Narconon Success Peter H

I completely destroyed everything I was working for.
My name is Peter H. and I am a Narconon Graduate. I have been clean and sober now for over 4 years. I owe all of my success to the Narconon program.I first started drinking alcohol and smoking pot when I was 14 years old, this was over 34 years ago. By the time I was 16 I had tried LSD, speed, crystal "T" < MDA, mushrooms, peyote, angel dust and cocaine. Throughout my life I went in and out of drug binges. When I was 19 I was heavily into the cocaine sceneof the late 70's snorting close to two grams per day and almost died because of it. In 1980 I moved to Colorado and lived in a major ski resort, where there was basically a party going round the clock. IN this atmosphere it was impossible to create any kind of productive life. I got out of there and settled down a bit and started a thriving construction company outside of Denver. Life was great.Then my old friend "addiction" knocked at my door and at the age of 40 I was hopelessly strung out on heroin. My life was put into a downward spiral and completely destroyed everything I ever worked towards. I spent over $160,000 on heroin and cocaine in one year and burned all of my bridges in regards to my business relations.At age 45 I was homeless, penniless, and almost dead. I received a call from a Narconon Counselor and after he explained Narconon's natural drug free program, I was sold. I arrived at Narconon Arrowhead in August 2004, and from the time I was picked up at the airport to the day I graduated the program and every staff member I came in contact with was friendly and really truly wanted to help me.After I completed the sauna portion of the program I was clear headed again, I was sleeping through the night and had no drug cravings whatsoever. After completing the entire program I had a whole new outlook on life and knew without a doubt that I can live my life without escaping back into the sick workld of using drugs. After two and a half years of being clean I can truly say that I am back and feel incredible. Thank you Narconon for SAVING MY LIFE!
Peter H.

Methadone Maintence

When speaking to groups or on the radio, I am often asked for my opinion of methadone, a dangerous opioid promoted as an acceptable solution for people who have been addicted to heroin, OxyContin or other opioids. My answer to the question is that for most people the methadone “solution” is really not a solution but a trap every bit as terrible as heroin or OxyContin addiction. Putting people on methadone is like putting them in a prison where they are not confined by walls but by their dependence on the drug. The questioner often then rejoins that they know someone who was in and out of jail for criminal acts when they were on heroin but are now on methadone and actually have a job. My response is that they may be living a better life than when they were addicted to heroin or OxyContin, but this life is nothing compared to the life they can have if they are withdrawn from methadone. But getting off methadone is not that easy. Our patients who were taking over 100 milligrams of methadone a day came to Novus because we are one of the few facilites that can help them detox from their methadone addiction. Prior to learning about Novus, these patients had almost all:Tried to taper off methadone on their own but failed;Contacted other detox facilities who were unwilling to accept them;Decided that their was no way to withdraw from methadone because of the pain.

