Kicking the Addiction Habit for Good
The tragedy of the life of an addict is sometimes hard to understand until you listen to the story of one heroin addict. Mitch explains. “When I was addicted to heroin, my life was a complete disaster. Nothing mattered to me - my family, my friends, my job. I just threw it all away. The only thing I cared about was that drug. I’d do anything possible to get it and it didn’t matter who or what I messed up. I completely destroyed relationships. My life was in shambles. I couldn’t function at all without the drug.”
He had tried before to get clean. He said, “I had been to four other rehabs and I completed all of them. I was clean when I completed each of them. But the cravings would kick right back in and I would immediately go and relapse into drug use. I’d give in to the cravings.”
Then Mitch found Narconon. A very different approach to addiction treatment than the traditional facilities available today, Narconon truly gives an addict the chance for a drug-free life, one where dreams can once again come true and life is fun again. One of the most successful programs for treating drug and alcohol addiction, addicts all over the world have found lasting sobriety with Narconon.
The first step is the withdrawal phase, and this time, it is one that the participant does not need to dread. Mitch found withdrawal to be nothing like previous times. He said, “When I first got to the withdrawal portion of the program, it was unlike anything I’d ever seen. They weren’t giving me drugs to replace the drugs that I was already on. So I didn’t end up addicted to anything else. They give you vitamins and other supplements that make the withdrawal symptoms minimal. It’s amazing. Usually with the withdrawal symptoms, you don’t want to move, you can’t get up, you’re just lying there dying and screaming. But at Narconon I didn’t go through any of that. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen before.”
Once the withdrawal is complete, the recovering addict goes on to begin the Narconon New Life Detoxification. This sauna-based detox removes drug residues and toxins so the person does not get the harmful effects of residual drugs that have been stored in the fatty tissues. These poisonous residual drugs are known to be a contributing factor to the generation of drug cravings. When they are eliminated, the person notices the difference. Mitch was amazed by the sauna portion of the program and said, “The sauna detox completely changed me. Once I completed it, I felt better than I’d ever felt in my entire life. I felt even better than before I started using drugs. I felt so clean and pure.”
In addition to the relatively comfortable withdrawal and the thorough and innovative detoxification, the Narconon program includes life skills training that is invaluable in maintaining a sober life. This training is not just reading materials but includes exercises that help the student learn to apply the knowledge he gains to his life. He learns reliable tools which he can actually use to improve conditions in every area of his life and in his relationships. Life skills training can help him maintain that sobriety for the rest of his life.
One of the six life skills training courses the student will do is the Way to Happiness Course. This is a non-religious, common sense moral code which is a valuable guide to living happily and staying healthy. Some of the chapters include “Set a Good Example,” “Safeguard and Improve Your Environment,” “Be Competent” and “Be Worthy of Trust.” All these factors come much more under the control of the recovering addict as he reads and understands simple concepts in living a happy life.
Mitch talked about the things he learned at Narconon. “At Narconon you learn how to stay clean, and that’s the biggest thing. You get tools and things to do when you are out there in the real world to help you stay clean and be around the right people and the right environments. It’s like a safeguard for your own sobriety.”
He added, “When I completed the Narconon program it was one of the best feelings in my life. I had that certainty that I was never going to have to rely on another drug for the rest of my life. I had myself back! You know when you look at your baby pictures and you see that little kid and he is just so happy? I actually felt like I had that kid back. I was just happy to be alive!”
Narconon helps addicts overcome addiction. It is a problem that is something that can be fixed. As Mitch says, “That is all addiction is - a problem. It’s not a disease; it’s nothing that is incurable. It is very definitely curable and you can have your life back.”
Narconon is so proud to help men and women of all ages get their life back and go on to fulfill their dreams. It is an addict’s chance to kick addiction for good with the Narconon program.
Mitch completed the program at Narconon Arrowhead.