My name is —— and I am addicted to a prescription drug called Hydrocodone. Another name for it, could be “hell,” because it has robbed me of almost everything I love in life. We are parents of three, all grown…My husband and I were good parents with high morals. We taught our children to love God, love others, to make good choices and be kind, loving and helpful. All three of our daughters will agree. Recently, two of the three said “I want the Dad & Mom back that raised me.” Right now, those people are lost, they are hurting and they need help.

In the past 10 days, we have called a lot of rehab centers (a very difficult thing for us to do). They were “matter of fact,” yet answered some of our questions, but it was while they were answering other calls, putting us on hold, etc. It was easy to detect that we weren’t their main interest. I know that sounds petty, but we needed to find out our options. We then called Bay Area Recovery Center in Galveston County and Billy answered the phone. Right away, he started to calm our fears and the main thing is…he offered us “hope,” and that is something that neither of us have had for a very long time. He even had to put on hold, but it was different. When he came back on the line, he had a way of reassuring us that he was listening, he cared and told us about his own past addiction, which proved to us that there can be life on the other side of this.

Less than 5 years ago, we made $250,000.00 per year. We lived in our dream home. I drove a Cadillac CTS, my husband drove a sports car and a jeep. Life was great. Our children and grandchildren were “in and out’ of our home on a regular basis. Our home was loving and alive. We went on vacations with our family, we had family dinners, holiday celebrations and went to church together. My husband and I were well known in our community and pillars in our family (both immediate and extended families). We have always been very much in love, with each other, which was an example to all, and many commented on it. We both dressed well and our hygiene was immaculate. Our life was FUN…Then, one day I looked down at my wrist because it began to throb. I had a huge mass on it. I iced it for a few days, but it was getting worse and the pain was constant. I went to the doctor and he tried to lance it. It started pumping blood profusely and he thought I had an aneurysm. He said we needed to watch it. He prescribed Hydrocodone. Little did I know, that was the beginning of the end. Two months later, we were still watching it and yet, it was still growing (still taking pain meds). My doctor finally sent me to a specialist. He thought it could be a cyst, but said it needed to be removed. We had another 3 week wait (all the while I am taking the pain meds), while we waited on our health insurance carrier to approve the surgery. Afterwards, because of the area (lots of nerve endings), I was still in pain, so I continued the meds another month. At some point in there, I should have stopped, but at first…I liked the way I felt taking it. I didn’t hurt, had more energy and I felt happy…that was at first.

My husband’s story is similar, but he started using it for relief of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
After a while…we lost our home, two vehicles, our jobs, and last, but certainly not least, our children stopped coming around.

I have been depressed…deeply depressed, the kind of depression where loneliness seems to find me, even in a crowded room. My husband and I have isolated ourselves, and have harbored the feelings that no one likes us anymore.

Bottom line is…WE CAN’T STOP…we NEED help.

The difference in other rehabs and Bay Area are vast. I will outline a few of them.

#1. BILLY…he identified with us enough that we KNOW his life was where our’s is NOW…however, he isn’t there any more. He is happy, loving life and is so good with people. He turned me from total fear & resistance to having hope.

#2. When I listened to the video on your website, I had a lump in my throat and tears caught there too…The people talking were describing MY LIFE NOW, but they now have something to go on to…because they have gone through your treatment. One lady said when she walked in the door of Bay Area Recovery, she could FEEL that it was a safe & warm place to be. It was more like “home.” Those are feelings that I have not had in 5 years, regardless of where I am. I am afraid of institutional settings. I want to come “home” in mind & spirit again.

#3. I use to be a help to others. On my mother’s death bed, she signed a book she gave me. She wrote that I had always been their “Spiritual One” and the peacemaker in all situations. She signed off by saying “keep up the good work.” I don’t know the person she described any more. She doesn’t exist. I LOVE helping others, but I can’t…not until I can get help myself. This is another place that Billy really gave me hope. He is in his element with the job he does. He radiates (even over the phone) with helping people get well.

