Becoming the Man I was Born to Be – A Graduate’s Story

 

I have completed the Narconon Program. It has changed my life in many ways. When I got here, I was both physically and mentally defeated. Upon arrival I was unsure of what to expect. I was suffering from the effects of substance abuse. Once I was led into the building I was handled with care. I was fed and was given a room to rest after intake. The staff monitored me closely by regularly taking my vitals and providing me with vitamins and nourishment that was essential for early recovery. Together we practiced drills to open up my awareness of self and my surroundings. I was emotional and tired.

After several days I soon became more refreshed and had enough energy to move on to the next phase of detox via sauna program. While doing so I was able to remove all drugs and other toxins from my body. This took about a month – each day growing stronger. Each day feeling more hopeful.

There was a period during sauna when I was flooded with overwhelming emotions of stress and anxiety. It put me into fight or flight mode as the drugs left my system. I chose flight. During my clouded decision the staff very carefully guided me and encouraged me to stay through to completion.

This point in my recovery and decision to stay was paramount. This is where I had to decide to fight my old self inside and make changes that were imperative to my success. My “self-Rome” was not built in a day. I continued through the program each day until finally completing sauna. This was a feeling of victory. Victory for self-discipline, victory for self-cleanse – cleanse of all substance abuse, the start of my journey to become and meet the man I was born to be.

I entered the course room with a mentality that the staff had led me this far, that I would just take my hands off the wheel and let them continue to guide me. Starting the phase of Objectives (procedures to increase awareness in the present moment) was hugely a strange portion of the program as I was very new to these types of methods. I put one foot in front of another and just did them. The results are indescribable. Each day brought realizations to me like a chef serving brilliantly cooked food. These realizations were happy, sad, serious and even funny at times, about things and events over periods of my life. It was like an electrician reconnecting shorted circuits in my memory and allowing me to rediscover who I was and understand who I am now.

I worked through Life Skills following completion of Objectives. I became aware of Social and Anti-social personalities and how those behavioral characteristics affect me and my social group. I took inventory and made decisions of whom I require to keep in my life and whom is negatively harming me. I took a personal inventory of my own actions throughout my life and understand now fully how I affect others and myself.

“My family loves and supports me. I now love and support myself. I am full of confidence and am able to confront anything in life.”

In closing, I have now an arsenal of tools that I can carry with me throughout my life and am equipped for success. I have a strategic battle plan. My family knows my plan. My family loves and supports me. I now love and support myself. I am full of confidence and am able to confront anything in life. I don’t feel stress and anxiety is a master anymore that I can’t out-box. I am excited to lead by example as a Narconon graduate.

I am grateful for this experience. I am grateful to now be a positive producing member of society. Thank you.

—T.P., Narconon Arrowhead Graduate