Pasadena Drug Abuse

Derek shares his personal story using and drinking in Pasadena, CA.  

I was born in Pasadena, CA in 1986 at Huntington Memorial Hospital, right off the top of the historic 110 Freeway. I lived in the northwest suburbs of the city, near Pasadena High School and Victory Park. I spent a lot of my time as a kid going past and playing in both, never wandering too far from my house, as all of the things that I knew and needed were close. Yet my parents used to warn me often about how people who were less fortunate than we had to attend schools like PHS, and that I was very lucky to be in the position I was in. Los Angeles was only a stones throw away but I never found myself going out of Pasadena too much as a child. Pasadena was idyllic in the sense that I lived in and around a community of similar nuclear families like mine so I never felt out of place. I always knew what I was doing, where I was going, and what was expected of me. My parents disciplined me in such a way that I did not even have any mal intent when it came to my actions, no cause to rebel. I did what I was told, and for the most part I was good at it, for a time.

I attended a very small private school there, called High Point Academy. I never knew more than the same 40 students that were in my class from Kindergarten until 8^th grade, which inherently made me quite sheltered from any kind of drug culture. In fact, I did not have any knowledge of what drugs were until my last year at High Point, and that was only because of drug education that was finally given to me by my school, not direct experience or a talk from my parents. My 8^th grade year was nothing if not completely unmanageable, and this was without any kind of mind-altering substances. I learned that my first addiction became attention, and I was a lot more effective at getting it if I acted out. I barely graduated that year, not making it into any of the private schools that my other friends were going to attend after the summer. I would be going to Pasadena High School, the same place I used to play at as a kid and that my parents had been warning me for the past year that if I did not clean up my act I would be attending. I knew that this was not what I wanted to do, but I had already started down a path of decisions based on selfish needs that would only make sense to me much further down the course of my life.

I only attended Pasadena High School for one semester, but looking back on it I took advantage of that place by having a great previous education from my earlier years. I was placed in Honors and AP courses and had found a lot of similar-minded people there with whom I could flourish. But I knew my parents wanted something better for me so I took their suggestion and was able to transfer to Saint Francis High School in La Canada Flintridge after winter break.

SFHS was an all-boys catholic school, and many of our teachers were Franciscan monks. There were strict codes of discipline, which did not mesh well with my attention-seeking attitude. After I became comfortable enough with the school and my ability to circumnavigate their rules I began acting out there as well. I was no longer in the safe environment of High Point Academy or the Honors courses of PHS, but stuck in a world full of would-be football players and students trying to gain scholarships to Ivy League schools, neither of which was I. I fit in with the outcasts, the detention kids, those who could tell you the exact layout of everything on the principals’ desk. On the surface I did the deal, I would attend mass, submit my homework, participate in school activities. But behind the scenes I was stealing from other students, playing pranks on teachers, and siphoning gas from cars in the parking lot during fifth period so I could use what little money I did have on myself.

I was introduced to marijuana in 10^th grade by the time I had met my associates in debauchery. They told me it would only cost 5 dollars and I could get high all weekend. I had never heard of a better deal.  I had already heard from my drug education at High Point in 8^th grade that it was a gateway drug, but I do not remember any of this entering my thought process when I decided to try it for the first time. I had a modicum of confidence in my ability to beat the system, to be crafty, to be too smart and that my choices would never get the best of me. There was no first defense; I smoked with arrogance from the first until the last time.

Marijuana quickly turned to drinking, and drinking during high school was the highlight of the week. Weed was easy to obtain, but alcohol not so much. We had to attend parties if we had any hope of catching a buzz. I also began my first job, given to me by a friend. It would be the first of many jobs and opportunities that were not only handed to me but that I would also exploit. I was given my first chance to try cocaine while I was washing dishes on an uneventful Wednesday night while washing dishes. Little did I know that decision to try yet another drug would change my whole perception of what I thought was important to me and what my goals were. Cocaine and work became my escape to everything, including school.

I began my senior year with no sense of direction, but quickly found it. My art teacher that I should look into graphic design as a working field suggested it to me. Someone was praising me for something I was doing, and doing right which was a new experience for me. To me that was all I needed to hear. I took the compliment to heart and ran with it. My ability to lie and manipulate had been honed to the point where I was able to convince my parents that I should not only leave my college preparatory high school but that it was also a good idea for me to do so. I was sick of the structure of Saint Francis and did not see myself attending any sort of private college like my peers did. I had found an out.

I left SFHS with my self-will in hand. Everything was going my way. I was going to attain some amount of freedom in a college environment and not even have to graduate high school. I found a private trade school called Mount Sierra College, which only required a GED to attend which was perfect, because that was all I was capable of attaining. I had just turned 17, and the best part of it was I looked as if I was 30. I was able to purchase alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs with no regard for authority or worry.

My only concern was that I had still not left Pasadena. I lived with my parents but did not spend much time at all there. Throughout my time at Mount Sierra I began excelling in academics, as I was finally good at something other than lying, cheating and stealing. I had been into computers in general for years but now I was able to apply my creativity to a field, which I felt as if was meant for me. But there was always something slightly more important, and I often slacked on my work despite my potential to do well. Women, money, and drugs were all I truly cared about and I often only saw my higher education as a means to attain more of each. I still graduated with honors, but during that time I had progressed in my disease farther than I had ever thought I might go. At the time I could not see it, but I had began stealing from friends, robbing houses at parties, selling cocaine out of my parents house and learning even more how to hide all of this from the people that mattered. For the most part it worked, and when it didn’t I was still enabled by my parents whom I was still living with until I started my career at the age of 22.

