Drug-use is a terminal disease.

Second, I use inference from technical studies and theories in order to provide practical information for therapists. Those thoughts are several steps removed from scientific validity.

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

A certain group of adolescents evidence clear druggie behavior and attributes some time before they actually begin drug use.

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.

Careful listening to current country and western and rock music with the help of an interpreter for coded phrases shows that young people are hearing a constant stream of messages about getting high, feeling good, going on trips, and using drugs of all kinds with all methods.

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

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

Our own unresolved authority problems from our youth sometimes get transferred to our youthful patients, because we are still covert adolescent rebels. In subtle ways, we encourage the adolescent patient to rebel towards parents, school authorities, and society in general.

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.

If his/her siblings and parents are not treated and he/she is strong enough to continue the recovery, a sibling will take up the druggie role.