The road to healing from drugs begins with Self
April 19, 2005 | 12:00am
Drugs and alcohol are insidious fiends. For the unwary, the path towards addiction is easy. "It was so much like bungee jumping," says a former habitual substance abuser. "There was the thrill that you were doing something different and dangerous. You felt that you were in total control of your body. Drugs weren’t such a big deal. It was only the weak that succumbed." And, feeling no disagreeable effects, he thought nothing of repeating the experience. He tried other drugs, liked the "high," and substance abuse became habitual. With frequent intake, he inevitably plunged into the pit of addiction.
We first met M when he was a teenager. Quick-witted, likeable and droll, he was a happy soul who seemed to be free from the angst that plagued most teenagers. He was unfailingly polite and pleasant, came from a supportive and caring family, and was considerate and kind to kids who were much younger than him. Genuinely friendly, he seemed to be a fine, well-adjusted young man. Thus, it came as a shock when he was expelled from school for fighting. Rumors of suspected drug use also circulated. "There must have been a mistake," we all thought, bristling at the injustice of the accusation. However, there was unassailable evidence, and we were stunned. His parents must have been devastated, but they put up a brave front. Convinced that M’s drug use was a baseless accusation, we were all certain that he had learned his lesson well. He merely made a mistake. His parents must have believed that more than we did. They gave him their vote of confidence by giving him a chance to redeem himself. Options were examined and it was decided that he enroll in a local college. As his parents lived in another city, it was decided that they rent our guesthouse for M’s use. Ostensibly, this was so that he would be among friends. An added plus was that we could keep an eye on him.
It soon became apparent that M had used his charm to inveigle all of us into thinking that he was ready to turn a new leaf. The parties in the guesthouse became innumerable. And, when it was discovered that he had stopped going to school, yet drew a considerable and regular allowance from his unsuspecting parents, they deemed it time for him to go home.
We lost touch with M for a while. Occasionally, news would reach us about him. He had run away from home and nobody knew where he was; was running around with a band; was selling his prized possessions; had crashed his car; was in rehab; was finally out of rehab.
I was surprised to see him one day. He had a wry, sheepish grin on his face. Knowing my stand on drug use, he readily volunteered the information that he was "clean." "Music is my only addiction now," he claimed, showing off his beautiful guitar.
As the guitar sessions progressed, M told his story. He woke up one day strapped to a gurney, in an ambulance en route to the rehabilitation center. He spent 17 months there, and was going to "graduate" soon. What did this mean? He was ready to re-integrate with the rest of society. It was a difficult path, and sometimes M found it taxing to relate to "normal" society after being with "fellow recovering users" for a long time. However, he is undaunted because he knows that he is stronger. Convinced that rehab has given him the discipline to face various issues, he now looks forward to going back to school and earning a music degree.
When I was first given the assignment to do a feature on a rehabilitation center, I hesitated. Drug addiction, after all, is serious business. It would be unfair to give false hopes based on glowing reports given by the center itself. Fortuitously, I learned from my young friend, M, that there was this one center that helped him get over his addiction.
SELF is the acronym for Self Enhancement for Life Foundation. It is a non-stock, non-government organization dedicated to the treatment and rehabilitation of individuals suffering from drug and alcohol abuse. Founded in 1992, by Martin R. Infante, himself a former victim of drug abuse, SELF uses a treatment approach called the Therapeutic Community (TC). Developed more than 40 years ago, the TC has proven to be one of the most effective approaches to the treatment of addiction in the world. It is founded on the "Enlightenment Model" of recovery, wherein individuals living together empower each other to heal their addiction by sharing insights and "learning experiences."
What makes SELF’s program unique is the development of a parallel program for the residents’ families. This is just as important, as addiction causes emotional wounds on families, too.
SELF’s Therapeutic Community Program is divided into several phases. It starts with a pre-admission period designated for evaluation and motivation. Lasting for two weeks, prospective residents are gradually introduced to the Therapeutic Community (TC) through counseling and motivational group activities. It is during this phase when psychological assessments and medical tests are administered to determine an effective treatment plan.
