Two Decades of Freedom: Life After 30 Years in Hell

I grew up in St Louis, Missouri, struggled a bit with school but got through it while

doing the usual kid stuff, and overall had a good childhood. My father worked hard and we always had what we needed and food and a roof over out heads. I probably did not appreciate that as much as I should have at the time, but I do now looking back. A memory that I will always count as one of my best as a young boy was spending time on the river with my dad, learning to water ski.

In high school I started to smoke marijuana. At first this was just socially with friends, but within a few years it had opened the door to hash, LSD, speed and eventually cocaine and heroin.

That went one step further and I started selling drugs to be able to afford them. At the time it seemed great — I got money and free drugs and had friends and women by the dozens.

But then the world changed. I lost my job. I was not a good husband or father and lost two marriages and my 4 kids except for the odd weekend. I had it all justified that I was only hurting myself, but I now know that I was hurting all of those around me and that I was not looking at the bigger picture.

It got to the point that my arms were so destroyed by needles I could no longer take drugs that way. I was at the point that I was sick and tired of this life but did not know how to get out of it.

One day my brother called me and asked me to come by the house. I got there and found the family waiting and they did what is called a family intervention, showing their love for me and convincing me to do rehab. They had discovered a drug rehab facility named Narconon Arrowhead which seemed like a perfect fit for me, and within a week I was on my way there.

“I started the program July 4th, 2004
and I have been sober since.”

I started the program July 4th, 2004 and I have been sober since. This was a very fitting date — I consider that by going to Arrowhead and doing the program, I had claimed my independence from drugs.

I was amazed how friendly the staff were. The students on the program were friends and had a good bond. I got big wins especially out of the sauna portion of the program, getting all of the drugs out of my body, and on the “objectives” portion of the program where you stop looking at your memories of the past and come into the present moment, looking towards the future.

My mother and sister came to my graduation and I still remember how good I felt about myself and my accomplishment finishing the program. I knew then that I would never go back to using drugs.

I won’t say that getting off drugs was easy, I did have to work at it, but it was well worth it. The Narconon program gave me tools to ease the pain without having to use drugs and I now work helping others recover from drug addiction.

My advice to others is that they do not have to live in hell for 30 years like I did. There is help out there. Make your mind up that you want to get away from the drugs. Put the time that you spent looking for drugs into filling the hole that you were in with good things. If you stumble pick yourself up and keep going forwards. If I can do it, anyone can.

Raymond R., Narconon Graduate