Just Ask Andy

Andy is a perfectly ordinary tabby cat. Like many cats, he has his own Facebook page. He loves sunbeams and snuggles.

But Andy has a problem. He's addicted to catnip. When he admitted this problem online, something remarkable happened. People in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction flocked to his Facebook page, seeing themselves in Andy's struggle. What began as gentle humor became something much more, probably because Andy's human, Lori Magoon, MLADC, LCMHC, is a master's-level licensed alcohol and drug counselor.

"Just Ask Andy" follows Andy's journey from catnip abuse to clarity, after which the now sober kitty answers many questions Magoon fielded on her radio show.

Recovering addicts often feel alone, as do their loved ones. Andy's honest answers about addiction and its effects are a reminder that others are going through the exact same battle-and succeeding. Families can also use Andy's story to explain addiction to children, to help them gain a clearer understanding of the process.

Just ask Andy. He made it through the darkness and back to sobriety. So can you.