I was addicted to pharmaceutical drugs and marijuana for many years. Before everything fell apart, I tried Meth for the first time and found myself in rehab within a few weeks. I had been addicted to Suboxone, Adderall, Gabapentin and Clonezepam. The dependence on these drugs destroyed my relationships with my friends and it had all but destroyed my relationship with my family. I believed I would probably die and never quit taking those powerful substances. The only form of treatment that I had tried was Methadone maintenance therapy. This type of treatment was not effective at all for getting me clean. I was simply trading an addiction for another addiction.
When I was in the depths of my habit, my family gave me a choice of getting help or being shunned by my family. I chose to get help and came to Narconon Suncoast. When I got to the Sauna detoxification part of the program, it helped me tremendously with the sleeplessness, irritability, having no appetite and just not feeling good. I finally got my natural sleep back and I felt 100% better than I’ve ever felt before when I tried to quit drugs. It also helped to quiet my mind. The Objectives course helped me to cope with my anxiety and gave me the ability to deal with things instead of running away from them. Finally, the Life Skills courses was probably the most important, in my opinion. I finally got to handle the real-world issues that I really needed to deal with in order to prepare myself to go back into the world and to become a responsible, productive person. I have big plans for after treatment. I will be going back to college and hope to be a successful doctor. I will also be working my way through college and making up the damages I caused my family.
I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is addicted to drugs and thinks there is no way out. There is a way out and if you’re struggling to get clean, you need to come to this program over any other.
D.L. – Narconon Suncoast Graduate
Filed under Success Stories 
Clearwater, Florida – Narconon Suncoast drug rehabilitation program is urging families to clean old and unneeded prescription drugs out their medicine cabinets this weekend in preparation for National Rx Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, October 22nd.
This annual event helps purge unwanted drugs from homes where they might be easily diverted into the hands of a young person or drug-seeker. Addicts aged 18-15 report that the number one source for their initial prescription drug abuse was a medicine cabinet of a friend or family member.
The DEA’s Take-Back Initiative highlights the prescription drug abuse epidemic while also addressing other public health issues like accidental poisonings, disposal and misuse. Additionally the campaign seeks to raise American awareness that the previously held practice for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
Last April’s event, Americans turned in 447 tons (over 893,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 11 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 6.4 million pounds—about 3,200 tons—of pills.
For more information about prescription drug abuse, symptoms of addiction and drug testing, contact Narconon Suncoast Rehabilitation. If you suspect someone has become addicted to prescription medications, please call and speak with a counselor immediately.
NATIONAL TAKE-BACK DAY INFORMATION:
October 22, 2016
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications.
For the drop-off location nearest you, use the link below:
Narconon Suncoast’s community drug abuse prevention program is focusing on prescription drug abuse awareness this month. The drug treatment center provides complimentary parent/family drug abuse prevention seminars in Clearwater and Living Sober meetings in Dunedin, Florida. These meetings and seminars help reinforce the key steps to living a healthy, drug-free life and learning how to help those suffering with addiction. The Living Sober meetings also provide drug prevention information for families and coaching on how to talk to someone about addiction and get them into treatment. October’s topic is “Getting an Addict into Treatment and Healing the Family.”
More information:
Yvonne Rodgers
Director of Community Services
(727) 304-4176
Filed under News
Upon successfully completing the Narconon Suncoast program, a recent graduate recounts the wins and gains he experienced while getting off drugs and handling the core roots of his addiction.
“Life is a crazy thing. One second you feel like you’re on top of the world and the next thing you know it, you feel like the mold on the last piece of bread in the loaf. I’ve always had a range of emotions and problems, but today I realize that using drugs never helped any of that. I’m not going to stand up and preach about what you should and shouldn’t do but I am going to tell you what I did and what I’m going to do.
“I came to Narconon Suncoast from another rehab program. I could have easily just stayed in a program that I didn’t believe in and that wasn’t working for me, went back home to Chicago and took my chances. But I was tired of doing that. Tired of trying and failing and going to rehabs that didn’t work. I was mentally, emotionally and physically shot. I didn’t have another run left in me. I knew I needed some time to work on myself, so I came to Narconon Suncoast.
“Not many people have the ability to put their entire life on hold for 3 months to get clean, but we do. Addicts do. I know this and I will no longer take any more time for granted. Some of this might seem insignificant, but like I said, I’m going to tell you what I did, because I was the type of person who would cut corners, find shortcuts and take the easy way out.”
