The Surprise of Discovering a Loved One’s Addiction
When a person is addicted to drugs and alcohol, they will often hide it from those they love. The reasons for this can be various – guilt, fear of how others will react, not wanting to face the consequences of one’s actions while on drugs, concern for reputation or being judged, and many others.
Therefore, it can sometimes come as a surprise to family to hear of a loved one’s addiction.
Such was the case for the mother of a recent graduate of Narconon Arrowhead’s drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.
“I never saw my son’s addiction. I found out when he told me he was going to rehab.”
Her story starts off like so many others whose loved ones get caught in the trap of addiction – with a typical life. For addiction can affect anyone, no matter their background, ethnicity, profession or income.
“My son was a typical boy when growing up. He likes music and is a pretty creative person. He had a normal, easy life. He is a very caring person. His boss was a yeller, but he has always been a pat-on-the-back, build-you-up-type of person. He is overall a good guy.
He drank beer when he was young. I knew about it, but I never saw him drunk. We lived in a very Catholic town and drinking was in the atmosphere of town. Parents would buy beer and kids would go over to their houses and drink it.”
No matter how a person starts using drugs or alcohol or what lead them to it, the consequences are always devastating in the end. Though sometimes they don’t show on the surface and can be hard for others to detect. Some individuals are able to work and function in life, by all apparency to their friends and family. For all too many the fact of being able to conceal the problem and to somehow “keep things going” can cause them not to reach out and seek the help they need – until it is too late.
But luckily in this case her son saw the need for change and reached out to Narconon.
“When I found out I was sad that something happen that made him go towards drugs. I was oblivious but I was happy that he was taking steps on his own. He decided to do something about it.”
Once at Narconon a person begins a step-by-step journey to repair the damage that drugs caused. This starts with the physical harm caused by replenishing lost nutrients and ridding the body of toxic residues through a unique sauna detoxification process. Then a person can address the underlying cause for their addiction and develop new behavioral patterns by learning the skills necessary to deal with the problems and situations encountered in life. As a person goes through the program they make more and more progress towards the ability to live drug-free.
“I felt like Narconon was really doing
what needed to be done for him.”
“While on the program they pushed him to limit. He enjoyed it there. I felt like Narconon was really doing what needed to be done for him.
I didn’t always follow what he was doing, but I knew it was very good for him. It has given him the means where if he is confronted with he something, he can look at it in an ABC fashion and work through it. I noticed him working the program. He was engaged and committed”
Through that commitment and determinism, her son successfully graduated the program and went back to work, now with the knowledge and ability to continue growing and be successful.
“He has a lot of tools to help with negative things that come up. I am glad he found Narconon. I think it is what he needed, and I’m glad he could get there right away. It was good that he went to Oklahoma – I think it made him more committed.”
Narconon Arrowhead has helped countless individuals and their loved ones fight to overcome the grip that drugs had on their lives. It is possible to re-build one’s relationships, career, health and confidence. That is what we work for every day.
“I’m very grateful to Narconon and the program they had that helped my son.”
—J.M., Mother of Narconon Arrowhead Graduate
