I Lost Everything but Now I Have the Solid Foundation to Build My “New Life”

 

Coming to Narconon was my last chance to live, I would not have admitted it at the time but I was getting involved in dangerous situations—living out of my car, literally fighting for my life for drugs, not eating or hydrating, doing anything I could to get drugs and not thinking about the consequences of any of my actions. I was living minute by minute surrounded by people that wanted to steal and kill me to use drugs also. All I could think about was using, nothing else mattered.

I had been to other drug treatment centers and never felt ready to live my “new life.” After completing those programs, I was not prepared to deal with the reality of my life. My mind was still in a haze, I was not ready to work, deal with problems or people, I had no plan, no goals, and no idea what was happening to me. I had no reason to survive.

Meeting Thomas, the Interventionist for the first time, I asked him, “Can I help you?” He looked at me then at his phone like he was looking at a picture then he looked down at me again (he must be 6'6", maybe taller). And then he asked me like maybe I wasn’t who he was looking for or I didn’t look like myself “I’m looking for Rudy do you know where I can find him?” “Oh, that’s me,” I said (hoping it was someone who owed me money or something). “I’m Thomas I work with Narconon. Rudy, are you ready to get better? Do you want to stop using drugs?” I didn’t even put up a fight. It was now or never. I would be dead in 30 days or less, or I could surrender now and let this man help me. Before I knew it, we were on the first flight to Los Angeles.

I arrived at Narconon Ojai weighing 145 lbs. I was dehydrated and suffering from malnutrition. My pants were only held up by my belt pulled tight to the extra hole I had made; my shirt hanging loose on my bony shoulders like oversized pajamas on a skeleton; my hair was thin and falling out. I was greeted like I was a VIP or movie star. I had a very nice tray of a couple of sandwiches, fruit, and ice-cold water brought to me. Everyone was so nice. The center looked amazing, once a famous movie star’s home now turned drug recovery oasis. They showed me to my room, high ceiling glass and marble throughout. The last thing I remember was thinking how incredibly cozy the bed was. I slept for days.

After withdrawal, I was ready for the next phase of the program, detoxifying my body from a lifetime of toxins, drugs, alcohol, and who knows what else. The New Life Detoxification includes many hours in the Sauna sweating out toxic residues, taking copious amounts of water, vitamins, minerals, and doing some simple mental exercises to get my body and mind ready for the rest of the program. The New Life Detox allowed my body and mind to function normally without drugs. My body started feeling alive again. I was eating three meals a day of the most amazing food I had eaten in a long time. And I started exercising, lifting weights, and going on daily walks. My energy and cognitive function started coming back I could focus a little bit better every day, I started thinking creatively again all within the first couple of weeks of the New Life Detox portion of the program.

I now walk around with a smile on my face most of the time. Wanting to use drugs to handle my problems doesn’t even enter my mind. I know that I’m not an addict for life—the things I’m learning here are powerful shifts in the way I was shown how to handle drug addiction. I learned how to identify and deal with negative suppressive people and disconnect from dangerous and manipulative people and groups. I disconnected permanently from everything related to drugs. I learned how to identify and nurture good positive relationships with people that care about me and my success. I’m taking those good relationships and building stronger bonds with honest and ethical behavior and communication. I’ve learned that when I better myself I increase the success of all the areas of my life.

 

“I’m telling my story as I hope it inspires others to reach the goal of a happy and drug free life, which is where I’m at now in my life.”

I’m 190 lbs now. My eyes are clear, my smile is bright, my mind is calm and my body is clean and strong. I have goals for all the areas of my life and I have the mental persistence and physical strength to carry out the daily action plans to reach those goals. I lost everything, but now I have the solid foundation to start building my “New Life.” Building every moment by doing the ethical actions that benefit the most amounts of people and do the greatest good. I’m telling my story as I hope it inspires others to reach the goal of a happy and drug-free life, which is where I’m at now in my life.

—Rudy, Narconon Ojai Graduate