The
power of a heroine addiction is that it can cause the most able mind to
believe that it is under control, when in fact its hold intensifies
along with the denial to oneself and others. Eventually it led him into
behaviors that were completely contrary to his previously healthy
mind/body disposition.
Probation and a one hour, once a week session
with a counselor, only helped him to mask his addiction, for an
additional year. He nearly died of overdose and even through his
extreme sickness (constant vomiting) the power of the heroine still
caused him to deny the addiction. A year ago, I had urged my son to enter
the program when I had doubts about his using, but legally could not
force him. And then too there was my own denial; why would I believe
this about my son?
Only after his necessity of legal assistance was he
urged to enter the ARC program. It saved his life. It is likely he
would not be here today if it were not for this. What he had was the
equivalent of any insidious and pervasive disease and his treatment: a
complete immersion in group therapy four hours every day for weeks, was
just what he needed.
Watching my son through it all, I've seen his
emotional/physical health improve so much that he completed the program a
stronger/healthier person than ever before. He was so happy about
completing this program that he decided that he never wanted to look
back at that dark past and decided to move forward and complete his
college education.
If only this program could have been made legally mandatory for him a
year ago for right now he sits in prison. His sentencing came after (and
crime previous) to his successful completion of this program. I can
only hope that his prison sentence does not undo all of the good that
the ARC program has done for him.