Many professionals and even government agencies present that idea, and support it with brain scan images and even plenty of scientific data.

However, if a completely different idea could result in full recovery from drug addiction, it seems that this would disprove the idea that addiction is a disease.

This will become clearer as you read on.

How does classifying addiction as a disease benefit anyone?

For one thing, we know that if addiction is classified as a disease, one would need to go to the doctor for medical treatment. This means about 22 million potential American patients in the form of drug addicts, plus tens of millions more outside the U.S. who would be treated by the medical industry. Pharmaceutical companies are busily working on creating more drugs to market to this segment of the medical industry.

In the past, pharmaceutical companies have sold heroin, morphine, opium, codeine and methadone, just to name a few drugs, which at one time were sold as non-addictive, and then later found to be as addictive as other drugs they were replacing. Recently, there are drugs prescribed under the brand names of Suboxone and Subutex, both formulations of buprenorphine that are given to addicts to help them get off other drugs or alcohol. These may all be prescribed for long-term “control” of drug addiction. What this means actually, is that a person trades one drug for another, and continues to take it, sometimes for years, providing a steady stream of income for both the doctors who prescribe and administer the drugs and the pharmaceutical industry who sells them.

Another point to take into account is that when one classifies addiction as a disease, its treatment is often paid for under medical insurance.
If one believes that addiction is a disease, then one might not consider other drug treatment regimens such as nutrition, faith-based, or other alternative methods of overcoming addiction. However, the fact is that nutrition, faith and other alternatives each have a part in helping many people to live a sober life following their addiction experience. By continuing to define addiction as a disease, it also allows one not to take responsibility for his condition, pointing to the “I’m sick” excuse as the reason for continued drug taking.

A more accurate definition of addiction would be a condition wherein one repeats compulsive seeking and use of drugs, alcohol or other similar substances despite the negative consequences, whether physical, social or mental. Usually, it also consists of both a physical and psychological dependency on the substance abused, and the appearance of withdrawal symptoms when removing the addictive substance.

In 1966, William Benitez, who founded Narconon, wrote this about his understanding of what addiction was:
“I realized that drug addiction was nothing more than a ‘disability,’ resulting when a person ceases to use abilities essential to constructive survival. I found that if a person rehabilitated and applied certain abilities, that person could persevere toward goals set, confront life, isolate problems and resolve them, communicate with life, be responsible and set ethical standards, and function within the band of certainty.”

Mr. Benitez found that he could apply the written works of L. Ron Hubbard on the mind and human spirit, to recover from his heroin addiction after many years of failing to overcome the condition. He continued by developing the first form of the Narconon program and had good results with other inmates recovering from their addictions. Later, after his release from prison, he started by opening the first Narconon center in Los Angeles, California and continued to help several hundred addicts return to sober lives.

If one reviews the average recovery rate from conventional programs in the U.S. dealing with addiction, most centers say that 16% to 20% of people recover from addiction. Some treatment modalities have lower rates.

But, at Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, seventy percent of graduates remain clean and sober after completion. This is one of the best recovery rates in the entire addiction rehab field.

If you are considering Narconon services for you or your loved one, consider your own philosophy of drug recovery. Then talk to a Narconon intake counselor and learn all the details of the Narconon program. Call today to get accurate, scientific-based data to help you make your decision.

More than 22 million American families are subject to the heartbreak caused by having a drug or alcohol addict in their own family, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The pain and suffering felt by the addicted person would add to this tally.

And in one’s own life, how many different areas are impacted by drug and alcohol addiction? Our insurance premiums are higher due to the percentage of people driving while drinking or on drugs, who contribute to the 10,000 additional traffic related deaths each year. The amount of pain and suffering felt by the families of those fatalities is immeasurable.

Another crime particularly popular with methamphetamine or prescription pain pill addicts is that of identity theft. If you have been a victim of this crime, it may have been committed by someone who needs another name to purchase a prescription under. The toll that drug and alcohol abuse takes on our community and our lives is overwhelming.

The answer to this problem lies in effective drug and alcohol treatment programs.

However, if you start to look for drug rehab programs and ask about their success rates, you may find that only 16-20% of their cases recover. If they cite a higher number, be sure to make an inquiry as to how their statistics are counted. The only real measure of success should be long-lasting sobriety following completion of the program. Some measure their success by how many complete the program, but do no follow-ups afterwards. And some have the attitude and believe that “relapse is a part of rehab.” That isn’t true.