An intensive phase for self-discovery is the first major hurdle. Residents are secluded from their family so that they can "own up" to their behavior. They are taught self-expression and awareness, discipline, and responsibility while working towards the resolution of their intra-personal conflicts that lie at the core of addictive behavior. The milestone achievement of this phase is for residents to conduct themselves objectively in a family dialogue where they are expected to assume responsibility for all their actions.
An intermediate phase lasting four months follows next. Called the self-formation phase, residents are awarded additional privileges such as family visits and days-off with an escort. They are now officers of the house and entrusted with supervising the younger residents. (It must be noted here that "younger" is not an age designation. Rather, it refers to the time spent at the center. Thus, a 40-year-old resident who has been at the center for two months is "younger" than a 16-year-old resident of three months.)
It is in the self-formation phase where residents are expected to work toward restoring family relationships, as they learn interpersonal resolution skills. They are taught basic communication, planning, and supervisory skills, which are essential for successful relationship management. A second family dialogue is held to assess the resident’s emotional independence and his family’s readiness to send him on a day-off without an escort.
A re-entry phase consisting of two parts follows next. The first is called professional integration. Residents are transferred to the Re-entry House and enjoy weekly days-off alone. They are given more responsibility by training as program facilitators or administrative assistants within the Foundation. Re-entry residents are taught skills in group-facilitation, written communication, community service, work organization, and management. They are trained to behave ethically and professionally and are role models to the junior residents.
After completing the professional integration phase, an Aftercare period of six months takes place. This is described as a time for "self-direction" and residents are exposed to the full spectrum of social life. While consolidating their personal careers, they are encouraged to continue supporting their recovery by attending weekly meetings and other group activities. Successful completion of this phase entitles a resident to apply for formal graduation.
Our friend M avers that the Therapeutic Community Approach is mainly a "healing of attitudes." As he is made to answer for his own actions and accept the truth for what it is, he is able to realize that free will comes with responsibility. And, with that realization comes the ability to make better choices and a better and happier future for himself.
The road to the SELF’s Taal View House facility in Talisay, Batangas is a narrow and winding descent. One needs to negotiate the tricky curves carefully, or risk hurtling off a cliff, as many have done so before. Is this a metaphor for the perils of the descent to addiction? If it is, the ascent to recovery is difficult and slow. However, the climb is well worth it. The unimpeded view from the top is beautiful!
Self Enhancement for Life Foundation Inc., with head office at 118 J. Elizalde St., BF Homes, Parañaque City, may be reached at (02)807-4094/809-3491 or 809-7235, with hotline at 0917-857-6193. Or e-mail self@pldtdsl.net; visit selftc.com Confidentiality is assured.
We first met M when he was a teenager. Quick-witted, likeable and droll, he was a happy soul who seemed to be free from the angst that plagued most teenagers. He was unfailingly polite and pleasant, came from a supportive and caring family, and was considerate and kind to kids who were much younger than him. Genuinely friendly, he seemed to be a fine, well-adjusted young man. Thus, it came as a shock when he was expelled from school for fighting. Rumors of suspected drug use also circulated. "There must have been a mistake," we all thought, bristling at the injustice of the accusation. However, there was unassailable evidence, and we were stunned. His parents must have been devastated, but they put up a brave front. Convinced that M’s drug use was a baseless accusation, we were all certain that he had learned his lesson well. He merely made a mistake. His parents must have believed that more than we did. They gave him their vote of confidence by giving him a chance to redeem himself. Options were examined and it was decided that he enroll in a local college. As his parents lived in another city, it was decided that they rent our guesthouse for M’s use. Ostensibly, this was so that he would be among friends. An added plus was that we could keep an eye on him.
It soon became apparent that M had used his charm to inveigle all of us into thinking that he was ready to turn a new leaf. The parties in the guesthouse became innumerable. And, when it was discovered that he had stopped going to school, yet drew a considerable and regular allowance from his unsuspecting parents, they deemed it time for him to go home.
We lost touch with M for a while. Occasionally, news would reach us about him. He had run away from home and nobody knew where he was; was running around with a band; was selling his prized possessions; had crashed his car; was in rehab; was finally out of rehab.
I was surprised to see him one day. He had a wry, sheepish grin on his face. Knowing my stand on drug use, he readily volunteered the information that he was "clean." "Music is my only addiction now," he claimed, showing off his beautiful guitar.
