A New Life After OxyContin: How I Took Control Again

I am a native of and still live in the Metropolitan Detroit area. My story goes from that of a very normal, happy life, as a child, then teenager going to school, then college and then getting a job, then to the extreme low of drug addiction and all that goes with that, and now, back to the top, being a mother with a great marriage and 2 wonderful sons.

One of the happiest times in my life from before I started doing drugs was becoming an aunt and enjoying my 3 nephews and niece. My love for them helped later helped save me from addiction, as I will explain.

I had never used drugs and had no desire to use drugs, myself. However, in my mid-20s, I made the mistake of getting a boyfriend who was using OxyContin and seemed to find the drug more important than our relationship. I then made another mistake, trying it myself. I was soon addicted.

My life became one of losing relationships, losing jobs, losing my house, and overall going further and further down.

Then one of my uncles sent a letter to me and my entire family about my drug-use. I could see later that he did this to help me, but at the time, I was very upset and in a fit of anger, I stole the TV off my father’s wall, intending to sell it to buy drugs to kill myself. I had hit bottom.

My father did some fast research on drug rehabilitation programs, brought me information on a number of different programs, and told me to choose the one I wanted.

At this point, my love for my niece and nephews came into play. My sister, who had received the letter from my uncle, called me and asked me what she was supposed to tell them. That was the point at which I decided I was going to do whatever was needed to handle the addiction.

From the materials my father gave me, I chose Narconon. I was especially attracted to the part of the program that used sauna, vitamins, and exercise to remove drug residues from the body. I also liked the fact that Narconon Arrowhead, located in Oklahoma, was not in my home territory, but was far from the influences that had been part of my drug life.

I was a little apprehensive when I arrived at the Narconon facility, as I did not know what to expect. But the staff were great and the one who got me through drug withdrawal, the first part of the program, was awesome and really helped to get me moving on the program. I made the decision that I was going to apply myself to doing the program fully, and it was absolutely the right decision.

I was correct about the sauna portion of the program and how healthy I felt when I finished it. But the Narconon life skills courses were also great, and doing those, I had realizations about how I became addicted and that I did not need them in my life. I learned to stay focused on what I was doing and on my goals.

I met my husband, who had earlier done the program, through a mutual friend at Narconon, and we are now raising 2 sons.

“I have been clean for almost 11 years.”

I am able to think for myself, be in control of my life and set the direction I want it to go.

I have good relationships with my family.

What I would tell others who have problems with substance abuse is to find a good drug rehab program, then make recovery from drug addiction their own ― learn the information and apply it to themselves and their lives. My husband and I found what we needed in the Narconon program and have applied it ever since.

L.P., Narconon Graduate