I was fortunate enough to land a job at a company called AIDS Healthcare Foundation, who’s HR department spotted me on Monster.com. They were willing to give me a shot and I was exposed to an environment and a culture I did not even really know existed. I was being paid very good money to do exactly what I wanted to do and I took full advantage of it. Parties were thrown twice a month where alcohol was completely free, so long as the message of safe sex and HIV education was transmitted. I had entered a world where drugs and alcohol were openly accepted as a part of society, that the trick was to try and control the actions people took while using them. I flourished at AHF. I was promoted three times, given bonuses, headed large projects and even spearheaded marketing campaigns in Los Angeles, Florida and Washington D.C.. I was finally able to leave Pasadena and the shadow of my parents, and I moved to Hollywood where I would spend the next four years of my life, searching for that eternal high and experiencing what I believed at the time was freedom. Eventually it would have become the polar opposite but it took me quite a long time to get there.

During the time between graduation and the start of my career I was exposed to heroin. At first it seemed harmless. I had experimented with new drugs frequently over the past six years and heroin did not seem as if it would be any different. I never had done anything on very consistent basis; I never saw the need to. The fear of getting caught was greater than the happiness of getting high to me. Little did I know that my thinking would make a complete 180 when I discovered what a needle could do. I had been using cocaine for years at this point but had never once tried it in this way. My ability to at the very least break even with selling it soon fell to the wayside and I was using heroin and cocaine on a daily basis by the time I started working at AHF. I attempted to control the amount I was using by attending a methadone clinic for a 28-day detox. But at the time I did not know I would be on methadone for the next three years.

From 2009 until 2012 my life in Hollywood progressed from the experience of freedom from leaving my parents house to hitting my absolute bottom. I moved three times directly as a result of my using, met lower companions at the various methadone clinics I frequented, lived with dealers of heroin, cocaine, meth and the like, took advantage of women, screwed over best friends, ran myself into debt, burned bridges, worried my parents, lied to my work about my whereabouts, crashed cars, drove on a suspended license and lost my car, sold drugs, got into fights, and towards the end, was arrested three times: all for the possession of heroin. My disease had gone from the first sick thought of wanting to try marijuana to a festering pestilence, of which Hollywood had become my breeding ground. I no longer had any respect for my own life or anyone else’s, all while under the guise of a nice young man who had the opportunity to start his career in his early 20s. I eventually lost my job at AIDS Healthcare Foundation and spent the entirety of my last paychecks on selfish and self-serving needs, much of which was drugs and things I needed in order to attain them. By the time of my last arrest in November of 2012, all that I had gained since college and beyond had been lost. I needed something different.

-Derek

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For more information about Pasadena Drug Abuse or drug abuse in Southern California, Please contact us at (888) 357-7577.

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Finding necessary and effective treatment for ailments and diseases can be difficult, exhausting, and strenuous. However, the process of finding the treatment usually does not include evaluating whether or not the data behind it is legitimate and up-to-date. Unfortunately, in the world of drug treatment for teenagers this is a genuine concern because not all drug treatment centers and facilities use methods that are proven to work; many places have not followed suit when it comes to modern treatment for drug addiction and abuse.

What does Drug Treatment U.S. do?

At Drug Treatment U.S. we are aware of what is available in the realm of teen drug treatment; we know the difference between effective drug treatment solutions and places that, essentially, offer an expensive “vacation” – where the individual is simply removed from friends and their drug connections. Those places simply house teenagers in safe environments and force abstinence upon them rather than facilitate recovery-based thinking and behavior, which ultimately leads to a healthy and productive lifestyle. At Drug Treatment U.S. we want to help you make the right decision for your loved teenage son or daughter; we know how difficult this process is, that’s why we offer to help you find a place that is both affordable and effective. Please give us a call at (888) 357-7577 for any inquiries you may have. If you need someone to talk to or need helping finding the right place for your teenager, we would be glad to help.

What is Drug Treatment for Teenagers?

Drug treatment for teenagers is most often between 30-90 days and addresses the physical and psychological issues behinds one’s drug abuse and addiction, combats the individual’s compulsive need to use drugs and alcohol, and introduces productive and responsible living habits into their lives. The goal of drug treatment for teenagers is to relieve them of the obsession and physical dependence of not only the substances that they were using, but also the obsession of the lifestyle associated with it. There are two different methods for drug treatment for teenagers, inpatient programs and outpatient programs.

Inpatient Drug Treatment vs. Outpatient Drug Treatment

How Does Drug Treatment for Teenagers Help?

• Medically supervised detoxification to remove the remaining harmful substances from the body of your teenager so that they can resolve their physical dependence on the substance(s).
• Helping identify the reasons behind their drug use; This affirms to them that there is a problem and that they are in need of help.
• Therapeutic exercises and analysis of their history of drug use will help them develop a sense of self-awareness and self-honesty which will be crucial to advance in their recovery.
• Introducing them into a 12-Step program where they will draw experience, strength, and hope from fellow recovering people who make the sober lifestyle seem attractive and possible. It will also give them a social community of like-minded people who will make sobriety not only attractive, but also fun and exciting.
• Building a foundation in recovery by helping them develop coping mechanisms and tools that will be used to deal with real-life situations.
•  Daily structure will promote healthy and productive living through nurturing the mind and body (waking up early and going to bed at a reasonable hour, physical health through eating right and fitness, proper hygiene habits, etc.).
• Acknowledgement and transformation of the behaviors that make teenagers prone to relapse (dishonesty, manipulation, attention-seeking, etc.)
• Development of positive behaviors (effective communication, opening up about feelings and insecurities, helping out your fellows, asking for help, etc.)

