be no larger than 1 to 5.

When visiting each institution, ask if you can view the entire facility and freely talk to the patients. The best programs encourage this. Good luck to your son and your whole family. I commend each of you for working together in an effort to seek a sober, healthier future for all involved.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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