At Narconon drug rehab centers in fifty locations around the world, the actual success rate, as measured two years after graduation from the program is 70%. This means that most (nearly three-quarters) of families who bring a family member to a Narconon center can have their loved one home again without the addiction problem. Their heartbreak and suffering can end, as will that of their addicted family member.

One of the keys to the success of the Narconon program is the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program. After the person has experienced a tolerable withdrawal from the drugs, he begins this step of the program. It involves daily time in a low, dry-heat sauna, accompanied by nutritional supplements and moderate exercise. It is through this unique combination of elements that the body is able to eliminate the drug residues that have been lodged in the body’s fatty tissues. These, when not completely eliminated, have been shown to be capable of causing cravings long after the person has stopped using drugs. It may be those cravings which contribute to some relapses that happen years after one has been sober.

In the Narconon program, once the process of eliminating these residues is complete, most report that they have far fewer cravings, and some report no more cravings at all. And, most report a fresh, new, brighter outlook on life, and more energy as well.

With this improved viewpoint, one then begins the next portion of the Narconon program where he learns the life skills needed to maintain long-term sobriety. Here he handles the issues that contributed to his starting on drugs in the first place. He learns skills to recover his personal integrity and rebuilds his self-esteem. And, he even learns how to handle people who may lead one back down the road to further drug abuse. Before one goes home from the Narconon program, each person has constructed a plan that he feels sure he can follow to continue to live a drug-free and productive life.

To find out more about how to help your loved one save the pain and suffering of drug addiction, and to get more information about how the full Narconon program works and where centers are located, contact a Narconon drug rehab counselor today..

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When he does finally make that painful decision, he will be likely to need help to find effective rehab and treatment. This is the time for the family to help. They will find there are many different treatment options, some far more effective than others.

Narconon has been providing effective drug and alcohol treatment for more than 45 years in fifty locations around the world. The success rate of sobriety for its graduates completing the program is 70%, far higher than most programs. The length of treatment of three to six months for alcohol recovery may be longer than what is offered in some programs, but this is in accordance with many official recommendations, including that of the National Institute on Drug Addiction (NIDA). Their guidelines state that participation for less than 90 days is limited in its effectiveness, and programs that last significantly longer are recommended to maintain a positive outcome.

The treatment program one should look for then, should be a long-term program. Some programs also offer drugs to help the alcoholic stop drinking, or other drugs that may usually be prescribed for mental disorders. Once they get sober, many alcoholics may not have any other mental problems than their addiction to alcohol, and besides that, these prescribed drugs are often addictive too.

Narconon operates on the philosophy that solving one addiction with addiction to another drug is not desirable as a treatment modality. In fact drug-less treatment and a full recovery is totally possible at Narconon, and is accomplished daily.

There is hope at Narconon for a full and lasting return to sobriety. Most recovering alcoholics who see that there is a real possibility of full recovery will not relapse and continue drinking. And most, after completing the program, do not show other symptoms needing any medications.

Another problem experienced by some treatment programs is that of treatment dropout. They recommend motivational techniques to keep patients involved throughout their treatment.

This is exactly what occurs at Narconon. Each individual is intimately involved from day one of the program. He starts with a surprisingly tolerable, comprehensive withdrawal step, followed by a deep detox on the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program. In both of these steps of the program, the physical addiction is addressed, and the recovering alcoholic gradually comes out of the fog of his addiction, assisted by trained staff.

The Narconon drug rehab program also addresses the need for the recovering alcoholic to be able to chart his course to a drug and alcohol-free life with training on several life skills courses. These teach him the tools he will need to maintain a sober lifestyle which include personal integrity, communication and many other skills. After completing all eight phases of the full Narconon program, the person has regained his self-respect, and gained the confidence that he can now live his life without resorting to alcohol or other drugs as an escape.

He only graduates the program when he has completed a plan to live a productive, drug-free life, and he is in no doubt that he can do so.

You may read stories of some people who have experienced the Narconon program at Narconon reviews. There is hope for a full recovery from alcoholism with the Narconon program.

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Both men and women can quickly become addicted and may turn to criminal actions such as stealing valuables from loved ones or others in the community or even prostitution to support this expensive habit.

One who is suffering from the torment of finding their next crack rock has probably lost hope and may have forgotten what it is like not to be addicted. To recover and live drug-free again may seem out of reach at this depth of addiction. However, recovering and returning to a truly enjoyable and drug-free life is possible and happens daily at fifty Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers all over the world.