 Does my Teenager Require Drug Treatment?

Drug treatment is necessary for teenagers who are in the midst of addiction to alcohol, illicit drugs (Ecstasy, Cocaine, Heroin, Meth, etc.), or legally prescribed medications and over-the-counter substances (DXM in cough syrup and cold medications, Adderall, Xanax, Valium, Percoset, etc.). Teens who are addicted to drugs may genuinely want to stop their drug use, but they find they cannot on their own willpower. Drug addiction is physically and mentally harmful, sometimes even fatal. Along with that, there are potential legal consequences, financial complications, and damaged relationships. Drug addiction makes it more likely for teenagers to exhibit dangerous and illegal behaviors as a result of clouded judgment or from the compulsive urge to acquire drugs. However, drug treatment for teenagers is available and is an effective solution to free teenagers from the bondage of drug addiction. It is crucial to get your teenager into drug treatment as soon as possible in order to avoid potential consequences.

If your teenager has made attempts to stop their drugs use but has reverted back, they may be a good candidate for teenage drug treatment; Especially if they have experienced repercussions as a result of their drug use, yet have continued to use drugs in lieu of the consequences. It is important to note that the lack of concrete consequences does not indicate that a teenager is not in need of drug treatment. Drug treatment for teenagers may still be necessary and may prevent those consequences from happening if the addiction is combatted in time.

What Are Some Signs That My Teenager Has a Drug Issue?

• They begin to neglect responsibilities, commitments, and obligations. For example: skipping school, work, and family functions.
• Refuse to answer the phone or come home. Ignore rules established by parents and sneak out of the house when grounded.
• They no longer participate in activities and hobbies that they were once passionate about.
• Demand more privacy and start to isolate from friends and family; includes locked bedroom doors, and hiding phone calls and text messages.
• Begin stealing and engaging in other illegal activities, change in social circle, their financial needs increase with no legitimate explanation, and they may begin to get in trouble with school or get arrested.
• May experience drastic mood swings, exhibit irritability and restlessness, change of personality, bouts of excitement and complete lack of energy and enthusiasm, and increased paranoia and anxiety. They act obnoxiously and clumsy, there is a lack of coordination, and they are uncooperative and hostile. They attempt to make irrational excuses and justify their behaviors.
• Strange eating habits and sleeping patterns.
• Degradation of hygiene, cleanliness, and overall physical appearance. They might smell of smoke, begin to frequently use eye drops and breathe enhancers, start to use air fresheners, have burnt finger tips, and have blood-shot eyes or dilated pupils.
• Appearance of foil or other strange containers in their car or room, medications and alcohol are missing from the house, hidden stashes of drugs or alcohol, the presence of rolling papers, eye drops, various smoking devices, and lighters.

Is Treatment Enough for My Teenager? What is Aftercare?

It is recommended that after drug treatment the teenager is enrolled in an aftercare center such as a sober living. Teen drug treatment provides a foundation in recovery and is regarded as the beginning of the journey towards healthy living. Aftercare rehab centers offer a safe-haven for teen addicts to practice the tools they have learned and apply them to real life situations. The individuals are surrounded with like-minded people whom they will begin to rely on for support. The daily structure continues to promote healthy-living habits and over time the individuals gain more responsibilities, such as school and work. Aftercare centers facilitate the transition from a treatment-centered life into becoming productive members of society.

How Do I Find the Right Drug Treatment Solution For My Teenager?

Drug Treatment U.S. is resource available to help you find an effective, affordable teen drug treatment solution. We provide you with our widespread knowledge and extensive relationships with the  best people in teen recovery. All you have to do is pick up the phone and call us at: (888) 357-7577. We want to help you find a teenage drug treatment facility or aftercare center will be effective and that will lead to a fruitful, productive life for your son or daughter.

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This is very important to know if you’re seeking  long-term drug treatment centers.   While in and after attending a treatment center, the best suggestion would be continuing to attend 12 Step meetings.

Los Angeles County has over 3,000 12 Step meetings weekly and has a huge 12 Step support group.  If you’re interested in finding a drug treatment center in Los Angeles, CA, call us today.

-Drug Treatment U.S.

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Drug rehabs are typically 30-90 day programs.  That is not enough time for an individual suffering from drug addiction and alcoholism to truly change and be committed on a path of recovery.  Time can heal a lot of things.  In recovery, the more time an individual can get, the better chances he/she has at staying sober.

Everyday an individual can go without drinking or using is another day that they gain strength, support and new skill sets to help them aid and process situations in a positive manner.

Drug rehabs and drug treatment centers are an ideal setting for those seeking treatment. A form of  Drug Rehab Aftercare or “Extended Care” should be looked into prior to discharging from a drug treatment center.  This will help support an individual as they continue to progress in their recovery.

-DrugTreatmentUS.com

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This happens too many times to clients and loved ones seeking help.  THIS IS NOT RIGHT!  Work with a program that actually cares about your or your loved one’s welfare.  Not every Drug Rehab or Drug Treatment Program is the best fit for every individual situation.

