Here’s a link to a site maintained by SAMHSA that helps people find treatment in their area. http://dasis3.samhsa.gov/

Drug addiction is a complex but treatable disease. It is characterized by compulsive drug craving, seeking, and use that persist even in the face of severe adverse consequences. For many people, drug abuse becomes chronic, with relapses possible even after long periods of abstinence. In fact, relapse to drug abuse occurs at rates similar to those for other well-characterized, chronic medical illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. As a chronic, recurring illness, addiction may require repeated episodes of treatment before sustained abstinence is achieved. Through treatment tailored to individual needs, people with drug addiction can recover and lead productive lives. (more…)

Christopher C. Bowers, CSAC, ASE

“Symbol substances”…what are they?
For adolescents, the use of certain substances has meaning beyond the use alone. Smoking marijuana, for example, is a dynamic component in the developing identity of some teens (see “When Marijuana Means Identity,” NAADAC News, Dec.2007/Jan. 2008, p.10; www.naadac.org

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