Foreword

Introduction
Part 1: Why Don't They JUST QUIT?

Chapter 1
A Look at My Life.........................................................................................................................................................................3
Why write this book?

Chapter 2
Dying for a Cold One..................................................................................................................................................................7
Why do we all take drugs?

Chapter 3
Good Question!..........................................................................................................................................................................11
Why don't they just quit?

Chapter 4
Pick Your Poison.......................................................................................................................................................................15
Why do people have "drugs of choice"?

Chapter 5
Houston, We Have A Problem!...............................................................................................................................................23
How do you know when "use" has turned to "abuse"?

Chapter 6
Pryor on Fire: Technology Meets Dope................................................................................................................................29
How has technology changed the world of drugs?

Chapter 7
Moving On..................................................................................................................................................................................33
Making peace with the past.

Chapter 8
The Devil Made Me Do It.........................................................................................................................................................37
Is he an addict with a crime problem or a criminal with an addiction problem?

Part 1 Overview: Key Points to Remember

Part 2: It's A Family Affair

Chapter 9
None of Your Business............................................................................................................................................................49
Should you intervene or not?

Chapter 10
Siblings: The Forgotten Ones.................................................................................................................................................59
How do siblings get hurt?

Chapter 11
What's Going On?.....................................................................................................................................................................65
Is addiction a disease or a moral failing?

Chapter 12
I Drink Alone...............................................................................................................................................................................71
Why is isolation a bad sign?

Chapter 13
Raising Kids in the Twenty-first Century...............................................................................................................................75
What did I do wrong?

Chapter 14
What's Love Got to Do with It?................................................................................................................................................79
What works, what doesn't, and why.

Part 2 Overview: Key Points to Remember

Part 3: All About Treatment

Chapter 15
Different Strokes for Different Folks.......................................................................................................................................89
Does treatment have to cost a lot?

Chapter 16
One Step at a Time?.................................................................................................................................................................99
Are twelve-step meetings really important?

Chapter 17
Pivotal Teaching Moments....................................................................................................................................................105
The "rock bottom" myth.

Chapter 18
Meth Myths...............................................................................................................................................................................113
Can meth addicts really recover?

Chapter 19
Payback Time...........................................................................................................................................................................121
What is withdrawal like?

Chapter 20
Getting the Treatment.............................................................................................................................................................127
What do people do all day in treatment?

Chapter 21
Drugs: The GiftThat Keeps on Giving..................................................................................................................................135
What should I know about hep-C?

Chapter 22
Least Likely to Succeed.........................................................................................................................................................141
What are alternative treatments for recovery, and do they work?

Part 3 Overview: Key Points to Remember

Part 4: Life in Recovery

Chapter 23
A Whole New World...............................................................................................................................................................149
What exactly is recovery?

Chapter 24
Whole Person Recovery: The Mind.....................................................................................................................................155
Can the mind be healed?

Chapter 25
Whole Person Recovery: The Body.....................................................................................................................................161
What roles do nutrition and exercise play in recovery?

Chapter 26
Whole Person Recovery: The Spirit.....................................................................................................................................167
Do we have to talk about religion?

Chapter 27
Pill for Pill..................................................................................................................................................................................173
Is it okay to take medications in recovery?

Chapter 28
Serotonin Rising.....................................................................................................................................................................179
How should you deal with depression in recovery?

Chapter 29
Relapse: Plan on It.................................................................................................................................................................183
What to do if your loved one relapses?

Chapter 30
Step One: Don't Leave Home Without It!............................................................................................................................193
What's the big deal about Step One?

Chapter 31
They're BAAaaack!.................................................................................................................................................................197
What should you do when he comes back from treatment?

Part 4 Overview: Key Points to Remember

Conclusion
Part 5: Q & A with Joe

HOW CAN I TELL?.................................................................................................................................................................211
• How can I tell if someone is an addict/alcoholic or just a heavy user?
• How can I know if my addicted friend or loved one is telling me the truth?
• Are passing out and blacking out the same thing?
• If someone can stop using for weeks at a time, they "aren't" an addict-correct?

DOES IT HAVE TO BE?.........................................................................................................................................................215
• Does an intervention have to be a surprise attack?
• If both parents are addicts, does that increase the child's chances of addiction?

WHAT IS IT?............................................................................................................................................................................219
• What does the term "pink cloud" mean?
• Isn't addiction just a willpower problem?
• Does relapse mean failure?
• What is Methadone? What is harm reduction?
• What is meant by a co-occurring disorder?

IS IT OKAY?.............................................................................................................................................................................225
• Is it okay for a recovering addict to smoke pot?
• Is it okay for my teen to drink at home under my supervision?
• Can I have alcohol in my home, or serve alcoholic drinks on social occasions?
• Is it okay to tell your kids about your past use? How open should you be?

SHOULD I?..............................................................................................................................................................................233
• Should I be concerned about medications in my own bathroom?

I'M WONDERING....................................................................................................................................................................235
• Does everyone have to know?
• Is there a cure for addiction?
• Are some people beyond hope for recovery?
• Why is addiction called an "insidious" disease?
• What about babies born to addicted moms?
• How does one respond to being offered a drink after beginning life in recovery?

HOW CAN THEY?...................................................................................................................................................................241
• How can a mother or father leave their kids because of alcohol or drug use?
• Don't they love their kids?

IS IT TRUE?.............................................................................................................................................................................243
• Are most addicts in jail, homeless, or unemployed?
• Does using drugs and alcohol change a person's brain chemistry?
• Does heavy use of alcohol and drugs create addiction?
• Is it true that the more educated a person is, the less likely they are to become an addict?
• Is it true that the chances for addiction are greater, the earlier use starts?

CAN IT HAPPEN?...................................................................................................................................................................249
• Can someone develop a dependency problem later in life?
• Can a person just cut down on their drinking?

DO YOU HAVE TO..................................................................................................................................................................253
• Do you have to believe in God to attend AA meetings?
• Do you have to stop seeing all your old friends in order to recover?

APPENDIX A: Real Stories, Real PeopleLife....................................................................................................................257

APPENDIX B: Self-Test..........................................................................................................................................................271

APPENDIX C: Resources......................................................................................................................................................277

APPENDIX D: Glossary.........................................................................................................................................................285