3 years, 4 months ago
about Crack Addiction
I read the book Tweak. What was the name of the last drug treatment center Nic attended?
Do you recommend the treatment center. My son has been using crack/cocaine and other drugs for 18 years. He has been to many centers with no results. He is at the end of the line. We are looking for new possibilities. . He does not like 12 step programsThanks, Anna
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M$3 Answers
I'm no expert, so I hesitated to answer. However I feel for your plight, and want to help in so far as I can.
Nic Sheff wrote Tweak, and his journal is still online at: http://nicsheff.blogspot.com/
His father David Sheff also wrote a book, "Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction", which tells the same events seen through his eyes. He has a website at http://davidsheff.com/ with articles and pointers to resources.
The only treatment center that is listed by David Sheff is Hazelden (http://www.hazelden.org/), and Nic certainly spent many months there. I think this is the one you are looking for, but I can't be 100% certain as Nic may have spent time in other centers as well.
In David Sheff's book, he is told by the Director of the Herbert House Sober Living facility in LA that "Hazelden is expensive, but it's as good as they come". Everything that I've seen suggests Hazelden is one of the very best in its field. (But again, I'm no expert, so you should check it out for yourself, and maybe consult specialists.)
From what I do know of addiction, the biggest problem is not getting off, though that is often hard enough, but staying off. I once heard someone (a former addict turned therapist I think) say something like: "A normal person's life is like a box with many compartments. Work, family, friends, hobbies, and so on. For an addict, every compartment is filled with their addiction. Everything in their life is connected with and built around the addiction. Take the addiction away and they are left with an empty, empty life. And the pull is to go back and fill up those boxes with the addiction again".
They said the key to staying off long-term is to find something else to fill those empty spaces.
So there is one thing I've across that sometimes help people do just that, and it is described here:
http://secondhandaddiction.blogspot.com/2008/08/codependency-second-hand-addiction-and.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diana-odasso/my-landmark-experience_b_105502.html
This may be an option if you are running out of mainstream treatment ideas. I have heard of it helping people kick a heroin addiction, and have met people that overcame the traumatic effects of having suffered child abuse through this programme. It's not specifically a drug programme, but as you've tried so many of those and are looking for new possibilities, this may be one to at least explore.
Best of luck to you and your son.
Nic Sheff wrote Tweak, and his journal is still online at: http://nicsheff.blogspot.com/
His father David Sheff also wrote a book, "Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction", which tells the same events seen through his eyes. He has a website at http://davidsheff.com/ with articles and pointers to resources.
The only treatment center that is listed by David Sheff is Hazelden (http://www.hazelden.org/), and Nic certainly spent many months there. I think this is the one you are looking for, but I can't be 100% certain as Nic may have spent time in other centers as well.
In David Sheff's book, he is told by the Director of the Herbert House Sober Living facility in LA that "Hazelden is expensive, but it's as good as they come". Everything that I've seen suggests Hazelden is one of the very best in its field. (But again, I'm no expert, so you should check it out for yourself, and maybe consult specialists.)
From what I do know of addiction, the biggest problem is not getting off, though that is often hard enough, but staying off. I once heard someone (a former addict turned therapist I think) say something like: "A normal person's life is like a box with many compartments. Work, family, friends, hobbies, and so on. For an addict, every compartment is filled with their addiction. Everything in their life is connected with and built around the addiction. Take the addiction away and they are left with an empty, empty life. And the pull is to go back and fill up those boxes with the addiction again".
They said the key to staying off long-term is to find something else to fill those empty spaces.
So there is one thing I've across that sometimes help people do just that, and it is described here:
http://secondhandaddiction.blogspot.com/2008/08/codependency-second-hand-addiction-and.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diana-odasso/my-landmark-experience_b_105502.html
This may be an option if you are running out of mainstream treatment ideas. I have heard of it helping people kick a heroin addiction, and have met people that overcame the traumatic effects of having suffered child abuse through this programme. It's not specifically a drug programme, but as you've tried so many of those and are looking for new possibilities, this may be one to at least explore.
Best of luck to you and your son.
source(s):
http://www.hazelden.org/
http://davidsheff.com/beautiful_boy-resources.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sheff
http://nicsheff.blogspot.com/
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/books/review/Morrice-t.html?pagewanted=pr...
Google Book Search will find you the quotes about Hazelden from David Sheff's book, or anything else you want to search the book for.
http://books.google.com/books?q=hazelden+nic&btnG=Search+Books
http://secondhandaddiction.blogspot.com/
http://secondhandaddiction.blogspot.com/2008/08/codependency-second-hand-ad...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diana-odasso/my-landmark-experience_b_105502....
http://www.hazelden.org/
http://davidsheff.com/beautiful_boy-resources.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sheff
http://nicsheff.blogspot.com/
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/books/review/Morrice-t.html?pagewanted=pr...
Google Book Search will find you the quotes about Hazelden from David Sheff's book, or anything else you want to search the book for.
http://books.google.com/books?q=hazelden+nic&btnG=Search+Books
http://secondhandaddiction.blogspot.com/
http://secondhandaddiction.blogspot.com/2008/08/codependency-second-hand-ad...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diana-odasso/my-landmark-experience_b_105502....
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
Nic's father David also wrote a book called "Beautiful Boy"
From what I have read it sounds like the Hazelden in Oregon was Nic's 5th and final treatment center. You can find more information here.
http://www.hazelden.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m77f1I_AexU
The Book is online in the link below, which is where I found the answer.
Hazelden, including the the Oregon facility is an outpatient care facility so that is something to keep in mind for your son.
http://www.hazelden.org/web/public/springbrook.page
From what I have read it sounds like the Hazelden in Oregon was Nic's 5th and final treatment center. You can find more information here.
http://www.hazelden.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m77f1I_AexU
The Book is online in the link below, which is where I found the answer.
Hazelden, including the the Oregon facility is an outpatient care facility so that is something to keep in mind for your son.
http://www.hazelden.org/web/public/springbrook.page
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
@philipy you are 100% correct in your statement about addiction. The easiest part of recovery is the getting sober, the most difficult is the staying sober.(or free of addictive behavior). It is the progression of the disease of addiction that makes it so difficult. Every day a sober addict wakes up that addict is still an addict and their disease has gotten stronger.. each day is a new fight.
And there has rarely been a truer statement made regarding addiction and the mind of an addict that the one you have quoted from "I once heard someone (a former addict turned therapist I think)"
""A normal person's life is like a box with many compartments. Work, family, friends, hobbies, and so on. For an addict, every compartment is filled with their addiction. Everything in their life is connected with and built around the addiction. Take the addiction away and they are left with an empty, empty life. And the pull is to go back and fill up those boxes with the addiction again".
that is great insight.
I think this is a very nice answer.