Dr. Drew's Addiction Advice

How much of my addiction is hereditary?

60% of addiction is accounted for on the basis of genetics alone, OK? Now I can tell you in my clinical experience - I've probably treated 10,000 addicts in my career - and I can only think of about five that I couldn't see direct family members, first degree relatives with alcoholism or addiction. So it's almost without exception. The way I look at it is if you don't have the gene you don't get addiction.

Is overworking considered an addiction?

Addiction is really defined by negative consequences. So if you are only having positive consequences that really defies that definition. It is relationship problems, work problems, financial problems, school problems, health problems, legal problems. If those areas of your life are negatively affected by addiction and you have a family history-that is addiction.

What's the first thing I should do if I am an addict?

Well, it depends. If you've been able to identify addiction, the easy thing - the free thing - is to put your ass in a seat in a 12-step meeting, take the cotton out of your ears and put it in your mouth, raise your hand as a newcomer, ask for a sponsor, and just do the work. It's very simple. People are glorious in their recoveries, but a lot of people don't want to do the work, they don't trust it, they don't understand it, it seems like a cult - whatever. Go see a doctor who has experience treating addiction, and the problem there is that there's lots of different philosophies about how to treat addicts. I would encourage people to stay with abstinence-based treatment. I'm not saying no medication, but no medication that has any potential for addiction, no psycho stimulants, no benzodiazepines, no opiates - abstinence.