New Treatment Approach to Drug and Alcohol Addiction Getting Positive Results

Living in the misery and shame of addiction doesn't have to be an addict's destiny, despite having unsuccessfully tried "everything" to get their life back. So says Ryan Thorpe, Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor and the Director of Admissions at Narconon Arrowhead.

In a Nov. 3 press release, Thorpe explains that there are three primary factors that make up the trap of addiction. They are cravings, depression and guilt. "A rehabilitation program, to be successful, must help the addict himself or herself eliminate each of these factors in a fundamental, lasting way. No one can do it for him or her, no evaluation or analysis by an outside party can hope to change a person's world like they themselves can.

The amazing thing is that when we see these factors fully addressed, we also see a person literally walk away from the addiction once and for all." Thorpe says that in 2007, they have witnessed nearly 500 individuals successfully complete the Narconon Arrowhead program. "They no longer view themselves as addicts. They are living proof that addiction can be cured," he said.

According to the Stop Addiction website, the Narconon Arrowhead Drug Rehabilitation and Education Center is a full-service residential drug rehab. The agency's philosophy is that the one who helps the addict the most is the addict himself or herself. After addressing immediate physical needs, the agency works with the individual addict to increase their ability to confront and control themselves and their environments.

Anyone who has worked with addicts, lived with an addict or been an addict knows that addiction to any substance is a complex problem that's difficult to solve. And treatment approaches vary as much as the addicts themselves. Some, such as the National Institutes of Health, say it's a disease - a chronic, relapsing disease without a cure. Narconon Arrowhead's position is that "if you understand the makeup of addiction and address the real causes, then addiction can be eliminated for a lifetime."

The Narconon program was founded in 1966 by William Benitez in Arizona State Prison. It's based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard and has grown to more than 120 centers worldwide. Narconon Arrowhead is located Canadian, Okla., and is said to be one of the nation's premier substance abuse rehabilitation centers.

So what makes Narconon Arrowhead's approach so unique? First, the program teaches that drug cravings must be handled at the physical level. The residual drugs and their by-products must be drawn out. Experts say that residual drugs can remain in an addict's body and trigger physical cravings years after the person stops ingesting drugs. Next, depression must be addressed at both the physical and emotional level. Poor diet and nutritional deficiencies are common among addicts and are known to contribute to depressive states. When addicts are taught social skills and assisted in repairing the destruction their addiction has brought on themselves and their families, that gives a significant emotional boost. Further, the guilt an addict feels is relieved or lessened when he or she learns the root cause of their guilty feelings. The addict is then enabled to use what they've learned to face and take responsibility for their past behaviors. Although this is clearly an oversimplification of the program, Narconon Arrowhead says the recovering addict is ultimately able to restore their personal integrity and moral values, which are critical to overcoming their addiction.

According to Stop Addiction, the answer to one's addiction is not simply to stop using. Many who have used willpower to stop using and abusing substances have found that "the life of constant struggle to stay 'clean and sober' is seemingly as miserable as the life they had while using." Following Narconon Arrowhead's non-traditional approach, a person learns to deal with and overcome their addiction by regaining the ability to live the life the person wants, but in the way that will truly produce the joy and happiness they originally sought from their addictive substance and behavior.

Sources:

Press release, Narconon Arrowead Takes Unconventional Position On Addiction And Gets Results In 2007; http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/11/prweb565154.htm

Stop Addiction; http://www.stopaddiction.com/