“I listened to the counselors. For the first time in my life, I listened instead of pretending that I knew everything. I helped other people in the program. Getting clean is tough and we shouldn’t have to do it alone. I was honest and thorough every step of the way. I finally looked at the type of person I was and the destruction I caused myself, my friends and my family. I handled the past and finally feel like I can move forward in my life. I’m not craving drugs for the first time since I started using. I actually dealt with the things I never wanted to deal with, never wanted to face. Because to face those things from the past made them real.
“From all this hard work, today I am truly free. I feel mentally and physically better than I have ever in my life. I’m going to keep doing the things that have kept me sober and kept me from being my own worst enemy. The staff at Narconon Suncoast have been a great help to me. Their dedication to the work they do is amazing and I owe them my life.
“I now feel like a completely new person. I’m ready to move forward. I’m ready to start a new life. I’m ready to live drug free, for good.”
G.R.
Filed under News, Success Stories, Testimonials
“My life before Narconon was chaos, if I could put it simply. I started using drugs at a very young age, but I was basically a “weekend warrior.” Then around 7 years ago, I found myself doing pain killers. Before I knew it, I became completely addicted to them, the drugs took over and began to control every aspect of my life. I started losing jobs, friends, family and relationships. I was running from the police and enemies every day, all day. After three other failed rehab attempts, I found myself stuck running the streets. My parents lived in fear that I would end up dead or in prison and I was at the point in my life where I had no hope and basically didn’t even care if I died. Then my mom called me one day with one last opportunity to change my life and go somewhere that was completely different than anything I had ever tried.
“That’s when I came to Narconon. I was coming off serious amounts of drugs when I walked through the gates. During my withdrawal, the staff did everything they could to make it comfortable for me. After about 2 weeks of “kicking,” I went into the sauna detox portion of the program. I was actually excited to sweat out all the drugs I had done and find out for myself if it really worked.
“It actually works!
“I came in to the program at 166 pounds. After withdrawal and sauna my weight came back up to normal at 196 pounds. Sauna finally freed my mind of cravings and thoughts of wanting to use. I’ve never felt this well in body, mind and spirit. Now, at this point in my program, I ‘m willing and able to actually work on myself and change my life. My mom and I genuinely laugh together when she visits or we talk on the phone. My dad is finally willing to speak to me and see me. I plan on relocating away from the town I’ve known for so long and start over somewhere new with a completely different mindset. I would recommend this program to anyone trying to free themselves and become drug and alcohol free for good.
“It really works and I’m proof of that!”
C.G.
Filed under Success Stories, Testimonials
There was a time when every little anxiety, sadness or even really good mood wasn’t considered a “problem.” As time has gone on, medications have been a “go-to” when people don’t feel well. Anxious? Take a pill. Headache? Take a pill. Depressed? Take a pill. In a really good mood all time? Yeah, that’s a problem, take a pill! The ups, the downs, the good times and bad times can all have some disorder and medication attached to them. There’s a medication for everything these days. No matter what the problem, yep, there’s a pill for that!
Kids aren’t free to be kids anymore. Most kids have tons of spastic energy and would much rather be running around and playing outside with their friends. Furthermore, when kids are having trouble, not feeling well or are unhappy, no investigation is done to find out why. Here is an all-too familiar situation:
Teacher Mrs. Jones notices that Joey is gazing out the window during class and not paying attention. She gets Joey “tested” by the school doctor or social worker.
or
She can also have a conference with Joey’s parents and urge them to take him to a doctor to get him tested and medicated.
That’s laughable. Yeah, they can totally give him medication to help with that; Ritalin. For those who are completely unaware of what Ritalin is, the chemical is Methylphenidate, which has similar effects to cocaine and methamphetamine. That’s right, give Joey a little “legal speed” and he’ll pay attention all day, love school and get great grades.
What this actually accomplishes is it teaches Joey, at a young age, that if he ever has any problem, any discomfort, that taking a drug is the answer. Does anyone else think this is a bit ridiculous? No one has thought to try and figure out the reason Joey is distracted and staring out the window instead of paying attention in class.
Maybe he had a fight with his parents and is upset.
Maybe his parents are fighting and about to get a divorce.
Maybe Joey doesn’t sleep well at night.
Maybe Joey is getting bullied.
Often his diet is full of sugar, making him over-active and distracted.
No one has cared to ask any questions. Instead, his teachers say:
“He can’t pay attention and surely has ADHD and needs to get on medication to help with it.”
