Tim and Mike had nothing in common. Tim was 19 years old and from a wealthy family. He excelled in school and sports and never had a problem finding a date. Mike was 53 and on the other hand had been divorced two times. He had three kids, none of whom spoke to him and he hadn’t held a job in over ten years. Seemingly, these two men were polar opposites had there not been one significant thing between them; an all-consuming addiction to heroin.
From shortsightedness, ignorance, or just the inability to accept that drugs do not discriminate, most people still consider they are immune to the horrors and devastation of addiction. For decades there were common perceptions of drug addicts; they were dirty, pale, malnourished, often times homeless and certainly from broken homes. It is true that drugs will destroy a body and often times it leads a person to a life of stealing, abandoning their homes and their families and letting personal hygiene become a thing of the past. It is also likely that some addicts had been regular kids growing up with typical families and living in normal homes, never considering that drugs would effect their family.
When confronted with a loved one’s drug or alcohol addiction, most families ask themselves what they did to cause it. What could they have done to prevent their loved one from succumbing to these poisons.
While it is almost impossible to stop those questions from being asked, it is more important to focus on getting the individual help and insisting the addict enroll in a long-term, effective drug treatment program.
Understanding that there are major misconceptions regarding addiction, one treatment center has decided to attack this epidemic while addressing the most common and hindering misconception; that addiction is a disease and people are powerless over drugs. Narconon Louisiana is a long-term, inpatient drug and alcohol rehab which ensures addicts do not live the rest of their lives battling this false idea. Proving this approach works is the 76% success rate for permanent recovery. As part of the Narconon Louisiana program, clients work one on one with a drug and alcohol counselor to figure out why they began using drugs and/or alcohol in the first place. Once that problem is isolated and addressed, they no longer go through life requiring a drug or a drink to numb their feelings or shelter them from the real world.
So, while Tim and Mike would have never have met or known each other, they did. As roommates in rehab, they learned they could break free from the molds and live the life they were intended to lead. If you or anyone you know is in need of help please call Narconon Louisiana at 866-422-4650 for more information.
