Some people in need don't ask for help
By Abigail Van Buren

Dear Abbey: Concerning people who are hooked on drugs and/or alcohol, I just read a letter in the San Diego Union from the woman who signed herself, "Broke the Cycle in Dallas." I agree with the writes wholeheartedly, and with your response as well. However, I would like to go one step further: Family members CAN help "someone who doesn't want help" - someone who is in denial. Denial, and that "false sense of control" we call delusional thinking, creates havoc in relationships. However, this denial can be broken through with a process called intervention.

I recommend Intervention to anyone who is frustrated by another person's drinking or using. You don't have to wait for someone to "hit bottom," which could ultimately be death.

I am a professional counselor at The McDonald Center for Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Treatment at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, Calif.

To learn more about Intervention, call a local treatment center - or call our 24-hour Parent and Teen Helpline: (619) 458 - 4357.

-JOHN C. SEAMAN, M.A.

Dear Mr. Seaman: Thanks for a potentially lifesaving letter for the thousands of people who are hooked on alcohol and/or drugs - which they cannot.