If his teacher, guidance counselor or principal took the time to try and get to the real reason Joey can’t pay intention in class, he might have been spared being put on hardcore drugs as a solution to his inattention.
Unfortunately, the same scene is occurring with drug addiction. Most people either in the addiction field or the addicts themselves are made to believe that addiction is a mental and spiritual “disease” to which there is no hope of a cure. When addicts enroll in a drug rehab program, they are most often told that they have co-occurring mental illness, which requires more drugs in the way of psychiatric medications.
There are a few things that can cause mental and emotional discomfort that rehab physicians and counselors never look at. For instance, toxicity in the body can cause a person to feel sluggish, have low-energy where it’s hard to even get out of bed, mental cloudiness, drug cravings and poor physical health.
Drug residues apparently get lodged in the fatty tissues of the body and get re-released into the system during periods of stress or exercise. Basically, anytime a person burns fat, which is anytime their heartrate increases, these residues go back into circulation, causing the person to re-experience the effects of the drugs they’ve taken, even years after stopping. Also, a person’s diet and level of exercise also plays a part. Food allergies regularly cause mental distress. While a person may not be so allergic to milk that they get horrible stomach aches, they may be allergic enough to where it causes them to feel depressed, sad or anxious. According to a well-known doctor, Dr. McDougall
“In some people anxiety, depression, and fatigue are caused by allergic reactions to foods. The most common causes of food allergies are dairy products, followed by eggs”. https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/education/health-science/common-health-problems/depression-and-anxiety/
In mainstream drug treatment, no effort is put towards finding out why a person has turned to drugs or why drugs became their only solution to life’s problems. There are underlying reasons to addiction and they are not because the person is “diseased” and requires more drugs.
There are many other “why’s” that a person becomes an addict and stays an addict and it’s surely not mental illness. Unfortunately, mainstream drug and alcohol treatment doesn’t put forth any effort to figure it out. And why would they when it’s easier to medicate addicts, tell them they’re diseased and there’s essentially no hope in ever being “normal.”
A little enlightenment can go a long way. Not every up and down in life is a “mental illness” and requires more drugs. Life is full of good times and bad times, times of heartache and times of sheer joy. And in no way is that indicative of “mental illness.” If no one has said this out loud before, let it be known that addiction can be handled; that there is hope and there are actual reasons behind a person’s addiction. If these underlying causes are accurately identified and handled, a person can then live a normal life, free of cravings and free of their addiction without needing to take drugs, alcohol or psychiatric medication.
Filed under News
I was using heroin and crack before coming to Narconon Suncoast. I ruined my relationships with my family and I was the type of person who would hurt everyone around them. I lied, cheated and stole from people to get what I wanted. I didn’t care about myself or anyone else for that matter. I was living in Hallandale, FL selling drugs and working in a telemarketing room, ripping people off for a living.
I also have a son who I was not being responsible for. I wouldn’t talk with my mom and actually completely disconnected from her during my addiction and broke her heart. I saw a lot of people die from drugs including my sister and a very close friend of mine. I even robbed by best friend for $5,000. In the end, I just couldn’t run from myself.
After using drugs for over 14 years, I realized that I was going nowhere but down. I had to do the hardest thing that I ever had to do, which was to call my parents and tell them that I needed help because I was using drugs and had lost control of my life. After losing my apartment, I moved into a shack in someone’s backyard. I went missing for about 12 hours while the staff at Narconon were trying to pick me up. They found me at a hospital in North Miami and drove five hours just to come help me.
When I came to Narconon Suncoast, I was damn near dead. The staff helped me get through the hardest part; kicking drugs and getting clean. When I woke up from my drug haze I realized that I was in a great place where I could get the help I needed.
Now, I’m a better person and actually do care about myself, I care about other people and I have goals for the first time ever. I have learned the amazing skills at Narconon that I need to win at the game of life. I’m now able to communicate with my parents, my son and my family in a way that I never have been able to before. I have realized things about myself, and more importantly, I found out who I truly am. I have a whole new viewpoint on life and the way I want to live. I’m so happy now, happier than I have ever been and I’m able to enjoy the small things and get so much joy out of life again. Narconon Suncoast has not only saved my life but gave me a life worth living. I am proud to say that I’m now the man and father I have always wanted to be.
L.N.
Filed under News, Success Stories, Testimonials
“Before I came to Narconon I had a one track mind. Every day was the same thing over and over: How can I make money, where can I get the drugs, etc., etc. I was barely able to keep a job and had crashed numerous cars. I went from being a decent, friendly person to a selfish, miserable addict. I decided to come to treatment because I was tired of feeling like a scab on this earth.
