Recovery Should Restore Ability to Share

What a Drug Rehab Should Have:
Gaining the Ability to Share

When a person is lost in the mire of abusing drugs, the only thing that matters is more drugs. He may have lost many skills and abilities that he previously had in life, but now, with his focus narrowed to how he can get more drugs, he is not considering others in his decision-making. He certainly isn’t thinking about sharing things with others. His focus narrows down to just his own needs while loved ones may suffer from the neglect.

He also may have lost his footing in life and forgotten how to share emotions and deep-seated feelings with the people who were once important to him. The people closest to him are likely to feel that he is withdrawn and uncommunicative, a common thing that happens to someone with a drug problem.

The Ability to Share can be Recovered

When the person does choose a rehab program, it may be hard to find an effective one that will teach him the skills he needs to remain sober after completing rehab. Sharing is one of these attributes, according to the World Health Organization’s guidelines for recovery. The ability to share feelings as well as things with others occurs in almost all human relationships.

Sharing is an attribute that will be needed to restore old relationships as well as to create new meaningful ones. Being able to share with others in a positive way should help him stay on a sober path long after rehab is over.

As Part of the Life Skills Program at Narconon, a Person Can Learn to Share Again

Life Skills is a large part of the unique Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program. This part of the program consists of several courses with the tools a person will need to stay sober for the long haul.

Some of the tools learned in these courses help each person understand himself (or herself) and others better. As a person understands himself better, he usually finds that other people are not all that different, which create an improved empathy and rapport with others—something that was long gone during drug abuse.

On one of these courses, he will learn how to identify two different types of personalities. There are people who can help him succeed in life and others who will be bent on destructive activities. Knowing the different characteristics of each of these types of people can help him to choose better friends and associates for the future. With associates and friends he knows support him, he feels safer to share experiences and feelings.

On another course, he will learn tools to restore his own integrity and moral values so that he can be proud of his future choices. He can alleviate his guilt for actions he did but wasn’t proud of, using techniques he learns on this course. Feeling less guilty, he is likely to start communicating again with some of the people he may have stopped talking to and feel better about sharing with them in the future.

Wayne Learned to Share as Part of his Recovery at Narconon

Wayne was fortunate that he chose to come to Narconon Arrowhead in Oklahoma. Wayne said about his life before Narconon, “The drugs had torn me apart. I was in a downward spiral. My family considered me hopeless.” He added, “I couldn’t hold a job because of the drugs. The drugs ate me away little by little, and soon I became a nobody.”

Wayne said about Narconon Arrowhead, “The staff there welcomed me with open arms. Everybody was happy… Narconon has everything to offer including happiness. Everybody here is one big family.” Through the staff sharing their knowledge and skills with Wayne and the skills he learned on the Life Skills portion of the program, he learned to share again too.

After completing the Narconon program, Wayne said, “I have my life back. My family has their son back. And I’m ready to start living life on life’s terms. I’m happier than at any time in my life. I feel healthier than any time in my life.” He concluded, “When one can love himself, they can love everyone around them. It has given me my life back. Thank you, Narconon.”

With the help of the Narconon program, Wayne not only learned to share again, but he also regained lasting sobriety.

Next > Social Skills

Go back to Guidelines on Effective Recovery

Reference:

Conclusions from a United Nations Inter-Agency Meeting, World Health Organization, Geneva, 1999.