The first chapter addresses the nature and extent of the abuse of prescription and OTC drugs, followed by a chapter that describes the legal drugs most often abused, the dynamics of addiction, and the vulnerable populations. The legal drugs that are liable to be abused are in seven categories: tranquilizers, sedatives, antidepressants, stimulants and other diet pills, pain killers, steroids, and OTC drugs. The author notes that drug abuse is both a symptom and an autonomous disorder. As a symptom it is a reaction to what Anne Wilson Schaef calls "The Addictive Society." The third chapter examines this sociocultural context in which abuse of prescription and OTC drugs occur. This chapter is based on Schaef's thesis that Western culture is fundamentally addicted to power and control on the one hand and compliancy and subservience on the other. All other addictions and dependencies are ways of coping with these two fundamental addictions. Secondary addictions and dependencies, once established, take on a life of their own. They must be treated first; however, eliminating the primary cause will not automatically cure what Schaef designates the primary addiction. The author further advises that both the fundamental dependency of society and the secondary addictions and dependencies of individuals have a spiritual basis. They are a misguided and destructive attempt to overcome the anxiety generated by the tension between radical human limitation and human yearning for the infinite. Chapter 4 elaborates on the spiritual implications of drug abuse. Chapter 5 describes a pastoral response to prescription and OTC drug abuse in the individual and the family. It indicates that this disorder requires a holistic approach and multifaceted treatment. Pastoral caregivers, depending on opportunity and training, may enter the treatment process at various times and contribute in various ways, from initial intervention to prevention. Chapter 6 addresses the underlying societal disorder and delineates various ways in which pastoral persons may, by working toward systemic change, seek to prevent abuse of prescribed and OTC drugs. Chapter notes, 39-item bibliography, and subject index