VISIONS ADOLESCENT TREATMENT CENTER – THE HARDWARE STORE

VISIONS ADOLESCENT TREATMENT CENTER – THE HARDWARE STORE

I am an addict. So for me, something that comes along with that is the comfort of isolation and an emotionally walled off presence. When I arrived at Visions, I was thrown out of the box that is my comfort zone. Leaving me “raw” I went into survival mode because it was my automatic response to shelter myself from getting hurt. But contrary to most of the rest of my life I was treated with respect, surrounded by and incredible staff of people whose primary purpose was to be a positive example in my life and let me know that I wasn’t alone and didn’t have to face whatever I was feeling alone. During my time at Visions I made some profound changes in regards to the way I show up in this world. Visions didn’t make me show up differently, Visions is where I was given a tremendous opportunity to take suggestions and learn some tools. Perhaps the most important of those tools was getting connected with other addicts in recovery. To be honest without knowing I needed to do this I wouldn’t have stayed clean. But don’t go thinking that just knowing you need a support group is enough to keep you clean. But an addict with tools is just an addict with tools. Anyone can tell you “these are the tools.” But Visions gives you the opportunity to use these tools, and practice positive action in your everyday living and get some experience under your belt. So when you go back out into the world you have some experience in being a productive member of society.

Winzer
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Visions Teen - Our View

To Teach At an Adolescent Treatment Center

To teach at an adolescent treatment center has been such a gift to me. I have recognized my own weaknesses and strengths. The residents’ struggles remind me of my own when I was their age. Their strengths remind me to strive higher than I ever thought possible for myself and others. The adolescent years are very crucial in forming their perception towards who they are and who they choose to be. It is the time that they can recognize that they have a choice. It is their crossroad.

The lists of drugs that are available today are much more extensive than when I was in high school. During my time, it was marijuana and alcohol. Now, the kids have been introduced to a variety of pain killers, more harmful drugs such as heroin, meth, cocaine and more. I feel for these kids. They have a difficult battle to fight. I have to say, they surprise me more often than I thought with their progression towards recovery than their regression towards using.

Solange Petrosspour

What is addiction?

What is addiction? What is its purpose? How am I, as a non-addict qualified to talk about it? These were some of the questions I struggled with when I first started my employment here at Visions Adolescent Treatment Center. I was first hired as a Program Aide almost two years ago. As days and months passed by, I started realizing that addiction not only applies to drug and alcohol addiction but to all areas of life. Addiction in my view, applies to any unhealthy behavior that consumes ones life and leaves the soul ill-equipped to confront its true desire and goals. Is it not that any mental obsession, a psychological compulsion or any physiological or historical disarray that has not been confronted can qualify as an addiction?

It is difficult to comprehend this disease, for there are no true physical evidences that can pinpoint its terrible effects. And yet, everyday I witness the struggle amongst the adolescents that walk through Visions Adolescent Treatment Center. These young adults have, at times spent most of their lives being addicts and not knowing that it is affecting their dreams. For most of them, they have no idea what their dreams are even made of. Upon entering this treatment center, they are faced with answering questions that puts into perspective their unhealthy belief system. This is one of the most heart-breaking and rewarding parts of this job. It is a challenge to watch these kids break down and cry and slowly try to put themselves back together. The only thing one can do is be there for them and guide them through their true self-discovery.

I have now the title of an educator at Visions. This position entails the responsibility of inspiring the residents to include their education as part of that foundation that they are rebuilding. It is difficult at times. Amongst the insurmountable assortments of character defects and psychological behaviors that they are facing, the last thing on their mind seems to be education. And yet, somehow I have to install in them the understanding that obtaining an education is in a way gaining freedom from our own formless and bored mind. Which at times is what steers so many of these young adults into drugs and alcohol. It is not an easy task, although the attempt has been the one thing that has kept me going.

With time passing, within the required stay of 45 days minimum, some residents realize the depths of their addiction; some understand the sadness of letting go of their drug of choice, which to them is their love at the time. There are also the ones that discover the gift of learning who they truly are and how to learn to be ok with who they are.

Working here has allowed me the opportunity to reiterate how I confront challenges in life through love, honesty, patience and forgiveness. It is reminding the kids that we do not know how to live life at times, but what makes it ok not to know is the wisdom we gain from our mistakes, our defeats and our own accomplishments. At last in my understanding, addiction needs not to be only with drugs and alcohol but the distorted mind process that inhabits the crevices of our thought process.