BREAKING THE CHAINS OF ADDICTION

Recovered Alcoholic, Drug User Shares Story

J used drugs for 25 years. It started as fun and a way to escape problems,
but by the end he was using drugs compulsively to keep from shaking.

That was until 10 years ago when he would face five to 15 years in prison.
This was after being convicted for the felony of selling marijuana -- which
resulted in some jail time and meeting with a probation officer three to
five times a week -- he thenwas arrested three months later for a DUI and
driving on a suspended license.

"After the DUI, I finally told my probation officer how long I had used,
and we both decided I should go into treatment because we were 99 percent
certain I would be convicted again if I didn't," J said.

J went into treatment and, now 47, has been clean all but four days of the
past 10 years.

As a member of both Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous J wished
for his name to be concealed because it is the policy of both organizations
to not promote their members.

Being clean and being in both of these programs has given J a life.

"My life is radically different than it was 10 years ago," he said. "I have
a real life instead of living in the subculture of drugs and alcohol."

J said he smoked his first joint when he was 12 because the older guys he
hung out with were doing it and it was something he enjoyed. By the time he
was 17 he was selling drugs.

"I experimented with all the drugs that came along," he said. "I did
everything from marijuana to heroin and everything in between, but
marijuana was always a staple, I always had marijuana."

J began working in construction at age 19. Most of the guys he worked with
smoked and all at least drank.

"It was a good fit because I was making good money and wasn't looked down
upon," J said.

As part of his probation, J was required to attend NA and AA meetings. He
said there were so many improvements in his life just during the first year
that the meetings were always an important aspect in his life.

"For one thing, before I went into treatment -- I can't say I was homeless,
but I lived in a basement."

He said he didn't pay any bills. All the money he made went to drugs.

"In the first year (of treatment) I was able to move into a nice apartment,
I was able to pay bills. I was able to start paying back bills that had
been due for 10 years," J said. "Life has been pretty great all around."

Bill Arck, director for Alcohol and Other Drug Education Service at
University Counseling Services, said these support programs are crucial to
the recovering alcoholic.

"Of course, AA is a component of treatment programs," he said. "It's free
and anonymous, and it's hard to beat that if the person buys into it and
accepts it."

Students concerned about their own drug and alcohol intake or someone
else's can go to Counseling Services.

"Even though we don't do the big treatment they can come talk to me, we do
a quick assessment and I could say 'you know you're not the typical K-State
student'," Arck said.

Bob Wisdom, a masters-level licensed psychologist and certified alcohol and
drug counselor at Pawnee Mental Services, said addiction starts from trying
to solve a problem through the use of alcohol or other drugs.

"I believe that not everyone who uses illegal drugs is an addict or becomes
addicted," he said.

Wisdom said it's easier to become addicted to drugs like crack cocaine,
methamphetamines, and heroin than alcohol, but alcohol is a bigger problem.

"It has been my impression that more people are addicted to alcohol than
all other drugs combined."

Regarding J's drug of choice marijuana, Wisdom said many people could use
the drug without experiencing problems. Because marijuana doesn't cause
embarrassing behavior like alcohol abuse or the physical or financial
problems associated with harder drugs, it's often more difficult to quit.

"The problems I see come from opportunities that they don't grasp fast
enough," he said. "Situations go by that they don't take advantage of."

Two years ago, J enrolled at Washburn University's Human Services
department because the school has a program that certifies students as
counselors after 27 hours of specific course work.

J was licensed in July and is currently looking for a job. Now a sophomore
in the Washburn Human Services department, he said once he graduates he
will go to graduate school at K-State to become more qualified as a counselor.

"That's what I plan on doing for the rest of my life," J said. "Being clean
and being in both of these programs has given me a life."

"I've been given so much help by people over the past 10 years that it's
allowed my life to change. I want to be able to help others change their
lives. I can't do it for them but I can show them how. It's just important
for me to do that."

J is married for the second time. He said his first marriage, which lasted
10 years, was based on the party scene.

He and his wife will celebrate their fifth anniversary in November.

The two met through mutual friends and his wife said J was honest about his
past from the get go.

"I didn't know him when he was using," she said. "You need to look at who
people are now and not who they were."