MONSTER METH - RECOVERY IS A LONG PROCESS

The road to recovery from methamphetamine is difficult, but treatment
is not the end of life - just the beginning of a new start.

"More than 80 percent of the cases we see are meth-related," said Gene
Cleckler, executive director of the Family Life Center in Fort Payne.
The court system refers cases to the Family Life Center or the Bridge,
which is also in Fort Payne.

"I've worked with addicts since 1984," Cleckler said. "We typically
saw men in their 50s who are alcoholics. It is disturbing to see men
and women in their early 20s who have sores on their arms from iodene
poisoning and false teeth because the meth has rotted their real ones.
Since 2000, my life has changed as a therapist because of meth."

Cleckler has also seen more interaction with the Department of Human
Resources.

"Since January 2002, there have been well over 20 cases of parents
losing custody of children because of meth addiction," he said.
"That's not normal to do things that go against your parental instinct."

Addicts often rationalize their behavior, believing they are good
parents, for example, if they smoke meth outside instead of in front
of kids.

"We take a very confrontational approach, forcing addicts to take a
fearless and thorough inventory of their fears, resentments and
morality. We aren't going to let them sit around or pet them. A
primary symptom is denial, and most do not realize they are addicts
until someone stresses this to them," Cleckler said.

"Those who voluntarily enter a substance abuse program often convince
themselves they are recovered. We present the reality of their
situation so they realize there is no way they can look in the mirror
and tell themselves this is a good way to live."

He said there is no "magic formula to determine how much pain it
takes, just experiencing enough consequences to make it clear.
External motivation keeps them involved."

Cleckler said if the Family Life Center can produce good A.A.
(Alcoholics Anonymous) and N.A. (Narcotics Anonymous) members from its
treatment program, then it has done our job.

"This is because a good A.A. or N.A. member knows they have a problem
and have a solution to solve that problem," he said.

Treatment, he added, has much to do with getting to the root of a
person who has been lost in self-deceit.

He recalled a client whose friend took meth intentionally poisoned by
the person who sold it to them.

"After they left him somewhere with a severe reaction, they went and
ahead and used the same meth even though they realized it was
poisoned," Cleckler said. "Alcohol addiction is subtle. You turn 50
and realize you've had several DUI arrests. With meth, you're stealing
momma's VCR within six months to buy drugs. You crave it and keep
doing it in the face of insanity."

Cleckler said some people are predisposed to addiction because of
their biology. He knows because his father was an alcoholic and he
battled his own drug demon called cocaine.

"My biology was just sitting there waiting," he said. "I used to smoke
two packs a day, so I couldn't believe it when someone left their
cigarettes in their car for the day. You combine that high potential
for addiction with chemicals that hook you quicker, and it's terrible.
It scares me that my sons have half of my biology. Teenagers feel
bulletproof and meth is readily available."

Treatment typically involves some combination of 28 day programs, six
months outpatient care and 90 day stays in sober halfway houses.

While it may take jail to bring home the reality of addiction,
incarceration often worsens the problem, Cleckler said. He believes
there should be more emphasis put on treatment of what is a disease.

"Addicts tell us they share meth recipies in prison," he said. "We
won't stop the meth problem until we do away with the chemicals used
to make it. I would love to see a treatment program within the county
jail but that costs money. It is a shame to have to send a person
south to get treated. If someone follows the 12 steps to recovery,
those steps can carry you out, but addiction is a disease like
diabetes. It requires a lifetime to treat it."