Are you secretly fighting addiction?  Or perhaps you are already seeking help?  According to a US agency, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism report, “Problem drinking that becomes severe is given the medical diagnosis of “alcohol use disorder” or AUD. Approximately 7.2 percent or 17 million adults in the United States ages 18 and older had an AUD in 2012. This includes 11.2 million men and 5.7 million women. Adolescents can be diagnosed with an AUD as well, and in 2012, an estimated 855,000 adolescents ages 12–17 had an AUD.”  Britain was named in one report “the European capital of drug addiction” and noted that many British youth are now abusing over-the-counter drugs and psychoactive substances to achieve what is being called “legal highs”.  The study noted that “one in 12 young people between the ages of 15 and 24 in Britain said they had taken NPS drugs. This equates to more than 670,000 people. In England, 6,486 people received medical treatment in 2011-12 after abusing these types of drugs — an increase of 39 per cent since 2005. Official figures also revealed that deaths involving “legal highs” in England and Wales increased from 29 in 2011 to 52 last year.”  The American Cancer Society warns that cigarette smoking is “still the most common form of tobacco use in the US: about 42 million (somewhat fewer than1 in every 5) adults currently smoke cigarettes. About 21% of men and 16% of women were cigarette smokers in 2012.”  Addictions take many forms and may require professional or medical help, but we should also never forget that God is real and that we can turn to Him for help in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16).  Below are some additional resources that may help.

https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2013/september-october/pornography-dirty-little-secret

https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2006/july-august/search-eternal-buzz

https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2008/july-august/glamorization-alcohol

https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2013/may-june/sowing-your-wild-oats

https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2005/january-february/pornography-pleasurable-pastime-or-toxic-threat

https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2006/november-december/is-saying-no-enough

https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2001/january-february/why-we-get-high

https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2005/september-october/real-abundant-life

https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2017/november-december/marijuana-what-they-arent-telling-you

https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2018/january-february/marijuana-is-there-any-good-reason-to-get-high