The Narconon program that is standardized at each drug and alcohol rehab center begins by helping a person to withdraw safely from crack addiction with generous personal support. This allows someone to experience a surprisingly tolerable withdrawal, that does not have to include the intense cravings and depression that can sometimes follow stopping crack usage. This stage of the Narconon rehab program also provides full nutritional support to give the body plenty of energy and nutrition, which it loses over years of crack cocaine abuse. This nutritional support helps the person to avoid a “crash” which can occur otherwise.

Very personal one-on-one attention is characteristic of the full Narconon program. The next step involves a deep detox on the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program. On this step, one rids himself of the drug residues that are stored in the body’s fatty tissues. The individual does this by following a carefully supervised regimen of daily moderate exercise, time spent in a dry-heat sauna, and more nutritional supplementation. At the end of this portion of the program, most addicts report fewer or no cravings for the drug, along with an increase in energy, and the ability to think clearly without the fogginess caused by drugs.

Now that one is able to concentrate more easily, the next part of the Narconon program is a series of courses to enable one to move forward to living a drug-free life. It addresses training in such essential life skills as the ability to communicate with others more easily. One also learns how to relieve the guilt that results from harmful acts one committed while on drugs, as well as how to maintain his personal integrity in the future. There are courses that help one learn how to choose associates and friends who will be supportive of a drug-free style of life, rather than those who will bring one down.

At Narconon, there are techniques to teach each person the skills he needs to maintain lasting sobriety, and before graduating, he will chart his own course for a productive, drug-free future that he is confident he can follow.

If you or a loved one is suffering the pain of cocaine or crack cocaine addiction, it is possible to fully recover and start on your way to lasting relief. Many thousands have done so at Narconon centers around the world. Contact an Intake Counselor at Narconon to get rehab for crack addiction.

It can often happen that one inadvertently gets hooked on pain relievers. This is a story about a young man named Brandon, who used to ride BMX bikes, both motocross and stunt riding. He eventually injured his knee and required pain medications which were prescribed for him — opiates. This led him down the road to addiction.

Fortunately for Brandon, he found a Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility, and has just completed his full recovery from prescription drug addiction. Here is his story.

After hurting his knee, doctors performed surgery to rebuild it. Then he took the opiates prescribed following the surgery, and continued to take them afterwards as he felt better than when he didn’t take them. He never realized the addictive power of these prescription pain killers.

Continuing to ride BMX bikes, he also continued to injure himself, and thus was prescribed more pain killers. Finally, he was taken off the drugs, and began to feel sick, but still didn’t realize that he was suffering from addiction withdrawal. At about the same time, his friends were abusing opiate pain pills and he started too, at parties. At age 16, he started snorting OxyContin, and each time he did so, he didn’t feel sick. In addition, he started drinking alcohol excessively.

Eventually his parents realized what was happening with Brandon and they sent him to a rehab facility for 90 days when he was 17 years old. Unfortunately, Brandon wasn’t ready to quit, and didn’t actually realize the problem with drugs that others saw in him. So, after he was released, he quickly started smoking pot and drinking, and then drifted back to the pain pills.

During his senior year of high school in Richmond, Virginia he started snorting heroin. His friends told him that shooting it was “the way to go,” so he started shooting up and that began his hard-core addiction.

He then tried some rehab programs which used Suboxone (buprenorphine) to help prevent withdrawal symptoms. However, he didn’t realize that he was still taking an opioid drug daily; he just felt better with the Suboxone and assumed that he was doing better than when on heroin.

However, he’d keep drifting back to the friends who took heroin, and he’d slip back into using it again, sometimes selling his Suboxone, or even taking it in the morning so he could go to work, and then coming home to shoot heroin too. He was lucky he didn’t end his life then in an overdose, but he was just lost at this point and didn’t consider that possibility. At this time, he worked for his father hanging drywall, his only purpose being to make enough money for another fix. Weekends were devoted to drug use and partying, and by Sunday his money was always gone.

He went to another long-term rehab about the time he was 21, where he stayed for 11 months. However, even this long interruption of his drug-taking didn’t resolve the addiction pattern. Right before he was supposed to complete the program and graduate, he and someone else from the rehab left for the evening and got drunk. He left the rehab program the next day.

Brandon’s alcohol abuse quickly advanced into more heroin use and for the next two years it continued. Sometimes he could get a prescription for Suboxone but he didn’t use it unless he couldn’t get any heroin.

He finally did come to realize that he had to overcome his addiction. He and his family found the Narconon program over the Internet. With his family’s help, he made the decision to go to Narconon, although his commitment to finding lasting sobriety there was shaky at first. He heard from other students at Narconon how much better they felt and this encouraged him to give the program a real chance.