WHAT IS LIFE ON METHADONE LIKE?
It is interesting that most people who believe methadone addiction is an acceptable way of dealing with heroin, OxyContin or other opioid addiction don't have any reality of what life on methadone is like. Many of us have forgotten to take medicine and had no ill effect. However, not getting a methadone dose on time can put a person into painful withdrawal. And the clinics are often located many miles away and are only open for a few hours in the morning. We have asked our patients about life on methadone. Here are some of the things that we were told about their life:You get up early to drive to a methadone clinic that is often in a less desirable part of town;
You stand in line with a variety of people, some who haven't bathed in weeks and some wearing business suits;
You make up excuses about why you can't leave town for a few days when your friends ask you to go with them;
You find your kids getting upset with you because you can never take off for a few days to take them camping or to an amusement park in another town;
You have less and less energy;
You look in the mirror and see someone that looks much older than your friends of the same age;
You worry that your libido is less and less;
You get Viagra but it doesn't seem to help;
You don't get high anymore on methadone, you just hope you don't get sick but sometimes you get sick even with the methadone;
You take a benzodiazepine like Xanax or drink to get a “buzz” and this may cause an overdose;
You feel scooped out or hollow inside;
You frequently have colds, catch everything going around and are sick for longer than your friends or family members who catch the flu or a cold;
You have trouble getting any restful sleep at night no matter how long you are in bed;
You find yourself less and less able to concentrate and start to have trouble remembering the names of people you have known for years;
You have trouble performing your job;
You notice your muscles are getting more flabby but you don't feel like exercising;
You worry that your car won't start and you will miss your dose;
You worry that there is an accident on the road and you won't get to the clinic in time;
You find yourself starting to nod off during the day;
You can't leave town for a vacation;
You worry about being stopped for a traffic violation that keeps you from arriving at the clinic in time for your dose;
You worry about being too sick to drive to get your dose;
You worry about being in an accident that will leave you unconscious and starting to go through withdrawals in the hospital;
You see that your spouse or significant other is more and more impatient and often wants to terminate the relationship;
You find that the only people who really understand you are people who are also on methadone or other drugs;
You really feel bad when you realize that you are paying $75-$100 per week to feel like this;
You have concluded that the only escape from methadone is death.The list of things we have been told could continue for another page at least. Does this sound like a life that you would wish on anyone?
CONCLUSION
One of our patients was very excited that he had withdrawn from over 200 milligrams of methadone in fourteen days. He wanted to share this with others so he posted his success at a methadone internet chat room. The other chat room members could not believe that anyone could come off high doses of methadone in that short a period and not be so sick that they couldn't move. Some of these people actually criticized him for posting a lie that just gave some gullible people false hope. Some accuse me of attacking the people who take methadone. Winston Churchill said, “Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.” Addicting people to a terrible opioid like methadone is “an unhealthy state of things.” We should demand that society not warehouse these people but instead assist them to become drug free. We have to tell them that there is a way to escape the methadone prison to which society has sent them. Our patients escape from their methadone prison. All it takes is their decision and we will do the rest.
For Immiediate Help Call 800-893-7060

ONE BAD DECISION CAN KILL

A party atmosphere with friends, a twenty-first birthday, a really bad day – any of these influences can cause a person to decide to celebrate or forget their problems with drugs or alcohol. But sometimes these bad decisions kill. A quick search of news media around the country turns up stories of decisions with consequences the individual never intended. For example, in December 2008, a 22-year old Illinois man was charged with giving an underage man alcohol that resulted in the younger man's alcohol intoxication death. In Minnesota, a twenty-one year old woman celebrated her birthday with seventeen shots that later caused her death. In July, former major league baseball catcher John Marzano died of a fall that involved alcohol intoxication. And in May, a bookstore owner in Idaho died when he lost control of his SUV with a blood-alcohol level four times the legal limit. "Unfortunately, it is just too easy to find examples of bad substance abuse decisions that result in someone's injury or death," . Narconon is one of the Worls's leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs with centers all over the US and Canada . "Fortunately, many people realize that they need help before they have such a catastrophe and that is when they reach out for a rehabilitation program such as ours."The Narconon program helps such people with a long-term rehabilitation program that uses no drugs either in the drying out period or any other portion of the program. "One phase of the Narconon program is a thorough detoxification that flushes drug residues out of the fatty tissues with the use of a dry-heat sauna and nutritional supplements, "We find that this dramatically reduces drug or alcohol cravings for many people. They are then in much better shape to focus on learning drug-free life skills in the later phases of the program. " The Narconon program typically takes three to five months, with each person moving at their own pace through this holistic program.To find immediate help for someone who is having a problem with any kind of drug or alcohol, contact Narconon's free addiction consultation and referral helpline at 1-800-893-7060 or visit their website at www.drugrehabthatworks.com. The Narconon program was founded in 1966 by William Benitez in Arizona State prison, and is based on the humanitarian works of L. Ron Hubbard. In more than 120 centers around the world, Narconon programs restore drug and alcohol abusers and addicts to a clean and sober lifestyle.