Drug Treatment U.S. is a completely free service for those seeking help dealing with addiction. We understand that finding the right form of treatment can be a difficult and overwhelming process; we’re here to help.

Our specialists won’t just help you get treatment, but we’ll support you along your entire path of successful recovery.

-Drug Treatment U.S.

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The most popular place these teens have found prescription drugs is their home.  Over 55% of teens that have taken prescription medications without consent were taking them from their parents medicine cabinets.

The common thread behind teens using prescription drugs is the idea that it’s a safer alternative to illegal substances.  This couldn’t be further from the truth.  In fact, this false sense of security has lead many teens and young adults to their deaths.

These days, the prescription drug problem has been considered a national epidemic.   The good news is, as a parent, there are steps and precautions you can take to help influence your child’s decision making.  Discussing this uncomfortable topic and raising awareness to your child of the situations he or she might find themselves in is a good place to start.

If working with a teen/young adult that is or is suspected to be using prescription drugs, contact us (888) 357-7577 and help get the appropriate guidance and support.

Drug Treatment U.S. provides Alcohol and Drug Treatment and referrals for those seeking help for behaviors, crisis and addictions.  Our specialists have extensive experience in a variety of recovery-based treatment services, therapists and addiction counselors.

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There is no need to be overwhelmed through this process. Ask questions! By asking questions and getting facts, you will understand which drug rehab is the best fit for you.
Does the drug rehab offer a variety of programs?

A drug rehabilitation treatment center should offer different treatment programs and services that will help meet each individual’s needs. (Programs may include inpatient, residential, outpatient, and/or short-stay options).

The difference between inpatient and a residential treatment center is that inpatient services are provided by a licensed hospital, while residential programs usually do not adhere to the same standards of medical care.

 How long is the length of stay?

Every drug rehab program should be able to answer this question easily. Pending on the type of treatment you are seeking, a drug rehab program should be able to tell you the recommended length of stay of their program.

How much does a drug rehab center cost?

The prices for the drug rehabs can substantially vary in cost.   The biggest financial factor, is the type of treatment that you’re planning on receiving. It’s important to know what is included, what will be added to your bill and what services your health insurance will cover.

Speak to an intake advisor or admissions counselor. You can discuss your insurance coverage or your financial concerns and they will help you narrow down your choices to what best meets your needs in the most affordable way.

What is the degree of family involvement in a drug rehab program?

Drug abuse and alcoholism affects the entire family, not just the alcoholic/addict. Quite often family members do not realize how deeply they have been affected by chemical dependency. Sometimes, the family may not be sure of just how much of an impact they can make when working with their loved ones.  Family involvement is a very important component of recovery.

Drug rehabs vary in the degree and quality when it comes to family involvement. Some offer very little support while others have incorporated family involvement throughout an individual’s entire length of stay. Ask if there is any time devoted to family programs and if group therapy is included.

Family involvement can be the turning point to one’s initial phases of recovery. The family not only acts as a strong supportive influence, but if need be, moral enforcement to encouragement for one to continue in their treatment.

Does drug rehabilitation include a quality continuing care program?

There are no quick fixes for the diseases of drug abuse and alcoholism.  Full fledged active addiction/alcoholism doesn’t start over night, nor does active recovery.  Recovery is an ongoing process. The skills one learns during intensive rehabilitation treatment must be integrated into everyday life and this takes time.

Some drug addiction treatment programs will offer a follow-up program but only in one location that may make it difficult to use.
Drug rehabilitation treatment programs should include a quality, continuing care program that supports and monitors recovery.
If you are overwhelmed by the many choices of various drug rehabs, please call one of addiction specialists at (888) 357-7577.

Our Addiction Specialists understand what you are going through and will help guide you in the right direction. They will listen to your questions and concerns, and provide you with free drug rehab referrals and advice.
 

 
 
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1. -Identify the problem/situation

2. -What is preventing this individual from growing through this?

3. -By helping, I am allowing this individual to play into defects/fears/negative behaviors rather than addressing them?  If so, what is it?

4. -How can I assist this individual in their growth without doing the work for them?

5. -What boundaries/timelines/contracts/understandings should be put in place initially to protect my well-being as well as not enable this individual for extended periods of time?
Enabling alcoholics and addicts can be detrimental to their recovery, and the necessary life skills and humility that addicts/alcoholics may need to grow and change.  If there were no consequences for our actions, then why change them?

For those questioning how the best way work with their loved one, there are 12-step programs such as Alanon and CODA and other support groups that can also aid us in helping our loved ones also.  You may also contact us at (888) 357-7577 for guidance and support.

Powered by Drug Treatment U.S. and 12StepsAhead.com

This post was brought to you by Drug Treatment U.S.   Drug Treatment U.S. provides treatment programs and referrals for those seeking help for behaviors, crisis and addictions.  Our specialists have extensive experience in a variety of recovery-based treatment services, therapists and addiction counselors.

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Andy J.-

My name is Andrew J.  I came into Miracle House October 17^th, 2006.  I was looking for a way to stay out of jail, but found a new way of life.  On September 20^th, 2006 I was arrested for my third DUI and facing significant jail time.  This was not the future I had expected when I moved to San Diego.  I grew up in a small mountain town of 5,000 people in North Central New Mexico.  My parents were always there for my brothers, sister, and me.  I had a sheltered life; played any sport you could throw my way and always had the grades through high school to allow me a pick of universities to attend.  What I chose to do was attend the school that didn’t require an essay, interviews, or much of anything.  Dad signed the checks to the school and I lied about the grades I was getting there.  For four years.