Once that happened and he started to work sincerely on the Narconon program he felt good about himself again; the first time in many years. He said that he started having a natural happy feeling – and one he hadn’t felt in a long time.

Once Brandon started moving through the program he was able to resolve old feelings of resentment: he says he finally began to grow up while on the program. Seeing himself finish the full Narconon program, the first rehab he actually completed all the way through, was a proud moment for Brandon.

He also chose to stay at the Narconon Rehab Center to aid others to recover from drug addiction. He’ll tell other students, “Dude, if I can do it, you can do it.” He adds, “I’m glad I did this program. With my experience in rehabs, I don’t think people could find a better place to be.”

If you or someone you care about has a problem with pain killer or other drug or alcohol addiction, contact a drug rehab counselor at Narconon International. You don’t have to be trapped in the cycle of addiction. Narconon offers an effective rehab program in fifty locations all over the world.

There are not many programs where a full, lasting return to sobriety is expected from an alcoholic or other drug addict. One hears that people are “hooked” and one cannot expect them to thoroughly kick the habit.

However, at Narconon drug and alcohol rehab centers around the world, seventy percent of its graduates remain sober at least two years after completing the program and returning home. The attitude and expectation of Narconon staff in more than fifty locations around the world is that one will recover from addiction, and lasting sobriety can be achieved. This is due to a comprehensive program which really works.

Narconon has been delivering effective rehab to people for more than forty-five years, on six continents of the world. The program has been improved and standardized over the years, so that one receives the same holistic regimen of eight highly effective program steps in each location around the world.

These include:

A tolerable withdrawal, which is made more comfortable through plenty of nutritional supplements and physical assistance which is similar to gentle body massages thatease the aches and pains and sickness sometimes associated with drug or alcohol withdrawal.

Thorough drug detoxification on the unique Narconon New Life Detoxification Program. This part of the program consists of moderate exercise, more nutritional supplementation along with good food, plus daily time spent in a low, dry-heat sauna. This closely-supervised regimen allows the body to eliminate drug residues that are stored in its fatty tissues, which have been shown capable of causing drug cravings many years after the person stops taking drugs. Reports from completions of this part of the program indicate that they have far fewer or no drug cravings, and that they gain the ability to think more quickly and clearly, unhampered by the lingering effects of drugs or alcohol.

One-on-one counseling to bring a person’s awareness of his environment higher, and get him out of the funawareness caused by drug and alcohol abuse, resulting in a brighter outlook on life.

Learning a variety of life skills which will ensure one can maintain a drug-free life following the program. One of these teaches how to choose associates wisely who will support a drug-free lifestyle. There are courses designed to relieve the suffering andguilt one experiences as a result of inflicting damage on loved ones have caused while addicted. There are other courses which address one’s ability to communicate effectively with others, and one which includes a modern, common-sense moral code, to help guide future actions for a better, more productive life.

The entire purpose of the Narconon program is to allow one to learn the skills which are essential to maintaining sobriety after the program is completed. It also addresses the reasons for starting the addiction cycle and allows one to relieve the guilt and depression which often accompany any addiction that if left unresolved could lead to future problems.

Most people going through the entire Narconon program spend from three to five months to achieve lasting recovery. Alcohol abuse rehab doesn’t take forever, and whatever damage that has occurred can be repaired. There is hope that you can find real sobriety for you or your family member, as well as the tools needed to maintain it, at Narconon.

Call to find out all the program specifics and to locate a Narconon centers near you.

Many people are turning to alcohol at earlier ages. In 2010, the average age of those starting to drink was 16.1 years of age, when one considers those who started drinking under age 21 in the U.S. Almost five million young people start drinking each year while they are still under 21. And, some of these also need alcohol rehab even at that young age. More than 28,000 youths under 21 went to alcohol abuse rehab while another 36,000 started at drug rehab for help with addiction to alcohol plus another drug, (often prescription pills or marijuana) in 2009.

On a somewhat positive note, the Monitoring the Future Study for 2010 showed a decrease in teenagers’ smoking (of tobacco) and alcohol use, but at the same time, there were increased numbers of students reporting marijuana smoking and prescription pill abuse. This annual survey of school-aged children in the eighth, tenth and the 12th grades showed no net improvement, but a switch in preferences, with marijuana smoking now outranking cigarette smoking and prescription pills gaining popularity at an alarming rate.

