'LIGHT ON A HILL' SHINES FOR ADDICTS

March 17 was Substance Abuse Sunday at West Hickory Baptist Church. Through
guest speakers and distributing literature, churchgoers discovered the
enormity of the substance abuse problem and the importance of being a
"light on the hill for our community," said Mickey Miller, one of the guest
speakers.

"Our vision for West Hickory is to help meet the needs of people in our
community," Miller said.

Miller is West Hickory's guiding force behind events and programs to help
addicts and their families recover. She, herself, has been in recovery for
17 years.

Miller knows first-hand about being an alcoholic, about coming from an
alcoholic family, about being addicted to prescription drugs and about
being a compulsive shopper.

Miller is a certified substance abuse and family counselor. Until her
recent retirement, she worked at Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services of Catawba
County.

She also is a recovering co-dependent, a person with a dependent
personality disorder, as it is officially labeled.

This sufferer -- likely the product of an alcoholic family -- is literally
addicted to another person, Miller said. Co-dependents have low self-esteem
and don't take care of themselves. Their only focus is on the other person.

Helping the co-dependent recover is one of Miller's primary goals.

Miller presented some facts about substance abuse:

. One in 10 people who use and abuse alcohol and drugs becomes addicted,
and each of these people will deeply affect at least seven lives.

. Ninety-five percent of all addicts are fully functioning and appear to be
well.

. Substance abuse ranks highest among professionals.

. The fastest growing population of substance abusers is prescription drug
addicts. Miller said the sharpest increase is among ages 12-25.

"We and our children live in an addicted society," Miller emphasized. "We
have to be open to those who are suffering."

Other guest speakers explained the 12-Step recovery program and described
life in an alcoholic family. Miller said one woman admitted she did what
all children of alcoholics eventually do: "She got out as soon as
possible," Miller said. "She thought she could run away from it, but she
just took her problems with her."

Miller said people came up to her after the program, saying, "you sure
described me." They had recognized themselves in Miller's description of a
co-dependent and for the first time, discovered theirs was an illness for
which help was available.

Beginning April 7 at 6:30 p.m. at West Hickory Baptist, Miller will lead a
13-week Bible study, "Healing for Damaged Emotions."

She also plans to start a co-dependency group in April. It will meet at
West Hickory Baptist as well.