I am saying a prayer that you will accept us into Bay Area Recovery Center. Whether or not you accept us…I personally, will never forget that “warm” voice on the other end of the phone, the day I called Bay Area. Thanks

One of the biggest questions I had in determining where to send someone for help was, “Where do I send my son/daughter/husband/wife/nephew?” It seems like everybody says they are the best!? One says Detox only, the other says Longer Term Treatment….One says 45,000 dollars a month the other says 4,500 dollars. So how do you know? I suppose the most honest answer would be…do your research…and you still might not know! What I can share is my experience and assume if your reading this blog you are researching for yourself or a loved one! Please don’t waste your resources/money!!!!! My family did at 8 places all over America 100’s of thousands of dollars wasted. Swimming pools, spa therapy, co-ed rehab romances, a chef cooking the food, aerobics, ping pong therapy, mind exerscises and so on and so forth!!! Give me a Break….oh, thats exctly what i got…a Break!…. from drugs and alcohol right up until I used again! I rested up at those places always with a firm resolve never to do it again…which of course I always did until I found away not to..and the cycle of addiction was broken and today 5 years later I walk a free man and am taking the time to try and help you not make the mistakes my family and I made. We found the Bay Area Recovery Center. Residential Treatment focussed on getting free from the obsession to use drugs or drinking. But more than that a design for living that works…really works. They are not reinventing the wheel and trying alternate forms new found treatment!! Or some hidden secret! You know as well as I do that the 12 steps of AA are the most sucessful recovery program on the planet, so why reinvent the wheel. Everybody that works at the Bay Area Recovery Center has gotten free and recovered frojm what was killing them. They have been there for 20 years and actually care about what they are doing..Sure they have to have money to operate the place but its affordable, comfortable, friendly, and most of all they have an ANSWER! What a true life changing experience! Remember, it’s not the place…it’s what happens at the place that matters!

My life now has changed so much since I first stepped into BARC in January of 2008. I’m entering my senior year at Sam Houston University, and I’ve received my Drug and Alcohol Abuse Counseling certificate a year and a half ago, and I’m planning on graduate school after graduation, and specializing in the treatment of addiction. I’m a benefit to my family and friends. I’m a full time single parent. I’m happy and healthy and even quit smoking a year ago. I’ve even been given my driving privileges back. Last year my 10 year deferred adjudication sentence for felony possession was dismissed early after 5 years, even though I had been arrested for three DWI’s (one of which got dropped while I was working for BARC) while on felony probation within 6 month before entering BARC. My progress and achievements has been called a “rarity” by Judge Edwards and court officials in Montgomery County. I’ve been sober ever since I stepped into BARC and this is what my life has become due to this. I thought all of you should know what has happened to me. Earlier today I requested the opportunity to bring my daughter out to Feed the Homeless 2010 to help in whatever way we can. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone. Please send this on to the other counselors and technicians as I do not have everyone’s email address, primarily Chuck, Banks, Big John, Mike P, Mike W, and whomever else you I may have forgotten. I would not have what I have today without every single one of your contributions. Every one of you were essential in my recovery, and still are. See you soon! I hope you are all doing great.

Sincerely,
David S.

Thinking the absolute worst time to go to treatment would be during Christmas holidays I decided to hold out to the New Year make it part of a new year resolution. Had a brand new baby and wasn’t going to miss his first Christmas. Of course the wife couldn’t take it anymore and she and baby went to live with her mom. I’m still thinking I can’t ruin every one’s holidays,especially my mom. Oh so full of it…… By the Grace of God and in spite of myself I made it to treatment, best thing that ever happened to me, my life started to change immediately, recovery began immediately. I picked up the things they said to do and ran with them. In a short period of time I was pass eligible and even invited home for Christmas. Now I don’t want to go. It would be to embarrassing (not embarrassed drinking and using) Before Christmas trying not to go to rehab my poor mom just sobbed (not the wife she hated me) and in treatment home at Christmas she sobbed again and yes it was a very different sob, she called it a Christmas Miracle followed by hope and peace and the best night sleep in years. Christmas, couldn’t be a better time!

Attention all BARC Alumni and Supporters!!! It is that time again and we are preparing for our Annual Feed the Homeless food and clothing drive. This is truly an amazing day of caring and giving back to the community that is less fortunate. If you have never taken part we invite you. Last year was the best turn out to date and this year should be even better. Here are the specifics… Our homeless feeding will take place on December 18, 2010. We will meet at 4316 Washington St. Dickinson, Texas 77539 (House 1 & 2 for those familiar) at 8:00am that morning for coffee. At that time we will organize, fellowship, pray and depart for a predetermined location in downtown Houston. We typically prepare and serve approximately 200-250 plates of hot food. We also have over 100 blankets to hand out to those in need. Last year for the first time we added clean new socks to the items we supply, along with whatever jackets are donated to us. There are many items available for those who want to donate to the cause, including clean blankets, lightly used jackets, new tube socks, a case of drinking water and of course cash always helps too. To make donations please call (281) 337-1343 and ask for Lance, Jesse, Billy or Greg. The holiday season is a perfect time for people to give back so come join us and help make it a day to remember.

