Shedding the Guilt Associated with Addiction
There is a lot of guilt that an addict carries around. This is a result of all the lies and deceit that come from living a life of addiction. John knows exactly how this guilt plagues an addict because he has been there and done that. John was an alcoholic and a drug user.
He said, “I used to drink a lot—to the point where I would drink every day. I didn’t care where I was going to get it, just as long as I was going to get more alcohol. That was how I got involved with other drugs, like cocaine and marijuana. It got me connected to some really, really bad people.”
He continued, “I drank so much alcohol that things were not going really well at all. I had this huge hole I was trying to fill all the time, every day, with more and more alcohol. I was really depressed. The guilt that you have is so heavy when you are using drugs because of all the lies you are telling over and over again—all the people that you’ve hurt. You continue to use more drugs and you continue to tell more and more lies. It goes nowhere. It’s a vicious cycle.”
Luckily John found the Narconon drug and alcohol rehab program. He saw that there was hope to get out of this endless cycle of lies. He also knew he had found something different than other programs he tried and where he failed to find lasting recovery. “It was amazing. I had been to other places, other different treatment centers, but when I got to Narconon all the people here were happy, smiling and were really genuine about the way that they felt. I just knew that I was in a better place.”
John felt a big difference when he began a key part of the Narconon program. This was the sauna-based detox where the toxic drug residues are flushed out of the body using a unique regimen of sauna time, nutritional supplements, and daily moderate exercise. These poisonous residues have commonly been associated with the activation of cravings for drugs or alcohol and once eliminated, make a big difference in an individual’s energy, outlook and ability to stay clean.
John described what he achieved in the sauna detox. “I realized that the cravings were actually going away when I was in the sauna part of the program. This is where you actually sweat out all the toxins in your body that help keep you addicted to drugs. My appetite came back and I just felt a lot better.”
The last phase of the program is life skills training, an important part in giving the recovering addict the chance to effectively manage his future drug-free life. At this juncture, the student is able to confront the misdeeds of his past and come to terms with them. He can, therefore, shed his guilt and move on with his life. John said, “After completing the Narconon program, I actually felt guilt-free. I was no longer the person I had been before I came to Narconon. That made me feel a lot better and more able to do the things I now do.”
He continued, “Once I finished the program, I actually got a chance to look back. I came in a person who was depressed, not really knowing who I was or what was going on in my life or where I was going. I left with a plan—knowing I could do great things. I have all this ability to do whatever I want, ready to conquer the world.”
The Narconon program gives an addict the best possible chance to get rid of his drug or alcohol habit and live a life without drugs, without guilt, without depression.
John completed the drug rehab program at Narconon Arrowhead in Oklahoma. He has been free from his addiction for over a decade and living a happy and productive life.