Drug-use is a terminal disease.

Drug-use is a terminal disease.

Our teenage "druggies" are habituated to drugs rather than addicted. While beer and other alcoholic beverages are preferred drugs, kids have simply not used alcohol long enough to become addicted. The other drug of preference - marijuana - is not addictive.

As the therapeutic relationship is established and progress occurs in problem areas, the therapist can "lead" and "push" the adolescent toward abstract reasoning skill.

Second, the only proven technique for treatment for chemically dependent people involves use of a spiritual program of self-change.

Adolescence in my growing up period was truly "Happy Days," the title of a TV show connotating the quality of this life period.

If a child has an older sibling involved in an addiction, there is a 90 percent chance that he or she will get involved too.