From Uncle Chris W.

A duty I accepted, or acquired by default without asking, has been the attempted shepherding of Banks through years of his battle with addictions. Being Uncle Chris has been a true learning experience about life but more importantly about addiction and what it takes to overcome it. Overcoming addiction is hard and many fail. From my experiences with Banks I can truly say that in order to overcome addiction a person must interact with and be surrounded by people that are truly and deeply committed to a life of sobriety.

My attempt at helping Banks has mostly been from afar as he has not lived in North Carolina, his home state, for some time. My recollections of dealing with Banks’ escapades on his rollercoaster ride through periods of drunkenness and drugs, being in and out of sobriety, and going to various and sundry rehabilitation facilities all have to do with phone calls.

Phone calls from his friends trying to help him recover. Phone calls from Banks promising he had changed, for the third time, and was sure he was now sober. Phone calls with his probation officer. Phone calls with his attorneys about court dates. A phone call from Banks on a Sunday afternoon from a pay phone in downtown Houston. He had spent several nights on that street and had to borrow a quarter to call me. While I was talking with Banks I was talking with his probation officer on another phone at the same time. I had one phone in my right ear and one in the left. Things were not going well for Banks. And for the fourth time, or fifth or sixth because I had lost count, Banks promised he would change and get sober if only I would help him. I determined the only thing I could do to help him was to allow him to go to jail to get well. At my urging Banks’ family agreed to let the penal system try and fix him. We agreed that it would be for as many years as it may take. We had given up.

Then THE phone call.

Bay Area Recovery Center was touted as being a place where people can really and truly attain sobriety. I of course had heard this before from other rehabilitation centers. I was not persuaded. How can a place be different if Banks did not commit to getting sober?

THE phone call was from Sunny at Bay Area. Sunny called me to ask that I agree to let Bay Area have one last try with Banks. I said no. Sunny would not give up and tried to convince me that Bay Area was different. I again said no. Finally, perhaps to just get the phone call finished, I said yes. I also told Sunny I very much doubted they would succeed with Banks but if they did I would give her a gold star to wear on her forehead.

Fast forward over four years to October when I had the pleasure of going to Banks’ wedding in Texas. It was a wonderful and glorious day and meant so much to our family. For me it was something even bigger. I got to meet in person and spend the weekend with the people of Bay Area Recovery. Not just Joe and Chuck that make Bay Area what it is but the circle of friends and supporters of Banks. The people who have been through Bay Area and have been touched by Bay Area, like John. The people that have attained sobriety and are working together to maintain their sobriety. Their commitment to themselves and each other is awe inspiring. They have a faith in each other. They truly support each other in a way that can not be explained. I could just feel the sincerity each person had about staying sober. In my heart I know this is all a result of Bay Area Recovery Center, not the buildings or the place, but the mind set of the people that work there and who carry out the mission of Bay Area.

Of course, my biggest pleasure was seeing…….. that gold star on Sunny’s forehead.

From Banks Mother…

I will never forget the day I was afraid of my son. I was afraid he may steal from me or even hurt me. He had been through a lot at that time, starting in high school. Little things like drinking and partying and getting caught. The usual grounding punishment. Then escalating in college with DWI’s, paying lawyers and bails. I did not see what was happening to my son. His first rehab was a miracle for me. It saved my life, but not his. I learned tough love. My friends did not understand why I would allow my son to go to jail. But, I did. Of course it was the summer that I was planning his sister’s wedding. HE, had taken a lot of joy from his sister and I which was to be the most joyous time for us all. Well, I guess you can say that is when he hit “rock bottom”. After several rehab centers, along came Bay Area Recovery Center. No other center in the country had helped him. Yes, we spent money on many because he was worth saving and I could do it. All you have to do is look at Bay Area Recovery Center saving this wonderful sweet heart of a guy, and the lives he is now saving. He was recently married and the wedding was wonderful. But the greatest memory of that day for me were the many young men that came up to me and said “Banks saved my life”. Even parents of these young men told me how grateful they were to Banks for saving their sons life. Banks is a very happy healthy soul now and is delivering that message to many who can be saved and will be. God bless Bay Area Recovery Center and Banks for the souls they are saving today.

