Get answers to your questions about topics covered in the latest Webcast The Addiction Treatment Workforce: Where We Are, Why We're Here, and Where We Need to Be . Simply submit questions using this anonymous form, and watch for the next Road to Recovery Update to learn when the answers are posted on the Web site.

I am doing a project on steroids-could you please give me your contact details and some health service available service that you can give me on steroids.

Your question on information regarding "steroids" has several good resources that can inform you of services, facts, and myths.

There is a NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Report Series on "Anabolic Steroid Abuse." Please go to: www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Steroids/AnabolicSteroids.html.

For information on use of steroids in high school and middle school students, go to: www.aap.org/family/steroids.htm

For facts and figures go to: www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/steroids/index.html.

For understanding the chemical family that steroids are in and how they interact with the androgen receptors, go to: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steroid

For an international journal on research devoted to steroids, go to: www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/525022

For other information and facts on Steroids, go to: www.drugabuse.gov/Infofax/steroids.html.

Health services for steroids are community specific. You can check with your department of health or your department/division of alcohol and substance abuse at the local or State level to see what contacts they have available. Some private and public hospitals (general hospitals) will have information available. Also, check with any anti-drug coalitions in your area for resources. Should you have a community alcohol/drug center-this may be another resource. Your local United Way agency will also have contact information regarding treatment and resource centers for alcohol/drug issues and youth-related issues.

You may be the only person who does care enough to say something about this person's drug use-how it is affecting this person's life and your concern regarding how it has affected your relationship with that person as well. There is no greater harm than to say nothing-this gives the person permission to keep using. Once you say something-you will feel some relief that you did what you could. Let the person know-first off-that you are not judging them. Let them know you do care for them-even if you are leaving some of the closeness that you previously had-and if you leaving them is due to their drug use, let them know that. It is important for the drug user to know the consequences-especially negative-to their use. Let him know there is help available-and that he can start by going to a group of folks who are looking to be in recovery (self-help, NARANON or other such groups), and that an assessment of their use and need for treatment or other services is available. Most communities have publicly-funded programs where a person can call in for an appointment, meet with an addictions professional, and receive a full assessment of their use, their own history and patterns and at least come out with a clear diagnosis of need for treatment. This is a great step in discovering how severe the problem is and what options are open for help.

Check up on your person, let them know you care enough to say what may make them angry in order to help them stop and take a look at their behavior-that may be addictive-and that could, in the future, take their life if not assessed and treated. You do not need to feel guilty for saying or making these recommendations -this is what a true friend would do.

It is never easy to be in love with someone for an extended period of time and watch their addiction grow and then watch the other activities that come along with the addiction take hold-like the violence.

You have the right to choose a healthy life style. You have the right to leave an unhealthy and potentially dangerous situation. And in fact, for the other person to ever recognize that they have a problem, or an addiction, their partner must do something drastic! People in general, and particularly those who are addicted, do not change in the face of calm and peace. They change because they "have to"-when some one sets a boundary-or a clear dividing line of what is acceptable and what is not.

Your partner may not understand your actions in his/her active addiction. However, someday, the hope is that he/she will have the opportunity to do so.

In the meantime, it is now in your life court to decide how you want to cope with your decision to leave. Allow yourself to accept that you made a decision based on the most healthy manner to respond. If the previous partner dies-or gets worse in their addiction-that is most likely the addiction itself-living out the disease. However, if you were not courageous enough to leave-thereby setting a boundary?the idea that this addiction is a problem would never enter the addict's mind. The need to change would not occur to the addicted person. Forgive yourself for those things that you are holding close to you and your heart and know that you did the only reasonable and truly loving thing for you and your previous partner. If you have trouble-go to ALANON, or some other helping group, see a clergy or a trusted friend, and have a conversation regarding your feelings and inability to let go. You are not alone with this situation-be around others who can help you grow to your next level. And be blessed!

Yes, you are correct, you do want to the person who has addiction in their life know that they are loved "unconditionally." And, you want them to know that there are certain boundaries to your ability to be with them when they use or do other related activities as a result of their use. One can love and set a clear boundary-that helps the person see the consequences of their behavior and the affect it has on others. Keep up the great caring!

Following is information on three activities. I am not sure how close to you this location is. September is "Recovery Month" and so there are events scheduled all over the USA. Not everyone puts them up on the Recovery Month Web site. You can check the Web site as well for other events. You can also call 411 and ask for "Stormy Life Ministries" in the St. Petersburg area and call them to see if they are sponsoring an event. Have a great Recovery Month!

http://www.recoverymonth.gov/2006/events/eventlist.aspx?ID=14