He drank for 27 years-four of which were spent on Washington, DC's skid row. But after 21 months in St. Elizabeth's Hospital, a mental institution, he left in 1974 to work in the field of substance abuse and alcoholism. Then, in 1985 he started his own counseling service and outpatient treatment program in Maryland. He has a staff of 11.

"If you believe you have a problem with alcoholism, seek help," advises Austin. "Support is available in many places in our society. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Seeking help for a problem is healthy. It is not a sign of moral degeneration or of weakness. Some people just can't drink.

"If you are not affected by alcoholism," he maintains, "please have compassion for your brothers and sisters who may be seeking a solution to this problem. We need to understand more about what destroys our loved ones, our neighbors, our communities, and our society."

In 1985, Paul Austin founded an outpatient program for alcohol counseling services in Maryland. His staff includes four counselors, one medical doctor, one attorney, one administrative assistant, and three Ph.D. psychologists. Several volunteers work in the program also.

EXCERPT FROM PAUL A. AUSTIN'S RETURN OF THE LOST ONE

FOREWORD

After reading this book, you might think that I have had too many chances at life. You might think that it is unfair for one person to turn down life so often, finally opt for success, and make it. I understand your feelings. Sometimes it seems remarkable to me myself that I am alive, healthy, and relatively happy.

I am 65 years old. I drank for 27 years of those years. And I spent four of those 27 years on skid row.

I had my last drink on June 8, 1972. On the next day, I entered DC Detox. Then, on June 12, I entered St. Elizabeth's Hospital, a mental institution in Washington, DC for treatment. There I spent 21 months on a locked ward for chronics. I was discharged on convalescent leave in early 1974. In 1976, I went to work in the field of alcoholism and drug addiction, and I have been there since.

In March 1985, I founded a counseling service with an outpatient treatment program certified by the State of Maryland for the treatment of alcohol and drug problems. As director, I employ 11 staffers including counselors, an MD, PhD psychologists, an administrative assistant, an attorney, and a bookkeeper. I have been sober now for over 30 years.

As you read this book, you will see how important my ability to con and manipulate enabled me to survive. I hope you notice that alcoholism has many faces. Two faces are especially noteworthy. One is represented by the three to five percent of the alcoholics who can be readily identified as having a problem. But our society has difficulty identifying the second face -- the other 95 percent who have a problem with alcoholism simply because their material gains -- new cars, great jobs, lots of cash, and friends-insulate them from detection. We don't look at what is really going on in those people's lives. And as a consequence, many of them die not knowing what took them away.

Alcoholism is chronic. That means if you have it, you have it to keep. It never goes away. It is also progressive, so if you have it for any given time, it gets worse, never better. It is also fatal. Not treated, it can kill! It ranks fourth in our national fatality rate. It is of the same magnitude as heart disease, cancer, and mental disorders. It has tremendous negative impact on us all -- from employees to loved ones.

If you believe you have a problem with alcoholism, seek help. Support is available in many places in our society. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Seeking help for a problem is healthy. It is not a sign of moral degeneration or of weakness. Some people just can't drink.

If you are not affected by alcoholism, please have compassion for your brothers and sisters who may be seeking a solution to this problem. We need to understand more about what destroys our loved ones, our neighbors, our communities, and our society.

If you have a problem, do something about it. If you don't have a problem, I hope my story will act as a preventive measure.

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