“Nothing good was happening for me and I knew I needed to get clean in order to attract positive energy. I wanted to come to Narconon because they have the sauna program and, overall, the program is much longer than average rehabs, where you’re in and out in 2 weeks.
“I’m glad that I came here and did the sauna program. I feel like it has helped my brain quiet down. I also feel more peaceful at certain points throughout the day. Before, I always had to be moving/fidgeting, or would be thinking about random things. Now I can just sit and be still and enjoy the day. I also haven’t been thinking about or craving drugs like I normally do when I first get clean. I can tell that sauna has gotten a lot of the chemicals out of my body.
“At this point, coming to Narconon is the best decision I’ve made in a while. I’ve been to multiple rehabs and would be ready to leave and get high after the first couple of days. When I left treatment, it was a struggle to stay clean. Coming here and doing the sauna program has really helped me with that problem. I’m not going to lie and say I haven’t thought about the drugs, but my level of craving is nothing compared to how it used to be and I’m positive it’s from sweating out the residual drugs during sauna. I’m not as anxious or paranoid as I used to be and I feel like I’ve gotten a jumpstart to help with my physical health. The chef here is on point and makes eating healthy easy.
“If anything, having a couple of months to settle down and get my mind right has really helped. It’s hard to get accustomed to living life sober, I know, I’ve tried doing it multiple times, so being able to be clean and start doing simple things like making my bed and being accountable, with the help of the staff, has helped me become prepared for taking the next step in my life.
“I didn’t really realize how far gone I was until my family got tough with me. Sometimes I wasn’t able to come around the house, my sisters wouldn’t want to talk to me as much and I could hear the disappointment in my dad’s voice when I talked to him. I wasn’t hiding it from anyone. My family is very happy I made the choice to come in to Narconon. My mom told me that she can finally sleep well at night because she knows I’m here and trying to better myself. It felt pretty good to hear her say, “so this is my son”. I have all of this good stuff to say and I’ve only been in rehab for two months. I was told by someone that if I wrote down what I plan to achieve in the next five years, seal it in a letter, and reopen it after five years, that I will have surpassed it by leaps and bounds. I’m looking forward to that and believe that my time here at Narconon will help me to achieve those things.”
G.R.
Filed under Success Stories, Testimonials
When I came to Narconon, I was scared, apprehensive and didn’t know what to expect. I did know that I needed help and that my life was slipping away. I’ve spent my whole career helping others and I was a broken man. I was very lucky to have a supportive wife and family who wanted to see me beat my addiction.
When I first arrived and went into the program, I was very anxious and not very fun to be around. I have to thank the staff for helping me through those first, difficult days.
As I moved through the program, each step really helped me and each was better than the last. Sauna helped to remove the cravings I had battled with for years. It also helped to give me a sense of calmness and I finally felt good again. I am so grateful for that!
The rest of the program helped me tremendously. It helped me to better communicate with others and raised my awareness of things I never paid much mind to before. I finally have the tools I need to be a sober and successful person. I am now able to go home and be a better husband, be a better father and be a better grandfather.
I feel great! I feel confident! And I’m really excited about my new life!
S.M.
Filed under Success Stories, Testimonials
Hope: “the feeling that something desired can be had or will happen.”
There is hope, and there are many solutions for drug addicts, and Narconon Suncoast is one of them. Before Narconon, I was in a hopeless and helpless downward spiral of self-destruction. Making the decision to admit to my problem and ask for help was one of the most difficult things I’ve done in my life. Owning up to what I had become and what I had done was one of the most important steps I’ve taken to getting my life and family back from the brink of ruin. Completing the Narconon program is only the first step in my recovery and I plan on continuing to apply what I’ve learned during the program in my daily life. If you’re in doubt about getting help or finding hope, take a moment to read about my journey through life before coming to Narconon and my recovery.
Darkness…alone…numb. The dim glow of a computer monitor, a smoky room, beer cans strewn about, and a wasted individual. Hopeless…afraid…afraid of myself, hiding from what I’d become, running from what I’d done. Driving…wasted, a flash of lights, a pair of handcuffs, an empty jail cell…cold…all alone. A late night call, a loving mother, a glimmer of hope…a solution! Narconon Suncoast…a decision loomed.
