Our son was in need of help and we did not see all of the warning signs. He had begun a downward spiral; broken promises and lies, all because of his addiction. What we thought was forgetfulness and insomnia was actually the symptoms of a serious drug addiction. The money that was missing had been taken to support his habit; a habit he had hidden and tried unsuccessfully to break by himself.
By the time we knew he needed help, he was in a state of crisis. He had been forgetting, having trouble waking up in the morning, and hiding a lot of pain. He needed help. We needed help and had no idea where to turn. We went to bed one night not knowing how sick he was and thinking he was just struggling and forgetful and the next day we had landed in a place that was foreign to us, a place of addiction, and life and death.
We were desperate for help, for someone to send us a life-line. That help came through a referral to the Narconon New Life Retreat Center in Louisiana. My husband and I were in shock, struggling to find the best possible treatment for our son’s addiction, when a health insurance spokesman gave us the telephone number for Narconon, telling us that even though it was not covered by our insurance, it was in his opinion the best residential drug treatment program in the United States.
We quickly dialed the number and spoke to a counselor at Narconon. I can’t say enough good things about how quickly and compassionately we were treated. Both my husband and I spoke to the counselor and then he spoke to our son. Everything was set up and plans were made including a reservation for a flight the following morning to Louisiana.
We headed to the airport. What we didn’t know was the fear our son had of withdrawal symptoms. A simple trip to get on a plane turned into a nightmare. He seemed groggy in the security line as I said goodbye. Hours later the team at Narconon said he had not arrived on the designated flight. I was terrified he had left the airport, but my gut instinct told me he had fallen asleep. Finally he answered his cell phone; the final drugs he had secretly taken at the airport had knocked him out.
Things had gone from bad to worse, but the counselor at Narconon emailed me a letter to my phone so I could get an emergency gate pass to assist his getting on a plane in this groggy condition. The flight attendants didn’t want him on board, and the counselor actually talked to them, explaining how he was headed for treatment in Louisiana. The pilot was wonderful and wanted to get my son quickly to rehab.
Our son had initially accepted the idea of treatment but then self-medicated to prevent the onset of withdrawal, making him lose his way in the airport. How he took drugs, I don’t know. One minute we were having breakfast and talking and the next he seemed sleepy and out of it. I guess he had something hidden and took it when he was in the bathroom at the airport. I knew that even though I was lost and confused by what was happening, I had to get him help. The counselor at Narconon stayed with us for hours on the phone, while we worked with the airline and the pilot to fly him to the help he so desperately needed. The team from Narconon held vigil at the airport until he arrived and was safely in their hands.
After arriving at the center and meeting with the medical staff they called to tell me that he had arrived safely. As the days passed he said that the center was staffed by “the nicest people on earth” and not to worry. Getting well was a lot of hard work and I know took enormous commitment both from my son and from the hard-working people at Narconon.
Many of the “why” questions that had not been answered would slowly emerge on his road to recovery, allowing him to fully heal from drugs and become a new person. Our relationship with him and the rest of the family is new, new to him and new to us, but his recovery has meant a healthy honest relationship with new accountability and respect.
The months of treatment was done without drugs and actually cleansed his system from the toxins that had accumulated in this body. He progressed through the sauna program to clean his system,onto the course work that would help him organize his thoughts and his life. Working with a counselor he was able to understand some of the underlying reasons for his emotional pain.
After treatment, he was a totally renewed person, able to confront his pain and able to focus on a new life without drugs. His relationship with his family has strengthened and renewed through this process.
If you need help with a drug or alcohol problem, Narconon is the one to call.
I thank Narconon, for saving his life, for giving him back to us and for being there throughout the journey!