Bills seek disclosure of pharmaceutical companies' payments to doctors

AUSTIN – Texas lawmakers may be ready to force pharmaceutical companies to disclose payments to doctors, which some fear have led to excess prescribing of high-cost, high-risk drugs.Mirroring a national trend, two state lawmakers have filed bills to require drug manufacturers to report all payments to Texas health-care providers – including consulting fees and honoraria, gifts and travel perks."There's a school of thought that doctors are prescribing expensive, higher-level drugs as a result of these drug companies – which throw elaborate dinners and provide them gifts," said Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, who filed one of the bills."We want to make sure there is no inappropriate influence."The bills, one of which would also apply to medical device manufacturers, follow several Dallas Morning News reports about Texas doctors' and researchers' relationships with drug companies. They would force the pharmaceutical firms to submit an annual list to the state of every payment or gift made to a doctor, pharmacist, hospital or nursing home.Mixed reactionWhile drug makers haven't yet taken a position on Texas' legislation – a replica of bills that are being considered in more than a dozen states – industry leaders remain wary. They say their relationships with doctors are key to educating the public about the latest effective drugs and technology.The reporting requirements should not "inadvertently imply that these interactions are inappropriate," said Ken Johnson, senior vice president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. "These relationships are designed to ultimately benefit patients."But groups that represent Texas physicians say they don't see a conflict.Dr. Josie Williams, president of the Texas Medical Association, said her organization "supports transparency in health care, and favors transparency in this area as well."The Texas bills are the latest addition to a national debate over the influence big pharmaceutical companies can wield over medical research and prescribing patterns.Last summer, The News reported on the role drug companies played in funding a controversial state psychiatric drug list for children and for adults. One of the drug companies is the subject of a state lawsuit.A U.S. senator investigating drug company influence on Harvard psychiatry researchers reported last fall that two University of Texas child psychiatry experts failed to report tens of thousands of dollars in income they received from pharmaceutical firms. The researchers had federal grants that required them to do so.The senator, Iowa Republican Charles Grassley, is authoring a bill to create a national pharmaceutical disclosure registry – and to make it readily searchable on the Internet. Several states that have created local registries have struggled to make them public; pharmaceutical companies have claimed they contain trade secrets and are exempt from disclosure.
In the states that already have reporting requirements, "there's been a correlation between the amount of money pharmaceutical companies spend and the drugs prescribed by physicians," said state Sen. Rodney Ellis, the Houston Democrat who filed the other Texas bill. "It's appropriate to look at how much is being spent here."Proposed penaltiesUnder the two Texas measures, companies that failed to list a payment to a health-care provider could be fined up to $2,500 per omission. Those that don't file a report could see penalties of up to $25,000.Free samples of prescription drugs, student scholarships and gifts less than $25 in value would not need to be reported, and lawmakers say doctors would not be burdened with any paperwork.Sen. Bob Deuell, a Greenville Republican who works as a primary-care physician, said that although he isn't on a drug company's payroll, he doesn't see anything wrong with doctors who are paid for their services. That said, he thinks the reporting requirements are appropriate.If the funding is "all on the up and up, no one should even mind having the payments disclosed," he said. "I have no problem with it as a senator or as a doctor."Doctors aren't the only ones receiving funding from pharmaceutical firms. Since 2007, Texas lawmakers and special interest groups have received a combined $700,000 in campaign contributions from drug companies seeking to influence legislation.Several state lawmakers – particularly those who serve on health committees – received more than $10,000 apiece from drug companies in the last two years. West, the author of one of the disclosure bills, received $5,000.

The New Opiate epidemic (Oxycontin)

The most prevalent narcotic used today is OxyContin. We know that Purdue Pharma paid a $680 million fine and pled guilty to criminal charges of lying to doctors about OxyContin. However, there continues to be a strong effort by Purdue Pharma to market OxyContin, but they still don't tell doctors or the public the truth. Larry Golbom, a good friend to all who want the truth about prescription drugs revealed and the host of the Prescription Addiction Radio show, has written an excellent article about OxyContin and what it really is. This article is published at http://www.usrecallnews.com/index.php?s=golbom and the author and publisher have graciously allowed us to reprint the article.OxyContin and the Opium Epidemic of the 21st CenturyJanuary 2, 2009 Beginning over two hundred years ago, the opium plant was credited with being implicated in destroying the Chinese dynasties that had ruled China for thousands of years prior to The Republic of China being created in 1912. With opium reaching China's shores in increasing amounts, the Chinese Emperor, Ch'ien Chieh, has been attributed to the following quote in 1811: "This item, opium, spreads deadly poison. Rascals and bandits indulge in it and cannot do without it even for a second. They do not save their own earnings for food and clothes, but instead exchange their money for the pleasure of this narcotic. Not only do they willingly bring ruin upon their own lives, but they also persuade friends to follow their example. Previously, we decreed its prohibition, yet treacherous merchants still buy and sell it. When people smoke it, they may be incited to do all sorts of evil. When smoking becomes a habit, then they cannot stop even though they want to. Thus they bankrupt themselves and even lose their lives". It is my contention that we presently are well into the first 12 years of what future historians will refer to as the "opium epidemic of the 21st century". From a historical perspective, in the beginning of the 20th century it is reported that 27% of the adult male population in China was estimated to be addicted to opium. With the recent dramatic increase in raw opium being imported into our country to make oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and all the legal opium derivatives, the statistics available from a number of government agencies can help surmise the number of addicts that have been created since the introduction of OxyContin by the FDA in 1996.