Deciding to seek treatment was perhaps one of the hardest yet most important decisions I’ve ever made. Reaching out for help has never been an easy thing for me to do. I struggled with it for quite some time. I eventually swallowed my pride and asked my parents for the help I so desperately needed. Ultimately it is one that I’m glad I made as I never would have regained control and stability in my life otherwise.
The program first helped me by simply getting me out of my familiar environment. It’s significant what a new location can do for recovery. Next, it provided me with a positive and supportive group with a common cause, which is to get off of drugs! The program also provides tried and true, systematic steps towards recovery. Each step achieves an exact purpose and, once achieved, you move on to the next step, building on the previous steps taken. It’s like learning to walk again, in that each step taken is one that puts you in more and more control of one aspect or another in your life. I’m actually able to have pleasant conversations with my parents again. Prior to Narconon my relationship with my family was quite strained and casual conversation without emotional outbursts was impossible. One thing is certain…my recovery does not end after the completion of my program! It’s something that will be a daily focus and it starts with something as simple as making my bed.
One thing I’ve learned during my program is that recovery is a process. I plan on continuing to monitor my efforts and be certain that the actions I take are in alignment with my goals towards survival. Many have lost their battles with addiction and being vigilant over whom I associate with is of paramount importance.
To those struggling with addiction, you aren’t alone in your battle as there are many of us. Seeking and reaching out for help with addiction is difficult and going to rehab is a challenging venture. It’s worth it though, as the person you are on drugs is not really you! Believe in yourself, consider Narconon an investment in your future. On drugs, the future looks grim. There is a solution, and there certainly is hope!
Honestly,
J.S.
Filed under News, Success Stories, Testimonials
The current, mainstream Drug Education programs that exist are lacking real data about drugs and alcohol and an effective way of presenting their message. The information given by these programs are designed to scare kids straight, hoping they will never get drunk or high, for fear of their own mortality.
These programs visit schools nationwide to deliver an anti-drug message in the hopes of keeping children sober. The prevention steps taken by these programs involves showing slideshows of fatal D.U.I. accidents, morgue photos of victims of overdoses and giving outdated information about drugs.
While this is a good attempt to keep children and teens drug-free, it’s highly unrealistic that it will actually work. The reality of the situation is that most kids ARE going to drink and try drugs. It’s the current state of our society. Drugs are prevalent in the news media and musicians and actors glamorize them.
According to a recent Narconon graduate:
“The first night I ever got drunk, I decided those lectures were nothing more than a cool shirt to wear and my brain had most certainly not turned into scrambled eggs after drinking beer. I decided that alcohol was being unfairly slandered by the media and I was going to be damned if I didn’t prove to all of those D.A.R.E. counselors that they were wrong when they said it was bad for you!”
K.B.
Kid’s hear messages of “get high to be creative” or “alcohol makes it easier to get lucky” and they run with it. Their “heroes” are actually telling them to get high or drink as a solution to a lack of creativity or being nervous to ask someone out or dating in general. Basically, the media and celebrities are teaching kids that drugs and alcohol are a solution to their problems. This is where addiction is born; a person tries a drug, thinks “wow, this stuff is great” and then a little while later, life shakes them up a bit and after a series of bad decisions, the person can’t go more than a few hours at a time without their drug of choice. They tear their families apart, lose their dignity and self-respect and one day, they look at their reflection in a dirty mirror in a public bathroom after shooting up and think “where did I go wrong?”
What’s needed is more drug education that is realistic and gives real information about drugs, alcohol and addiction. More programs are needed that don’t “fear monger” our youth and make them sign meaningless pledges to stay drug free.
The Narconon program has an effective and well-established alcohol and drug education curriculum. Recently, Narconon Suncoast participated in the 11th Annual Back to School Health and Wellness Event in Clearwater, FL. Staff members handed out drug prevention information and school supplies, delivering a real anti-drug message from people that have “walked the walk” and come out of addiction themselves.
There’s something more organic and realistic when a recovered addict talks to kids about the actual dangers of using drugs and the impact addiction can have on their lives.
“One joint may not kill you but one day, you might wake up as a sick, disheveled heroin addict. And it can all come back to that one joint.”
Narconon Suncoast prides itself as being an active member of the Clearwater community and offers drug rehabilitation and education services to anyone who may need it. Narconon Suncoast’s Staff have a passion for drug addiction prevention and they are doing everything they can to prevent the creation of a new generation of addicts that can be so easily prevented.
For More information on Narconon Suncoast’s Drug Education Curriculum, call 1-888-968-2124 today!
Filed under News
