Pubdate: Thu, 03 Jan 2002
Source: Savannah Morning News (GA)
Copyright: 2002 Savannah Morning News
Contact:  http://www.savannahnow.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/401
Author: Jean Burgstiner

HELP TO SAVE THOSE WHO HAVE ADDICTIONS TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

I want to sound an alarm and send an urgent plea to anyone who may know 
someone addicted to alcohol or drugs: They need our help. They are unaware 
of the person they become when they indulge in their craving for a chemical 
that will produce behavior patterns wrapped in danger to themselves and 
others they come in contact with.

A great percentage of all addicts are in denial that anything is wrong, yet 
alcohol is the No. 1 drug abused in the United States. As a person begins 
to consume alcohol, damage to the brain occurs -- the frontal lobe, where 
the judgment factor resides, is attacked -- and that disables the imbibing 
person.

They become ill-equipped to make healthy decisions in regard to driving, 
operating machinery or about not drinking themselves into drunkenness and 
sometimes unconsciousness. They become a tool of destruction, not only to 
themselves, but to others.

I urge anyone who knows one of these unfortunate victims to love them 
enough to take their car keys or to perform any other act of precaution 
that will arrest the behavior of their stupor. How sad it must be to obtain 
sobriety and be informed that you were the instrument that caused death of 
an innocent life.

Much research is being done in this field, though. One program is 
developing a theory to determine in young children the potential for this 
malady. Candidates are chosen because of a history of this dread hereditary 
disease.

Anyone not a victim of these addictions should be grateful. For those who 
are, if they could remove the disguise on every liquor bottle or 
mind-altering drug they would see a skull and crossbones.

JEAN BURGSTINER
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MAP posted-by: Beth