Connor D. came to Silver Hill Hospital in need of help. In his low 20s, he was stealing money from family, going through medicine cabinets, taking Xanax by the handful, and hanging out all night with 'user' friends. It was time to make a change.

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We all want to keep our loved ones safe, so we remind them to wear their seatbelts, refrain from drinking and driving, and put up fences around their pools. These days, we should add another reminder to the list, because one of the gravest dangers is hiding in plain sight; painkillers in your medicine cabinet.

On June 10, 2015, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) celebrated its 80th anniversary. Founded in 1935 in Akron, Ohio by New York stockbroker, Bill W and Akron Surgeon, Dr. Bob S, both of whom were alcoholics, AA has helped countless people maintain sobriety over the past 80 years. AA groups and members quickly popped up all around the world.

The holidays are quickly approaching and many parents are eager to have their children home from college, but the son or daughter they dropped off in August may not seem like the same one that returns for the holiday season.

As fall arrives, college students are settling into their routines. The pressures of college create a great deal of stress for students. Keeping up with school work, getting good grades and navigating new social circles can weigh heavily on a young mind. How does one keep up?

April is National Alcohol Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about the health and social problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption. Many people are aware that heavy alcohol use poses dangers, but few realize how widespread the problems are.

Holiday celebrations and alcohol seem to go hand-in-hand for many, but for the 18 million Americans who have an alcohol use disorder the season might be a struggle, especially with the added stress that comes along this time of year.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Depression. Substance Abuse. Alcohol dependence. These are some of the disorders that many men and women who bravely serve in the military return home to face.

The first thing to understand is that alcoholism is a disease, not just a bad habit. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a full 20% of adults actually have a genetic marker for alcoholism—and while genetics do not necessarily dictate outcome, people with the genetic marker do have a higher risk of becoming abusers of alcohol.  However, even if you do not have the genetic marker, you could still become an alcoholic. In other words, if you drink enough for a long enough period of time, you will become addicted.

If you think only homes with young children need to be concerned about locking up their medications, you are wrong. While it is essential to lock them up if you have young children, this is not the group at the highest risk: the group most likely to misuse and abuse your prescription and over the counter (OTC) medications is teenagers.

Move-in day is an annual ritual if you are the parent of a college student. But while lugging heavy suitcases up too many flights of stairs may leave you exhausted, it probably leaves your son or daughter feeling adventurous and excited. Chances are, you go home and collapse and they go out to one of many welcome parties where old friends are reunited and new friends are made — and chances are, there will be plenty of drinking.