Narconon Freedom Center Hosts Inspirational Speaker

Talks with Narconon Students About Helping in the Community

Students attending drug rehab at the Narconon Freedom Center recently received a visit from inspirational speaker Eric Ross. The Freedom Center is located in the south-central region of Michigan and is one of the largest Narconon centers in the United States. Mr. Ross made his appearance there on the week of the Fourth of July as part of the festivities surrounding Independence Day. His focus during the talk was on ways for Narconon students to engage themselves upon completion of the program. After all, their lives following rehab will be very different than they were before. Rather than spending their time drinking or getting high, and focusing everything else in their lives on taking the necessary steps to satisfy their addiction, they now face a fresh new future, free from the chains of substance abuse and addiction. The question that many program graduates face, however, is “What do I do now?” Eric Ross’ answer is to get involved in the community.

The recommendation to volunteer and to participate in community outreach programs was not based entirely on altruistic motives. In addition to the importance of helping others, volunteering can also be an effective measure to prevent a relapse into addiction. The reasons for this are many. One of the simplest has to do with simple boredom and routine. Free from the all-consuming desire to get the next fix, a recovered addict will often have far more time on his or her hands than previously, and will sometimes have a tendency to fall back into old habits. This can include spending time with old friends who still drink or get high, as well as going to places where one was accustomed to engaging in substance abuse. By actively participating in the community, a recent rehab graduate can stay engaged with life and keep his or her attention focused on the present and future. Furthermore, the experience of receiving gratitude from a person whom you have helped can be a tremendously rewarding one. Mr. Ross recommended a number of different activities that the students could pursue following graduation, including arts and music programs, city beautification projects, local sports teams, bike rides and more. He paid special attention to the value of working with others who are currently trying to beat an addiction to drug or alcohol, as well as helping with drug prevention education and youth programs for keeping young people off drugs in the first place.

Recovered Drug Addicts Can Help Others Get Sober

Volunteering with addiction recovery or preventive education programs is a way for a recovered addict to come full circle. Such activities give the person an opportunity to return some of the help that he or she has received. Those who choose to do this can be enormously effective since they are speaking from their own experience and can, therefore, tell a story that is more likely to resonate with the people whom they are trying to help stay away from drugs or to quit. At one point during the talk, the point which the Executive Director of the Narconon Freedom Center highlighted as being the most important, Mr. Ross called upon those in the audience to participate. He asked them to share their ideas for ways that they personally could help to combat addiction and to clean up their own communities upon their return home. At the conclusion of the event, students reported that it charged them up, inspiring them to complete their journey to recovery and to make a difference in the community after graduation.

To view the full release: http://www.prweb.com/releases/Narconon-Freedom-Center/Michigaholisticdrugrehabb/prweb10922155.htm