If you can raise a teenager who never drinks or uses drugs up until the age of 21, the National Center on Substance Abuse and Addiction at Columbia University studies show that this person will be almost certain never to drink or abuse drugs. And luckily, if they never use drugs or alcohol they will definitely not need alcohol abuse or drug rehab programs.

But, if your family is affected by the pain and suffering of drug abuse, even by very young people, the solution is effective drug rehab. Worldwide, one of the best results for lasting sobriety is obtained at Narconon drug and alcohol recovery centers. There are Narconon facilities in fifty locations on six continents of the world. In all drug treatment programs, most average about a 16 to 20 percent recovery rate. At Narconon, the average recovery rate is 70% of those who complete the program. Based on follow-up interviews, seven of ten stay drug and alcohol free at least two years following graduation from Narconon.

One of the reasons for this success is that Narconon treats both the body and the mental or emotional ties to drugs. It addresses first the physical withdrawal, closely followed by the Narconon New Life Detoxification Program, which effectively removes the drug toxins and residues from the body. This program addresses the urges or cravings that the residues can cause if left in the body’s fatty tissues where they are stored. Because of the unique regimen of daily moderate exercise, good nutrition with carefully administered nutritional supplements, and time spent in a dry heat sauna, the body is able to eliminate these residues so that they can no longer cause cravings. People completing this part of the Narconon program report far fewer and sometimes no more drug cravings, in addition to a fresh outlook on life and clearer thinking unclouded by the fogginess of drugs.

The Narconon program also addresses the life skills that the recovering addict needs to be able to reclaim his life and begin a drug-free and productive lifestyle that will last long after rehab is done. Before one completes the full Narconon program, he will have done eight different portions of the program, each addressing a different aspect of handling addiction and new life skills. This is a comprehensive, long-term program which is uniform all over the world. Whether you are in Asia, Africa, Russia, Europe or North or South America, there is a Narconon near you.

Find out all the details of the Narconon program by calling and speaking with a trained Intake Counselor at Narconon’s International headquarters

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These effects may be severe, but there are also the mental or emotional ties to drugs. When someone uses a drug for any period of time to escape or cope with the problems he faces in life, he feels he needs the drug to continue functioning. In fact, when he is drunk or in some way under the influence of a drug, he is not able to feel the usual feelings of stress or anxiety in his life, and may be operating with a sense of false euphoria. He may not even notice dangers in the environment which he should be aware of, and may cause or be involved in accidents or injuries due to operating in this fog created by alcohol or drugs.

Whether one decides to take his first steps to recovery and break the cycle of addiction, or he has tried many times to put the addiction behind him and failed, there are many alternative recovery resources available that do not follow the pattern of conventional 28-30 day programs.

Sometimes people don’t agree with the philosophy of various rehab programs, and wish to find one that more closely matches their own philosophy. Some people recognize it will take longer than just one month to repair the damage that drug or alcohol addiction can cause.

Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs around the world offer a comprehensive and drug-less approach to rehab which results in 70% of its program completions staying sober and drug free at least two years after graduation. This compares to about 16-20% recovery achieved at most conventional rehabs.

The whole person is addressed at Narconon in a holistic, long-term program that allows him to recover both physically and mentally from his drug abuse. One has the opportunity to examine the causes that led into the substance abuse in the first place, to repair the damage he may have caused others while he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol; and he learns the life skills he will need to maintain his sober lifestyle once recovery is complete. For most people, this complete rehab program will take anywhere from three to five months.  Each person progresses through the eight parts of this recovery program at his own speed. He then gets to achieve for himself each skill he will need so that he is sure he will be able to use these tools to rebuild and create a productive, happy and drug -free life.

Find out all the details of the Narconon program by calling  and speaking to a trained Intake Counselor at Narconon’s international headquarters. You can talk to them about your own situation for yourself or a family member suffering with addiction. You may feel better by just talking to someone who really understands the problem of addiction. There is hope for effective rehab at this alternative resource. Narconon operates fifty centers on six continents and has been helping people to recover from addiction for the past forty-five years.

There is also drug education available at various Narconon centers worldwide. Call today to schedule a drug education presentation, or to get help for you or your loved one.

Of all of them, Ecstasy is the most popular. It is very addictive and can be fatal if the user’s body temperature goes too high. For this reason, some party locales offer bottles of cold water at exorbitant prices and some offer “chill rooms” where the temperatures are kept low so that dancers can cool off.

