"Today my relationship with my family is phenomenal! "

Narconon Graduate Chris M.

"Hello, I'm Chris and I graduated the Narconon® Program eight years ago.

    "I was an alcoholic. A typical drinking day began with half a bottle of Vodka or Bourbon in the morning before leaving the house. Then I'd pour the remaining bottle of hard liquor into pint bottles and put one in each boot. Then I'd go bar hopping and consume a case of beer. I did this for years. I didn't think I had a problem!

    "I grew up in a loving middle class family in beautiful Santa Monica, California. A good student and avid swimmer, I lived the athlete's life of hours and hours of practice and was motivated by goals. The hard work paid off and I received numerous trophies, awards, and medals from regional and nationwide competitions, as well as Most Valuable Player in High School and All American in College. I was also a lifeguard at the beach.
   
    "I had my first beer when I was 14 and experimented with other drugs throughout high school and college, but because I did not want to become addicted to anything, I just occasionally drank alcohol. I graduated UCLA and became a real estate agent.

    "I did not realize it at the time, but alcohol began to play a much more important part in my life, and my decisions and choices became dictated by it. I gave up life guarding so I could do real estate by day and bartend at night. 'Happy Hour' came earlier and earlier and 'last call' came later and later. I lived like this for years. I didn't think I had a problem!

    "During this time I grew more stubborn about stopping. I considered anybody who wanted me to stop drinking threatened my survival, so the solution was to hide it and lie about it. Everybody saw my problem except me.

    "My girlfriend and family finally intervened and sent me to one of the country's best 28-day rehabilitation centers. I completed the program and went to two meetings a day for five months! During the entire time I never liked the way I felt.

    "One day I said to myself, "If this is what sobriety is, then sobriety isn't for me." I relapsed that day and numerous times after that. The people at the meetings told me to keep coming back, and I did. I didn't give up!

    "I went to two more rehab centers and attended countless meetings, but I kept relapsing and the nightmare only got worse. I finally lost my girlfriend, my job, all my money, and almost lost my family. I started to give in to that school of thought that psychiatric medication was the only answer and that I was this victim of a cruel "disease." Either way, I lost hope. I started throwing up blood, and I knew I was going to die.

    "Then my family found the Narconon Program. I arrived and slowly started coming out of the abyss while doing the first phase of the program, which included the sauna sweat-out. By the end of it, I was feeling great, with the ability to see my life with a much broader perspective. While other 28-day programs would have discharged me by this time, the Narconon Program was really just starting.

    "The next phase of the program had the most impact for me because I was able to confront my past actions--and their consequences, as well as gain honesty and integrity. I realized that during my addiction, the things I lost were integrity and my ability to be honest with myself.

    "During the remaining courses of the Narconon Program I learned more about myself than I could have ever imagined. The program taught me to confront problems, not run away from them! They taught me how to take back total control over my life. They showed me that I wasn't powerless, or "bi-polar," and that there were reasons why I had been doing what I was doing, and that I could change them. And I did! My ability to apply all of the tools and technology of the program has not only given me the ability to conquer my addiction, but also to conquer life!

    "Before I came to Narconon, there wasn't an hour that passed where I did not think about drinking. I am no longer tormented by a relentless desire for alcohol because I am no longer dependent upon alcohol! My life has moved on. It's the greatest feeling on earth to have been able to defeat my biggest nemesis. It's hard to describe how this wonderful feeling radiates inside me, but I want every suffering addict to have it. Because of this, I decided to become a Narconon Staff member and be a part of the professional team that saved my life.

    "Currently, my girlfriend and I are Executives at Narconon and my life could not be better! Together we work as Certified Chemical Dependency Counselors and have the opportunity to help students in our program on a daily basis.

    "If it was not for my family finding Narconon and having the faith in the program--and me, I can honestly say that I would not be alive! I will forever love them for that. Today my relationship with my family is phenomenal!

    "I am now happy with myself, my accomplishments, and I look forward to each day and every person that I help. If I could have a conversation with Bill Benitez and Ron Hubbard, I'd spend the first hour thanking them for being such geniuses and having the compassion to create the program which has saved so many people's lives"

    Chris Marino -- Graduate 2000