I started smoking pot the summer between sixth and seventh grade and drinking alcohol in eighth grade.  Both were fun, exciting, and my friends and I were the only one’s doing it. At least in our age group, what happened for me was a progression towards absolute apathy as to the path my life was taking.  In fits and starts I was digging a hole.  In eighth grade I would show up to soccer practice drunk, forget about basketball and football games in the afternoon and get high during lunch, showing up to the field still stoned.  The last two years of high school were devoted more to partying than studying and I barely graduated.  No one in my family really knew any of this, not the whole picture.  I moved to Albuquerque for college in 2000, and had a DUI my first semester.  I got my second a year later.

I moved to San Diego in 2005, which I now know is called a geographic.  I quickly found friends to party with, and was arrested for my third DUI on the 20^th of September 2006.  Through my lawyer and a counselor I was fortunate enough to learn about Miracle House.  I was arrogant enough to think I was going into the House more for court reasons than for any real problem of my own.  I was wrong.  I am extremely grateful for everything the House has done for me.  I am back in school and have been on the Dean’s List every semester.  I have a job I show up for, everyday.  I stay involved in the House, I sponsor one of the House Members, and I work a program in Alcoholics Anonymous.  None of these things are what I expected when I moved to California, but it is exactly what I need.

Luis C.-

When I entered Miracle House, I was at the end of my rope. I had no more answers. I had no solutions to my ever increasing problems. My life was filled with an intangible sense of dread. Everyday I woke up asking myself…”is this it?” “Has it come to this?” “Is there not anymore out there for me?” I could see where I wanted to go, but I had no idea on how to get there. At that moment all I knew was how to “reload” “re-fix”. I was at a loss. I was lying to my friends, family, and worst of all, to myself! My head echoed two sided arguments which had me in constant disarray. It was like good and evil doing battle…guess who won out all the time? At the end…I knew nothing else. At the end, I was lonely, scared, paranoid, and depressed. Today, I’m grateful that was “The End”!!!

I received a call from a friend who I used to party with. I hadn’t seen him friend in 4years. Upon meeting, he told me what he’d been up to while we were apart. He told me that he was now sober 4yrs and that his life has taken a new turn and that he couldn’t be happier. He told me his story and at the end, I found myself leaking tears from my eyes and saying that I needed help as well. Little did I know that that would be the start of a new path for me. He referred me to a recovery house that his friend was in. It was called the Miracle House and since I was in need of a “miracle”, I agreed to give them a call. After meeting with the managers and going over all the requirements, I entered the Miracle House on April 26^th, 2004.The house helped me regain what I had lost when I was out there making all the wrong decisions. The staff and the program taught me how to suit up and show up for life. I’ve learned to clean up my side of the street. They’ve held me accountable for the things I used to try to get away with. With their help I’ve rebuilt a life that I can be proud of. A life filled with honesty, integrity, willingness, open-mindedness, forgiveness, tolerance, unity, recovery, and most importantly LOVE! Today I can look people in the eye and not worry about looking over my shoulder. Today I’m a better person…one day at a time! Today, there is no sense of dread…only optimism and hope. Today I walk a spiritual path with others who have been where I’ve been and who understand where I’ve come from. Today, I give back what was so freely given to me. Today, I’m still involved with the Miracle House and devote any time I have to help others goin thru the program.

Today I’m proud to say that I’m a Miracle House Graduate!  One day at a time!

Lincoln T.-

My name is Lincoln Tice, my sobriety date is July 13^th, 2007. My life was in a small Michigan town on the bar stool and drunk behind the wheel. I had given up on life and had turned my back on God and my family. Arrogance and ignorance was my shield against anyone who wanted to get close to me. The phrase “wasted potential” was constantly used to describe me. What it came down to was that I was afraid to face life. Physical pain meant nothing to me compared to the emotional pain that I ran to the bottle to escape on a daily basis. I worked in construction and union jobs for 6 years and all I could do was support me drinking and using and nothing else. I laughed at the idea of school and had no illusions that my life was going anywhere and I was going to be a scumbag the rest of my life. I was a burden that my family could no longer bare.

My sister took a big risk and organized an intervention on me with my family. She showed me what real courage was. I could have walked out of their lives forever, but she had to help me because I could bring myself to ask for help. It was either a life headed for jail, institutions and death or I could go to rehab and give this sobriety a chance. I went through a wilderness program in Utah. It gave me a foundation and introduced me to recovery and the 12 steps. While I was at the program the staff stressed that long term recovery was the best way to stay sober. I was resistant at first but everything had worked so far, so why stop now?

They suggested Miracle House in Los Angeles, CA. I came into the house on September 4^th, 2007 and it has been a rollercoaster of a ride ever since. The structure and the discipline was exactly what I needed to kick me in the butt to rebuild my life from the ground up. A life sober and clean had always seemed pathetic and boring to me. The house has shown me not just how to stay sober, but live a sober life that is challenging and exciting. I now understand that my actions can have either a negative or positive effect on my family and friends. Through working the 12 steps with my sponsor, attending regular AA meetings and living in a house full of brothers, I have been able to live a life full of gratitude and service. I am back in school and on the Dean’s honor list. The people in my life are true friends in every sense of the word. I will always be grateful and want to be apart of this house in some way for showing me that I can live a different way than what I was.

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Cody K.