Happy New Year

Thirty years ago, there were only a handful of drugs that were commonly abused in this country. Marijuana was the main one, followed by cocaine, heroin, morphine, and LSD. Sedatives Valium and Miltown, sleeping drugs and diet pills also began to be abused.The new millennium has seen an increase not only in the number of young people abusing drugs but also in the pattern of abuse and the number of substances that are available to abuse. The past few years, media reports have been surfacing about young people using prescription drugs to self-medicate their moods or their performance in work or study. Stories in the Washington Post and the New York Times alike describe college students and young professionals using prescription stimulants such as Ritalin or Adderall to increase clarity during study or to stay on the job longer while maintaining their sharpness. Drugs from the benzodiazepine class, such as Xanax, are also highly popular.The painkiller market has also provided new substances to abuse, with OxyContin, Vicodin, Percocet and other drugs leading the list. And now, even drugs being used for substance abuse treatment are drugs of abuse, such as methadone and suboxone. At the same time, the potency of marijuana has escalated from an average of 1 percent potency of THC, marijuana's active ingredient, to nearly 9 percent, greatly increasing the threat of addiction.."Our young people are finding themselves surrounded by an array of pharmaceutical and illicit drug solutions, stated Derry Hallmark,a Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor at Narconon. Narconon is one of the country's leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation networks with 130 centers, located in 45 countries "If any of them lack the confidence or life skills to succeed in life, it's just too easy to reach for a chemical solution. After all, so many of their friends are doing it. But most of these drugs are addictive." In 2006, a survey of young Americans aged 12 to 13 found that more than a million of them had already used an illicit drug. Nearly half a million had used a prescription drug for non-medical reasons, most of them trying one of the addictive pain relievers that get them high when improperly used. "These are kids who should be playing baseball and chasing their dogs around the yard," added Mr. Hallmark. "The handling lies in improved drug education, and with parents taking an active part in their children's lives, being sure to discuss the dead-end road that lies ahead of them if they use drugs. At Narconon Arrowhead, we help so many of these early drug users overcome the drug habits that became addiction once they were adults. As a result of our program, seven out of ten of our graduates go on to live drug-free lives."The Narconon program is an long-term residential alternative to traditional 28-day treatment programs, and works in a entirely drug-free way to help a person build a new life free from addiction. Find help for any kind of addiction by calling Narconon Arrowhead at 1-800-468-6933 for a free addiction assessment. Or visit their website at www.stopaddiction.com. The Narconon program was founded in 1966 by William Benitez in Arizona State prison, , Narconon programs restore drug and alcohol abusers and addicts to a clean and sober lifestyle .

Intervention

The following is a story from a parent who wanted desperately to get their child into the Narconon program but was unable to perform what would have been a life saving intervention and now finds it to late. Please learn from this parent's unfortunate tragedy.

Dear Bobby,I received your letter of follow up today. I was planning to write you anyway because of what has happened with my son. I remember feeling nearly frantic the weekend of August 6th, 7th and 8th, trying to arrange an intervention for Monday morning the 9th. Enclosed is a picture taken that Monday morning of my son, Rigel Blue Quick, Tiffany, and his two sisters.Twelve days later, on Saturday, August 21st, my son was killed in an auto accident. He had been drinking, so he wasn't driving. He was the passenger in his own car. Unfortunately, the young man to whom he gave the wheel had also been drinking. That young man, also 23 years old, was discharged from the hospital four weeks later with a severe head injury. He may never remember the friend he killed.I will never forget.I wanted to write to you to let you know about the terrible outcome we had here and to let you know that I can be an example to other parents. If you are worried about your child, there is a reason. If you think that he is in trouble, he probably is. Don't delay in seeking help. Listen to that voice inside. How I wish I could go back to that weekend.You may share this letter with other parents considering doing what I wish I had done. Thank you for your concern, I only wish I could have met you in August.
Sincerely,Shawn Q.