I'm one of 23 million Americans in recovery who have gone on to live productive lives.

Addiction is such an isolating incident in your life. You feel alone. And when you admit, when you come into a fellowship and people just surround you and say, "We will help you, that you're not alone, that we've been through it before, and you will get through it," just gives you such great hope.

I'm one of 23 million Americans in recovery who have gone on to live productive lives.

I would say that I probably had an unhealthy love affair with drinking. I grew up as this kind of insecure kid, you know, kind of making my way. And drinking took all of that away.

The hallmark of addiction is that it changes your brain chemistry. It actually affects that part of your brain that's responsible for judgment.

Addiction is a brain disease. This is not a moral failing. This is not about bad people who are choosing to continue to use drugs because they lack willpower.

Prescription drugs and heroin act in very similar ways on the brain. And, unfortunately, heroin, because of its widespread availability is a lot cheaper.