As the guitar sessions progressed, M told his story. He woke up one day strapped to a gurney, in an ambulance en route to the rehabilitation center. He spent 17 months there, and was going to "graduate" soon. What did this mean? He was ready to re-integrate with the rest of society. It was a difficult path, and sometimes M found it taxing to relate to "normal" society after being with "fellow recovering users" for a long time. However, he is undaunted because he knows that he is stronger. Convinced that rehab has given him the discipline to face various issues, he now looks forward to going back to school and earning a music degree.
When I was first given the assignment to do a feature on a rehabilitation center, I hesitated. Drug addiction, after all, is serious business. It would be unfair to give false hopes based on glowing reports given by the center itself. Fortuitously, I learned from my young friend, M, that there was this one center that helped him get over his addiction.
SELF is the acronym for Self Enhancement for Life Foundation. It is a non-stock, non-government organization dedicated to the treatment and rehabilitation of individuals suffering from drug and alcohol abuse. Founded in 1992, by Martin R. Infante, himself a former victim of drug abuse, SELF uses a treatment approach called the Therapeutic Community (TC). Developed more than 40 years ago, the TC has proven to be one of the most effective approaches to the treatment of addiction in the world. It is founded on the "Enlightenment Model" of recovery, wherein individuals living together empower each other to heal their addiction by sharing insights and "learning experiences."
What makes SELF’s program unique is the development of a parallel program for the residents’ families. This is just as important, as addiction causes emotional wounds on families, too.
SELF’s Therapeutic Community Program is divided into several phases. It starts with a pre-admission period designated for evaluation and motivation. Lasting for two weeks, prospective residents are gradually introduced to the Therapeutic Community (TC) through counseling and motivational group activities. It is during this phase when psychological assessments and medical tests are administered to determine an effective treatment plan.
An intensive phase for self-discovery is the first major hurdle. Residents are secluded from their family so that they can "own up" to their behavior. They are taught self-expression and awareness, discipline, and responsibility while working towards the resolution of their intra-personal conflicts that lie at the core of addictive behavior. The milestone achievement of this phase is for residents to conduct themselves objectively in a family dialogue where they are expected to assume responsibility for all their actions.
An intermediate phase lasting four months follows next. Called the self-formation phase, residents are awarded additional privileges such as family visits and days-off with an escort. They are now officers of the house and entrusted with supervising the younger residents. (It must be noted here that "younger" is not an age designation. Rather, it refers to the time spent at the center. Thus, a 40-year-old resident who has been at the center for two months is "younger" than a 16-year-old resident of three months.)
It is in the self-formation phase where residents are expected to work toward restoring family relationships, as they learn interpersonal resolution skills. They are taught basic communication, planning, and supervisory skills, which are essential for successful relationship management. A second family dialogue is held to assess the resident’s emotional independence and his family’s readiness to send him on a day-off without an escort.
A re-entry phase consisting of two parts follows next. The first is called professional integration. Residents are transferred to the Re-entry House and enjoy weekly days-off alone. They are given more responsibility by training as program facilitators or administrative assistants within the Foundation. Re-entry residents are taught skills in group-facilitation, written communication, community service, work organization, and management. They are trained to behave ethically and professionally and are role models to the junior residents.
After completing the professional integration phase, an Aftercare period of six months takes place. This is described as a time for "self-direction" and residents are exposed to the full spectrum of social life. While consolidating their personal careers, they are encouraged to continue supporting their recovery by attending weekly meetings and other group activities. Successful completion of this phase entitles a resident to apply for formal graduation.
Our friend M avers that the Therapeutic Community Approach is mainly a "healing of attitudes." As he is made to answer for his own actions and accept the truth for what it is, he is able to realize that free will comes with responsibility. And, with that realization comes the ability to make better choices and a better and happier future for himself.
The road to the SELF’s Taal View House facility in Talisay, Batangas is a narrow and winding descent. One needs to negotiate the tricky curves carefully, or risk hurtling off a cliff, as many have done so before. Is this a metaphor for the perils of the descent to addiction? If it is, the ascent to recovery is difficult and slow. However, the climb is well worth it. The unimpeded view from the top is beautiful!
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