Hi, my name is Cody.  I have a little more than two and a half years sober and it is all thanks to New Life House.  Before moving to California and getting sober, my life was in shambles.  I was addicted to multiple drugs and had developed an intravenous heroin habit.  I didn’t start drinking until I was 16 and I ended up getting sober at 19, so my disease progressed fairly rapidly.  I was severely depressed, suicidal, and had lost all motivation for life.  As a result, I turned to drugs and alcohol to feel better.  Fortunately, I had always been a good student, and I graduated high school and was on my way to a four-year university.  However, I never made it there.  A few months before I started, I was faced with the dilemma to either go to rehab again or have no college education or place to live.  That’s when I ended up in California – a move that saved my life.

At New Life, I learned what it meant to be alive and to function with the rest of society.  They introduced me to Alcoholics Anonymous and provided me with an outlet into the Twelve-Step world of recovery.  The friends that I made there will remain friends for the rest of my life, and I currently live with two of them today.  I have my family back in my life, something that I had long thrown away in the midst of my drinking.  One of the most important things I have been given, I believe, is hope.  Hope for the future, dreams, and goals; things that I never had prior to getting sober, even prior to my first drink.  This house and the people I have met throughout my journey into sobriety have forever changed my life for the better.  I owe them a debt I can never repay.

Jason K-

My name is Jason.  I came into New Life House on June 30, 2006, from Utah when I was nineteen years old.  Prior to coming New Life I had been to two outpatient programs, one at a hospital and one wilderness program.  In my experience I did not get a whole lot from going to either of those.  I used within a week of getting out of those programs or while I was still in them.  By that time my parents did not know what to do with me, and they did not want me around because I was constantly stealing, lying and causing complete chaos in all of our lives.  I started drinking and using when I was fifteen and it progressed as I went through high school.  I was kicked off my high school baseball team my senior year, even though baseball was one of the most important things in my life.  I was really hopeless, I was using drugs and alcohol every day and I had been for the past couple of years.  I truly wanted to stop and get my life on track, but I could not do it.  I was in a dark cycle and I did not want to live.  I was in a place where I knew how and where to get drugs, and my whole outlook on life was an equation for disaster.

I heard of New Life from a counselor in my wilderness program when I was going through for the second time.  I decided to give it a shot.  I came down to California and moved in.  It was unlike any other recovery place I had ever been before.  It is truly unique.  Looking back on my experience of why it worked for me, I would have to say that there were guys my age around me who were motivated by sobriety.  They did not tell me how to live, they showed me how to live.  I learned how to do simple things, like wash my clothes, cook my meals, and keep my surroundings clean.  I learned that I am the problem, and I tried to use drugs and alcohol as my solution.  They taught me how to suit up and show up for life and how to be active in A.A.  They taught me how to have integrity and how to do positive things throughout my day so I feel good. I got a sponsor and worked all of the twelve steps.  I graduated New Life and moved out with some of my friends I made while I was going through the house.

My relationship with my family is wonderful today and I love them all.  I continue to go by the house: I go to the groups, talk and hang out with the guys in the house, give them rides to meetings and places they need to go, and show them the same path that I was shown.  I have gotten many great jobs and moved up in all of them with the work ethic I was taught at New Life.  I am setting out for a new goal to start my own business.  I truly feel like I was given a gift, and my life is completely different today.  I could not ask for anything more, I am heading the direction that I have always wanted to be.  Most of all I am content today and truly happy.

Brandon A.-

I consider myself lucky to have wound up on the doorstep of New Life House.  I grew up in the suburbs of Minneapolis, and my journey to sobriety started at a young age.  Willingly, I was sent to some of the top rehabilitation centers in the country.  I managed to clean up for a couple months at a time, shortly thereafter finding myself back to using drugs and alcohol.  These short stints of sobriety were enough for me to see there was a better way of life then the perpetual cycle of self destruction I could not seem to lift myself from.  At the age of 18 I found myself in yet another treatment program in Utah.  It was there I decided that if I wanted to give sobriety an honest chance, I was better off making my start away from home.

The decision I made to come to New Life has proved itself to be the wisest decision I have ever made.  As I walked in the doors there was an aura and sense of attraction different from any place I had been.  I was warmly welcomed by a brotherhood of guys my own age.  These guys had something going on and I wanted to be a part of it.  It was there I bought in and never looked back.  If I was to ever stay sober and have a life for myself, serious changes were needed.  Living alongside the closest friends I have ever had made it possible for us to help each other grow up and change through accountability.  New Life introduced me to Alcoholics Anonymous.  New Life also showed me how to get and keep a job, build relationships that last, and give me my family back.  As a result, I find myself able to live without the drugs and alcohol.

New Life has not only changed my life, but it gave me a foundation to build a life upon.  I stepped off the plane in Los Angeles a confused boy, not knowing a single person.  I did know one thing: it was time to clean up and do something with my life while I still can.  Eighteen months later, I walked out the front doors a confident man with the world at my fingertips.  At twenty-three years old and four-and-a-half years of sobriety, my life continues to develop.  I finished community college and am continuing on to a university.  Also, I left a job of three years to take a better position doing what I love.  I’m involved in the lives of those who surround me.  Life is good today.  I am forever grateful for what New Life has given me.  It is with honor I continue to be a part of the family.

