LIFEHOUSE GUIDES ADDICTS TO LIVING

Mission Opens New Residence

At 15, while his peers were addicted to video games, Shawn Whyte was
addicted to cocaine.

Nearly 20 years later, he was snorting $1,000 worth of coke some days and
had taken over his brother's business: Dealing.

This past June, in a seedy Vanier hotel, he looked in the mirror and saw
death looking back at him. He broke it and days later found himself at The
Mission's LifeSkills program "spiritually, mentally and physically done
in," trying to kick the habit that had ruled him for years. Now, six months
later, the 36-year-old is clean and a program graduate.

"I've turned my life around 360 degrees. I'm still not perfect, but I'm
100% better than when I came in."

He credits the staff, everyone from the counsellors to the cleaning staff.
Now the LifeSkills program has a new home: LifeHouse. It was opened
yesterday and will allow 15 participants at a time to get clean while
living together and learning life skills such as cooking, cleaning,
budgeting and shopping.

Jay Fox, co-ordinator of addiction services, said the aim is to stop people
from letting their lives revolve around one thing, to create balanced living.

"The life skills they gain here will benefit them down the road," Fox said.

Whyte agreed. He said drugs are only 10% of an addict's problem. Living is
the other 90%.

Skills Lost

"Your only responsibility is where you're going to get that next drink or
hit," he said. "That doesn't make you a very social person. You lose most
of your social skills. You've got no conscience. Your life revolves around
one thing."

Mission executive director Diane Morrison said it's the first time the
centre has had its own facility to teach life skills. It was constructed in
a renovated building adjoining the main Mission site, with the help of
government and community partners.