GETTING HELP TO BEAT ADDICTION

A Look At a College Student Who Overcame Addiction With the Help of
Organizations

It was somewhere between Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, in the middle of the
desert, when it all went down.

Luke, a University of Utah student, had been driving for some time well
faster than the speed limit, drunk, stoned and generally inebriated in a
car full of illegal substances. Flying past the sagebrush and sand, Luke
was struck by the eerie similarities his adventure held with "Fear and
Loathing in Las Vegas."

"It was very Hunter S. Thompson," Luke said.

But the similarities between his experience and that of the serendipitously
fortunate Gonzo journalist end there. Luke's countenance becomes somber
when he remembers the night he got caught.

"The police lights started flashing behind us, and I knew we were in
trouble," Luke said. "They found the drugs, realized I was drunk and high
and arrested me. It was a really big deal."

His arrest was a big deal because, at the time, Luke was a drug addict.
Like many others, Luke had a drug problem and was not willing to address
the problem himself.

"I used substances addictively long before I knew I needed help," he said.
"I never knew it was a problem."

Oblivion is a sentiment common in drug users, Luke said.

"With the disease of addiction, the number one symptom is denial," he said.
"You deny your addiction until you can't anymore, then you hit bottom."

Bottom for Luke came after he was bailed out of jail. Contemplating
suicide, Luke had endured a year of "depression, in a drunk and stoned
existence." He contemplated finding $1000, purchasing an array of narcotics
and going up to the mountains to overdose "properly," he said.

But before his plans could be carried out, Luke was checked into an
intensive inpatient recovery and detoxification program to get clean.

During his stay in the hospital, Luke heard about Narcotics Anonymous.

"People at my inpatient program introduced me to NA," Luke said. "I found a
home there with people who understood what I was going through."

Joe, another recovering addict, expresses similar sentiments about
addiction and recovery.

"I knew things were bad when I realized that, no matter what I tried, I
couldn't quit," he said. "I went to NA and there were all these people who
knew what I was going through. NA really helped me clean myself up."

NA is "... a nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom
drugs had become a major problem. We are recovering addicts who meet
regularly to help each other stay clean. This is a program of complete
abstinence from all drugs. There is only one requirement for membership,
the desire to stop using."

It's a 12-step program in the same vein as Alcoholics Anonymous, but it
isn't affiliated with any other organizations. NA began in California,
according to Larry, a NA mediator and member, as a haven for drug users who
wanted to get clean.

"Jimmy Kay started NA in Southern California because there was the need for
a 12-step program which dealt with drugs," Larry said.

For many, the principles, traditions and practices of NA have been invaluable.

"NA is where I go to meet with other people who used drugs like I did and
don't have to anymore," Luke said. "It's really important to know that
there is a free alternative to drug abuse. If you use drugs and alcohol and
aren't satisfied with life, you can always give a 12-step program a chance."

While 12-step programs are used to treat a variety of addictions,
everything from cocaine abuse to overeating, they are not the only programs
aimed at assisting those who need help coping with addictions.

Lisa Mountain, a University of Utah psychology professor and counselor for
the Alcohol and Drug Education Center, says that no matter what level of
addiction, there's a program to help.

"There are a number of programs here on campus for students who need
rehabilitation," Mountain said. "We have programs that range from the usual
three-hour class assigned when a student is caught drinking or using drugs
in the dorms to much more intensive programs for students with much more
serious problems."

ADEC provides services in an effort to increase community awareness
regarding the abuse of illegal substances. It offers programs and seminars
weekly, providing a safe, non-judgmental environment for recovery.

"No matter what level of treatment you need, there is a program for you,"
Mountain said.

Much like NA did for Luke and Joe, alcohol and drug education programs at
his college helped Phil, a recovering alcoholic and drug abuser, get clean.

"It was pretty obvious that I needed help," Phil said. "I was living in a
complete world of drug-induced insanity."

Once he realized he needed help, Phil used the tools available and met with
a counselor.

"I met with some counselors, they recommended inpatient and 12-step
programs," Phil said. "Those organizations really helped me get on track."

But, even with the innumerable agencies and organizations available to
those who need assistance, Phil, Luke and Mountain all agree that the most
important step is recognizing there's a problem.

"There are plenty of numbers out there, just call them and get help," Phil
said. "It doesn't matter what I, or anyone else, says. Nothing other people
say can make or break another person's recovery."

Luke and Mountain agree.

"If I were giving advice, it would be to drop (a friend suspected of drug
abuse) off at a 12-step program," Luke said. "The only people who can make
a difference are the ones who know what (recovery) is like."

Mountain says that education is important to getting clean.

"If you are a drug abuser, or know someone who is, get educated," she said.
"Intervene in a very non-judgmental way and refer them to an agency."

More information is available through the National Substance Abuse
Treatment Directory at www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov, or through self-help
groups like NA and AA at their respective Web addresses.

(Some sources in this article are not fully named to protect their identities.)