Shane B.-

My name is Shane B.  I am twenty-one years old and my sobriety date is 8/29/04.  When I got to New Life I was young.  I grew up in San Diego, CA with my parents and my older brother who is five years older than me.  I had about as normal an upbringing as a kid could have.  I had a good family and a lot of friends, I went to private schools, I played every sport a kid could play and I was very good at all of them.  From the outside you would think things were perfect. School was always difficult for me, not because I was not intelligent, but because I had a problem with authority.  My heart and mind were just not interested in school.  My point in saying all of that is that I was given and I had every opportunity that a kid could possibly have.  I just chose not to take it.

I believe that drugs and alcohol were truly my only solution and my problem was myself. Growing up I struggled with insecurities, fears, phobias, and panic attacks.  At about age 12, I smoked weed for the first time and all of my fears went away.  From the ages of twelve to sixteen, I spent time being homeless by choice, I stopped listening to my parents, I was arrested multiple times, I was in juvenile hall for a short stint and I was on house arrest.  Some people take their time but I went straight to business and I thank God that I did.  I also thank God that I had parents who were willing to do anything to get help for me.

Being court ordered to New Life House was the most difficult thing I have ever had to go through but the best thing that has ever happened to me.  When I arrived at New Life, I did not want to be there.  The biggest thing that kept me there at first was definitely the guys in the house.  The camaraderie that happens over eighteen months is something that is hard to put into words.  My best friends are still the guys I went through the house with.

A lot of things have happened in between New Life and where I am at today.  When I was asked to write this letter I laughed because I could write an entire book.  Before New Life, I did not say much, I was extremely behind in school, and my only life ambition was to buy and live in a Volkswagen van.  Now a couple of my dreams are to travel the world and to become a writer.  I have already begun to do those two things.  I am not a completely different person today; through New Life and the program I was able to keep the good qualites I always had and work on and change the bad ones.  My life is amazing today, and I feel very much ahead of the life game. And my parents, who I get along with great today, feel the same. We will be forever grateful to New Life House.

Mark D.-

In the few years prior to coming to New Life House I knew exactly what I was going to do every day.  I was going to wake up and get drunk.  I was also going to go to any lengths to get high. This would include lying, cheating, and stealing.  It would also include causing harm in many peoples’ lives.  Every single day I would do the exact same thing, day in and day out.  I would sit on my butt and wonder where did everything go?  School, family, friends, future, dreams, and ambitions – all were gone.  I came from a wonderful family, great community and some of the best schools in the country, to trade it all for a life of misery that I was just stuck in and could not get out for all the money in the world.  That was my life.

Until one day, through a strange turn of events, I wandered home drunk one morning to my mom suggesting that we as a family go to Disneyland.  I remember thinking a family trip to Disneyland would help make me feel like a normal person.  I agreed to go and so off we went from San Diego, with me passed out in the back.  About 2 hours later we arrived at New Life. I woke up to my mom saying follow me this will only take a second. She led me inside and took off.  Needless to say I was rather shocked.  I certainly never saw that coming.  I had never asked for help and I was sure that my mom did not know that things had gotten this bad for me.

From what I recall I was approached by some of the guys in the house and I remember telling them that I was too smart, tough, and I did not really need any help from a recovery house.  Those guys told me that they had felt the same way and suggested that I stick around for a couple days and just hang out.  That was the first time in a long time that I took a suggestion and did something I did not want to do.  It also helped that I had nowhere else to go.

Every spare second in those first couple weeks I spent trying to plot my escape.  The only downside was that I kept being interrupted by guys wanting to sit and talk with me.  Little by little I started to gain a connection with the rest of the house members.  I began to realize that they were just like me.  Never before had I met people whom I felt that similar to.  Slowly I began to form relationships with those guys, and we would laugh and joke and go to meetings together and movies and stay up all night making fun of each other.  I also started to do what those guys did.  They woke up early.  They made their beds.  They did their own laundry.  They made their own meals.  They did chores and showed up for work and handled other responsibilities.  They put others before themselves.

Along with doing these things I began to see that maybe I did not have to go back to the way I was living. Maybe I could live the lives that these guys were living.  I saw that I did not have to just get off to a good start and then quit halfway through and sell myself short anymore because things got too hard.  Before I knew it I took pride in my appearance and my responsibilities. Before I knew it I had six months sober and I was part of a family that I would not leave for anything in the world.

New Life was the hardest thing I had ever had to go through to this day.  Part of becoming a man meant overcoming things I had never dealt with, deflating my ego, and confronting fears. There were times I wanted to just pack up and quit.  The inspiration provided by the house always made me see that anything that meant anything in life came from hard work and commitment. Most of the times this inspiration did not come in the nicest form, but it was exactly what I needed.

There were also graduates of the house who would come by and gives us rides to AA meetings and share their experience with us, and it was some of the most inspirational visions I could have ever hoped for.  I truly began to see how profound this family really was.  At one point in my New Life experience, I was told that it was time for me to get my high school diploma.  A high school diploma was something I had given up on a long time ago.  I was almost nineteen and had only obtained about a quarter of the credits required for a diploma.  It did not seem like something that was possible, but I was encouraged to just go enroll in adult school and give it my best shot.

I had never worked hard for anything in my life.  Starting something was easy for me, but sustaining a long-term commitment just was not me.  But a year later, I graduated high school! That was something that I thought was never going to happen.  I also graduated New Life., another reality that I believed was reserved for other people and not people like me.

After becoming a graduate I remember asking “Now what?” I got a job shortly after.  I got my driver’s license and a car.  A few months later I got my own apartment with two other guys I went through the house with.  I would come by the house and hang out and every day.  They told me I should sign up for community college.  I had no idea how to study or do homework or just be a good student.  Today I am a college graduate.  I have an amazing life and the possibilities are endless.  My horizons have expanded and I have done and seen things I never even knew existed.

