It never ceases to amaze me just how many people suffer from drug or alcohol abuse. Thank god there are alcohol and drug treatment programs out there to help these people. Of course the big problem with this is that they can only help people who are willing to be helped! And unfortunately most drug addicts or alcoholics do not believe that they have a problem to be fixed.

I know as a little girl growing up I had to witness my own mother live with alcoholism. This was not a pretty sight at all. I must admit that my mother was pretty good at hiding it to people out side the home and even being able to keep a job for awhile any way. Eventually it took over her life so completely that she didn't care about what anyone thought. As a child living in a dysfunctional home I didn't have the knowledge or power to help her. I had no idea that there was alcohol and drug treatment programs available let alone be able to get her to go to one.

Most people who start out taking drugs or drinking too much are not bad people, they may have just lost their way or perhaps have had some tragedy in their lives or perhaps they just don't feel they can cope with day to day life on their own. Whatever the reason, they soon become dependant and this is when they need outside help. Unfortunately they will not ask for help and often friends and family don't believe they need to be the one to help. This is so sad because these people really do need intervention to help them overcome this disease.

I wish I had helped my mother. She eventually died from throat cancer and emphysema (both caused by being an alcoholic and a big smoker). She also lived a very lonely life and ended up in a nursing home type of accommodation. If only she had alcohol and drug treatment many years before then things could have been much better for her. But we can all say 'what if' I suppose.

One of the saddest things are that there are so many young people suffering from this. They haven't even started living and they are throwing away what little life they have lived by becoming addicted. They also become a different person and in many cases become violent, abusive, steal, lie, live on the streets and either end up in prison or worse still, dead. What a tragic waste of life?

If you know someone who is in need of alcohol and drug treatment please try to help that person. It may be difficult but sometimes the person in question is waiting for someone to help. Not all alcoholics or addicted people are a lost cause!