I Was Never Happy… Until Now

narconon suncoast success
(Photo by RobinE/Shutterstock.com)

I really like Narconon Suncoast—this place has a different take on substance abuse than other treatment facilities I have attended or AA, in particular. The first thing I liked about Narconon Suncoast is that this place doesn’t subscribe to the idea of addiction being a disease or something of which I am “powerless”—to use the 12 step language. Instead, Narconon focuses on empowering the individual physically, mentally and ethically to address those fault-ridden areas that create long-standing issues and patterns of destructive behavior.

The first step of the program is the Sauna detox program. This took me 19 days to complete and was pretty intense. Each day, I was given vitamins and minerals on an ever-increasing gradient and one vitamin in particular—niacin—that causes the body to push out residual toxins that our bodies store deep in the tissue. This effort cleanses not just drug and alcohol residues but also things like radiation, etc. It was pretty wild. One day I looked down at my feet and I had tan lines from sandals I used to wear on the boat and the exiting radiation had caused this tan line to reappear. I was in the sauna for 19 days straight. That seems to be on the quicker end than most, but there isn’t really anything you can do about it—this is up to your body. A couple of days after I finished the detox program, I cannot tell you how much better I felt. My skin has a deep, healthy color again and my hair and eyes are shiny instead of dull like they were when I arrived. I sleep the minute I turn the light out for 7-8 hours without waking up and just feel great.

The next step of the program is a series of processes called Objectives. These would be very difficult to explain but I can tell you that this course was unlike anything I have ever done before in my life. In short, as sauna serves to heal and clear the physical body, Objectives have a similar effect on the mind. I left that part of the course much more in-the-moment, aware and oriented to my surroundings—not living with regret or guilt concerning the past or dread and apprehension as to the future. I still don’t completely understand the how or why behind how these processes work, but I am less concerned with those questions and am just happy that they do. On their face, the processes are so simple yet they inexplicably produced paradigm-shifting realizations as to myself, my environment and the interaction between the two. Of equal value was observing these same changes in my twin—my “partner” in completing the Objectives course.

Finally, the third part of the program, Life Skills, is composed of three parts—ups and downs, personal values and changing conditions. This third leg of the program provided equal, but unique, gains. It is here that the work focuses on my life and me. This has been an incredibly valuable and worthwhile experience. It’s just leaps and bounds and frankly, not even in the same league as the other facility I attended.

I spent hours and hours doing exercises that are designed to aid me in identifying the issues and reasons that I, first off, use drugs when I know what the end result will be and, secondly, seem to never be able to be happy with life as it is.

As a result of this effort and with the help of the Narconon staff, I realized I have always felt like I am chasing life or following a blueprint for life that is not my own. Over time, I didn’t even realize that I continued to bounce from project-to-project or plan-to-plan without setting real goals for myself and/or working to achieve those goals. The question I had to confront is, “What are those goals and how do I best make them a reality?” For so long, I have been living in and stuck in the effect of my bad decisions instead of being causative to my path and purpose and creating the things in life that I want. For way too long I have cared too much—whether it be valid or invalid—what others thought about who I am or what I am doing, etc., to the point that I just gave up running point on my life.

Well, for better or for worse, that has stopped.

The way I look at it, how I was living has led me to this seat in a rehab course room so a different angle on life cannot be so bad. Jokes aside, I know that I have the talent, drive, character and wherewithal to accomplish great things in life and to have a successful life—as I define success. Success for me today is furthering “life” as it relates to me personally, my family, friends and in society in general. The happiest I have ever been has been the times in my life when I was helping others. If I am waking up and confronting every minute of the day—productively—everything else will take care of itself.

J.B.—Narconon Suncoast Graduate


(To preserve privacy, the photo does not show an actual Narconon student or graduate.)

AUTHOR

Jason Good

Jason has been working in the field of addiction and recovery for over 11 years. Having been an addict himself he brings real-word experience to the table when helping addicts and their families, while also offering a first-person perspective to the current drug crisis. Jason is passionate about educating the public about what’s currently going on in our society, and thankfully, offers practical solutions. Jason is also the co-host of The Addiction Podcast—Point of No Return. You can follow Jason on Google+, Twitter, or connect with him on LinkedIn.

NARCONON SUNCOAST

DRUG EDUCATION AND REHABILITATION