Ecstasy is a stimulant, similar to methamphetamine, causing rapid heart rates and increases in body temperature. It also causes increased tactical pleasure in the user and sometimes leads to casual sex with persons who are practically strangers. One example was a woman who would go to clubs and get Ecstasy from a man. She then would feel close to him, thought he was her “true love,” and sleep with him, waking up the next morning wondering why she had done so. Then, due to her addiction to Ecstasy, she would repeat the same action the next night, and so on.

GHB, or gamma hydroxybutyrate, is a popular club drug that can be deadly. It often is used in the case of drug-related sexual assault, as the assault is made easier since this drug makes one physically incapacitated and helpless, and its victims are unable to consent to sexual activity. It is nicknamed “Grievous Bodily Harm” because it makes one disassociate from his body, and have no sensation of injury to it.

Since this class of drugs is synthetic, is all one would have to do is change a single molecule of the chemical formula to create a different drug, which may enable dealers to dodge laws designed to keep these drugs off the street.

As with any drug addiction like heroin, alcohol or cocaine, if one is addicted to club drugs, he needs effective drug rehab. For most users who are on the road to recovery, a long term program or 90 days or longer is the best chance one has for lasting sobriety.

At Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers in fifty locations around the world, it’s been found that a drug-less approach to rehab treatment is possible. The drug addict does not need to substitute another drug for the one he is addicted to in order to recover. Narconon offers an effective, long-term, alternative solution to drug abuse and dependency.

The Narconon rehab program addresses the physical drug cravings, as well as the guilt, destruction of relationships and other losses in self-respect that a drug addict suffers. In each Narconon facility, both the physical, mental and emotional reasons for drug abuse are thoroughly addressed in a safe, secure environment, designed for a complete recovery. The person who is recovering from drug abuse has a chance to regain his integrity and chart a course for his future, based upon common sense moral values and personal goals.

One learns skills at Narconon that can enable him to maintain a drug-free, productive life upon completing the program, and seven of ten graduates of Narconon remain sober and drug-free at least two years after finishing the program.

Anyone addicted to club drugs needs help to achieve a lasting drug-free future. There is help available at Narconon centers, with locations on six continents. Please call a trained intake counselor at Narconon to find out all the details of the full Narconon program. You can help someone you care about who is using club or other drugs to get clean and straight and back on track.

As a high school student in Texas Tim had used some marijuana and alcohol, but not so much that he got into trouble with them. The drug that eventually caused his devastation was methamphetamine, which he first sampled when a friend brought some to his bachelor party. He didn’t touch the drug for a few years after that, but when he found it again, it was ruinous for Tim.

He had been working as a salesman for an oil company, and was virtually exhausted at the end of every long day. Another worker on the oil rig offered Tim something one night that would wake him up – methamphetamine – and that was the beginning of the long downward slide of Tim’s life.

Meth was so addictive and expensive that it destroyed his good credit and financial status. It tore his family life apart, though they struggled to understand what had happened to Tim. To finance this costly habit, he started dealing the drug and eventually hooked up with others who were distributing Mexican-made meth coming across the Texas border.

He tried to avoid family as much as he could, except for a few holidays when he would show up, exhausted and unable to quit using drugs, despite his mother’s crying and begging.

At one point he did go to a short-term rehab for meth, but it didn’t end his cycle of addiction. Tim commented that it was his bad choices he felt had gotten him into trouble, and this program didn’t address those, but considered that drug addiction was a disease. That approach wasn’t helpful to him in handling his addiction.

Ultimately in 2010, Tim realized he had to change his life, and that nothing would go right until he could find a real solution to his addiction. Luckily, with the help of his caring family, he was able to get to a Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program.

At Narconon he leaned the real reasons for his addiction and why he had made those bad choices in the first place. By understanding those and recovering his sobriety at Narconon, both physically and emotionally, he charted his course to a new drug-free life.

After he had achieved his own recovery, Tim decided to stay and help others at Narconon to recover from that destructive cycle of addiction he’d found himself in just a few years before.

In Tim’s own words, “Recovery is all about regaining control of your own life. I don’t believe that addiction is a disease. It’s a choice. The end result of addiction can only be one of three things: death, penitentiary or sobriety. By working here, I can help others find sobriety instead of the other two outcomes.”

Tim also felt that the new sober life he found had helped him to be a better Christian. He learned self-discipline and what he learned “made him a more spiritual person,” he said.

Get help for yourself or a loved one today at Narconon. You too, can beat the addiction to meth or other drugs. Tim did. The same help is available to you or one you love. This is just one out of thousands of Narconon reviews.