From Bryans Mother…

“We are going to surround him with so much love, there is no way that he won’t feel it”. I may not have the quote exactly right, but it is the one thing I remember from the day that I left Bryan at Bay Area Recovery. It wasn’t what I expected to hear and definitely was not what I had heard at the other treatment facilities or from the other counselors. But when Chuck looked at us and said those words, I felt hopeful , curious and optimistic. Not too optimistic – after 16 years of fighting this battle with Bryan, I was finally a little more cautious in believing that this would be the thing, the place that would make a difference. I didn’t really know much about the program at Bay Area, I knew that it was a 12 Step program, but since Bryan had told me that those didn’t work, I really hadn’t bothered to learn too much about the 12 Steps. I had spent a lot of time researching other methods – hoping for the miracle cure, a magical change .

The change in Bryan was (and still is) a miracle that I am grateful for every day. It was a miracle of God’s love and a PacMan machine. It was a miracle of spiritual growth made possible by a group of men dedicating their lives to helping others, men sharing encouragement, men living their faith, men building a community of support. Bryan had never been surrounded by such positive role models in his whole life.

Bryan’s childhood was difficult, but he was such a sweet, loving, sensitive, charming child that I had never really worried about him. I just took it for granted that he would grow into a wonderful adult. I missed the signs that he was involved with drugs – even when they were obvious. I believed his lies for many, many years – and so did many other people. He used that charm for evil, as he became a masterful liar, who conned many people. In the prison Therapeutic Community, he was chosen to lead the drug education, he tricked probation officers with the whizzinator, and was elected president of his rehab – all while never giving up drugs. The difference at Bay Area is that they saw through the lies – they weren’t interested in his games, they are only interested in being honest with themselves and with each other. They supported and encouraged each other in the pursuit of truth.

Watching Bryan grow spiritually has been an amazing experience for me. I gave Bryan a special ring tone on my cell phone about a year ago; the song is ‘There is a God’ - Bryan was beginning to believe that and to build a relationship with God.

There were several people at Bay Area who took a special interest in Bryan and today they encourage him to do for the newcomers what the others did for him – and the power of their positive changes moves in more and more lives. Chuck provided the vision and leadership that reached Bryan in many ways – through his videos and through his living example. Daniel was an excellent counselor and friend that provided objective support to Bryan and to me. Mike White helped Bryan feel the sense of community and friendship that opened Bryan’s heart and mind. But the real miracle came from Banks and the PacMan machine. Banks worked hard to reach Bryan, buying the PacMan game to enable them to spend time together doing something fun while being a living example of God’s love in Bryans life.

I came into Bay Area Recovery Center with the thought that I did not belong. It didn’t take long however, listening to stories of other alcoholics and addicts, for me to realize just how similar I was to these men. The hardest step I had to take was the first one; not only admitting to myself that I had a problem with drugs and alcohol, but admitting that I was powerless against them. After I was truly convinced that my own will power could accomplish nothing, a faith which I believed had been lost forever had returned. What I didn’t realize is that I had not been waiting on faith, faith was waiting on me. I knew that with that faith in a power greater than myself and a willingness to act upon it that I could be saved. here, it is a program of action; of helping others. I found it amazing how much helping others helped me. I’ve come to know and love the men is this house and I’ve come to understand that even though we may come from different walks of life, we must all walk the same path that has been laid at our feet if we have any hope of recovering. I have conquered my fears, faced my truth, and I’m leaving now with a sense of purpose that I’ve been searching for my entire life. I am truly blessed to have had this experience, and I pray that all those who seek recovery, find it. To those of you who helped me find my way, I can not thank you enough. So, I will do what you have taught me, and pay it forward.

Drug addiction is a monster to put it lightly. I have seen it destroy more than just the addicts life…. It’s tenicals reach far and wide. (ie: relationships, families, careers and so on) If your reading this, there is a good chance that either you or someone you know or love is suffering from addiction. In my experience the addict is not a bad person that needs to get good, simply a sick person that needs to get well. People do get well at the Bay Area Recovery Center…the reason I know this is becasue I did. My family sent me to 8 different treatment centers all around the country in hopes of some magic “cure.” Unfortunately, to much money was spent with no “cure.” The Bay Area Recovery Center through the use of the 12 steps didn’t cure me…it helped free me from the bondage of drug and alcohol addiction.