A Crack Addict Goes from Thief to Family Man
The family of an addict is often appalled at the levels to which an addict will stoop to get his (or her) next pill or drink. The child that was on the honor roll or who had such incredible dreams for the future is suddenly stealing everything that isn’t nailed down to sell for drug money. This is so unlike their loved one that the family members can hardly believe it is happening. However, the person addicted to drugs or alcohol throws aside all personal values and ethics as the cravings drive him further and further down. Phillip knows what this is all about because he has been there.
Phillip describes how his life was when addicted. “From the age of twenty, I started smoking crack. I had stolen from my mother, done a lot of bad things to my wife and hurt my children. I had been through several rehab programs but for six years I didn’t think there was any hope—not until coming to Narconon.”
Narconon is a drug and alcohol rehab program that provides comprehensive treatment for lasting recovery. The staff truly care for and help the recovering addict move through the program and gain increased confidence and certainty that he can go back home and leave drugs behind forever. This is what recovery is all about. Drug or alcohol addiction is not considered an incurable disease at Narconon. It is completely possible to recover from addiction and stay clean without an ongoing struggle or ongoing counseling and meetings.
The program begins with the withdrawal from the addict’s drug or drugs of choice. The nutritional support helps strengthen the body. With one-on-one work with the trained staff, the recovering addict discovers that withdrawal at Narconon may be the most tolerable experience he ever had getting off drugs. Phillip said, “Coming to the Narconon withdrawal program, I was coming in from a seven-day crack binge. When I got there, the staff were very nice and friendly. They helped me come down from the drug, get through the anxiety and depression.”
In addition, to flush out residual drugs lodged in the fatty tissues of the body, the Narconon program has as an important step—the sauna detox. This is the Narconon New Life Detoxification where, by employing time in a sauna, moderate daily exercise, and generous nutritional supplements, these residues are eliminated from the tissues. Afterwards, the recovering addict feels clean, healthy and often comments about how his cravings are greatly reduced, or even gone.
The life skills training is another integral part of recovery. Through the study several courses, the participant learns many things that will enhance his ability to stay sober after finishing the program. For instance, the recovering person learns how to improve his communication on the Objectives Course and then goes through a series of exercises that help him recover the brightness of perceptions that was lost during heavy drug abuse. Additionally, the guilt that an addict carries with him for all his past misdeeds is addressed on the Personal Values Course.
Phillip did both these courses and said, “My biggest win was just being able to have good communication and a really good relationship with my wife and my mother—being able to talk to them and look them in the eyes without any remorse or regrets for the things I’ve done to them.”
Phillip added, “The Narconon program gave me the tools and the knowledge on how to actually stay clean for good. I learned that I wasn’t actually an addict and I wasn’t in this hopeless situation and that I could change my life. Now I’ve been clean for two and a half years.” Phillip’s life is on track and he is back in control. This can be the case for anyone addicted to drugs or alcohol when doing the Narconon program.
Phillip completed his drug rehab program at Narconon Arrowhead.
