Author David Sheff offers a new paradigm for dealing with addiction based on cutting-edge research and stories of his own and other families' struggles with--and triumphs over--drug abuse.

"An Eamon Dolan book." "With a new afterword."

1. America on drugs. -- This is your brain on drugs -- This is our nation on drugs -- 2. Why we use. -- Everybody does it -- Helping kids grow up -- 3. When drug use escalates. -- Use becomes abuse, and abuse becomes addiction -- Addicts aren't weak, selfish, or amoral, they're ill -- Don't deny addiction, don't enable it, and don't wait for an addict to hit bottom, he could die -- Intervention -- 4. Getting clean. -- Finding treatment -- Detox -- 5. Staying clean. -- Beginning treatment -- Primary treatment -- Treating drug problems with drugs -- Where does AA fit in? -- 6. Treating a chronic illness. -- Treating dual diagnosis -- Relapse prevention -- 7. Ending addiction. -- The future of prevention and treatment -- Fighting the right war -- Epilogue -- The Clean paradigm in twelve steps -- Afterword -- Appendix: Just say know.