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Medicine 2010-11-09 3 min read

Ex-Drug Addict's Narconon Experience

Former heroin addict talks about his experience while on the Narconon drug rehab program.
Ex-Drug Addict's Narconon Experience

CANADIAN, OK, November 09, 2010

Michael Ginsburg had been to over ten drug rehab programs before enrolling in the Narconon Arrowhead drug rehabilitation program in Canadian, Oklahoma. Michael's addiction started at age 16 when he started smoking marijuana. His grades started to slip and as solution his parents took him to a psychiatrist who diagnosed him with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and he was put on Ritalin. Michael soon started abusing the Ritalin, and when he could not get it, he began substituting other drugs to feel the same high he got when taking the drug Ritalin.

By the time Michael was 19, he had already been through one failed attempt at rehabilitation. He started injecting heroin and cocaine and spent the next 10 years of his life heavily addicted.

"The more drugs I used, the less important everything else in my life became," says Michael. "I quit talking to my parents. I had no real friends. I had no responsibilities and often no place to live. I traveled around the country getting in trouble and getting high, and by the time I was 29, I had been shooting cocaine and heroin for nearly a decade, been in at least 10 rehabs, and had absolutely no hope."

Michael was also a talented musician who had been playing violin since the age of three. At five he was performing and was destined to be a professional violinist. Unfortunately, as a result of his addiction he pawned his violin and didn't play music for nearly ten years.

By the time Michael was 30 he was arrested and went to jail. Looking at prison time, he was told about a rehab program called Narconon. Michael agreed to enroll in the program, leery of help because of his failures with other types of treatment.

While going through Narconon 's extensive program that involved eight specific steps designed to handle all the mental and physical components of addiction, Michael ended up being able to get out of the mess that drugs put him in.

"Detox, while never pleasant, wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be," says Michael. "Narconon's drug-free withdrawal got me out of my head, and before I knew it, I wasn't thinking about drugs 24-7."

"The sauna body cleansing program was one of the parts of the program I will never forget," he adds. "It was an amazing feeling to be free of all the harmful toxins and drug residues that my body had been storing for all those years. I could think clearly again."

The other thing that happened while Michael was in treatment was that he was able to pick up the violin again. Another client at the treatment program had a violin and when Michael picked it up, clean and sober, the music came back quickly.

"Narconon taught me how to live again! How to have hope and fulfill my dreams! The staff were friendly and supportive and I've made life long friends," says Michael. "During my time at Narconon Arrowhead, I regained the ability to play music, I rekindled my relationship with my family, I learned who I was, and what I wanted to be."

Narconon currently operates 150 centers in 40 different countries and has been helping addicts permanently recover from addiction since the 1960's. The program was founded by a former heroin addict named William Benitez in Arizona State Penitentiary. Benitez, who was desperate for a solution to his own addiction, read a book by America philosopher and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard that help him understand how to stop using drugs. Using this technology, Benitez helped other inmates in the prison, and once he was release opened the first residential Narconon rehab program in Los Angeles, California.

Ginsburg is one of many successful graduates of Narconon who now spends his time helping others struggling with addiction and also works to create drug prevention programs for the community.

For more information on Narconon Arrowhead or to get help for yourself or a loved one contact us today at 800-468-6933.

Website: http://stopaddiction.com