When I get out of bed in the morning everyday, I know that I can do whatever I want.  The people in my life today have no idea I was once a miserable, hope-to-die drunk. My relationships with my family and friends are unbelievable. I have not taken a drink or used a drug in over eight years.  Not even one tiny drop.  But the true miracle is that I have the freedom to go anywhere and do anything my heart desires.  Today I am capable of giving back to life.  My sole purpose is not seeing what I can take from life.  Things like this were not supposed to happen to me.  They are all gifts, gifts so freely given to me from New Life House, and gifts that I plan on taking with me throughout my whole time on this Earth, wherever that takes me.  These gifts keep on giving.  Throughout my time on this planet I will always be a member of the New Life Family. For that I will be forever grateful.

Todd H-

You never really know where you are headed when you are out of control.  I never thought about how I would end up or what would happen to me.  All I thought about was the next high, the next score.  I was determined to make money everyday to fund my habit.  I ended up stealing everyone else’s.  There were no more bridges to burn, no more people to screw over.  I was left with myself, in a broken-down ’83 Honda Accord, curled up in the back seat, and paranoid that someone was watching me.

I remember thinking numerous times that this was okay.  There was nothing wrong with living in my car, using drugs, and not being a part of a family that provided EVERYTHING for me all my life.  This is what I told myself every night around 5:00 A.M., before I went to sleep, if I was lucky enough to sleep.

You never really know where you are headed when you are out of control.  You end up learning quickly when you are stuck in a cell waiting for your name to be called.  There is nothing to do but look at the floor and cry.  It is an empty feeling knowing no one is coming to get you. Peeking over the side gate, I noticed about fifteen guys sitting in a semicircle.  Smoking, laughing, reading from a small book, this had to be the wrong place.

When I entered New Life on April 10^th, 2000, I was a twenty-one-year-old meth addict.  On day one I was told to relax.  Day two, sit down.  Day three, shut up.  Someone was always telling me something.  There were rules, regulations, and consequences.  I saw guys get yelled at, dressed up and write so many pages of essays that you could have created a book with them.  All this being handed down by the long arm of the law, Perry P. and Mike J.  These two guys, one old and one very young, worked together everyday to break us down, but more importantly they worked to build us into men.

You do not really see this transformation happening.  People always see us better than we see ourselves. You never really know where you are headed when you put your faith and trust in something, completely and blindly.  You just buy into the structure, the way of the house.  There is proof that it works.  Guys coming back to say hi, help out, give back; you know you want that.

I remember when I had five months of sobriety, thinking to myself that I hoped I was going to be lucky enough to finish this out.  I wanted nothing more than to start something and actually finish it.  By the time I had nine months I knew I would finish.  The next step was to turn this into a lifestyle.  The lessons never stop.  I was constantly challenged to grow, learn, and listen.  Today I am honored to be a New Life graduate.  It is something that no one can ever take away from me.  I had the privilege to learn from two great leaders.  I know my life will take me in many different directions from here on out, but I know that New Life will always be my home.

Ben C-

My name is Ben C. and I am now twenty-seven years old.  I was reluctantly sent to the House in 1999.  I was eighteen years old with no hope left as I had failed to get sober at five different programs before I came here.  Like most addicts, I “lived to use, and used to live,” while only caring about myself and how I was going to get my next “fix.”  I had no life skills, no communication skills, no accountability, no self worth, no awareness of others, no confidence, no truth, no integrity, and no future.

New Life House is different.  It was the magic of my peers that were pushing me to grow as a person.  They were willing to tell me the truth about my character defects, my shortcomings, and most importantly, they held me accountable.  It was there, through my peers, that I learned the tools to get through life’s everyday challenges.  The best part was that after I got some time in the house, I got to give back as well through their “Little Brother Program.”  This was set up because it is well known that if we as Alcoholics & Addicts don’t give back we will lose our serenity first and then our sobriety.  No other place taught me how to get out of myself and give back like New Life House has. I now have over ten years of sobriety, and there is not a day that goes by that I do not use the tools I gained while being a member of the house.  I went back to college, and I am now succeeding at working hand-in-hand with my father.  I am achieving all of the things that were unachievable for a guy like me before I entered the house.  I am eternally grateful that I did not get my way over nine years ago, and that I got the opportunity so few get!

Sincerely,

Ben C.

Proud Graduate

JT R.-

Before New Life House I had no ambition.  I identified myself through drugs and alcohol and I was not willing to give them up.  When I got to New Life House, I was surprised to see guys that were just like me.  They talked and dressed like me, and they listened to the same music as I did.  However, there were a few major differences.  These guys had a sense of purpose and meaning.  These guys were enthusiastic about being sober.  They were contributing members of society with plans and ambitions.  They were all striving to be honorable young men with integrity who seemed to take pride in all they did.  I took an interest in these guys and wanted the same perception and outlook for myself.  Eventually, through a lot of hard work, persistence, and dedication (all of which I learned through the example of my peers in the house), I in fact received a new life.  My life today is a huge success!  I have a ton of friends and a career that I am excited about.  I have been in a loving and committed relationship for over two years now. I have a very strong relationship with my family, but most of all I have a stable, sane, sober life that I am excited about.  I was blessed with the good fortune of having the opportunity to go through New Life house and I truly am grateful.

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