I would like to share my story about my PCAP experience.  I often find myself having a very hard time relying and/or trusting ANYONE!  When I finally came into the office to fill out my starting paperwork and meet people, it was a great experience. 

Due to the life I had been living prior to pregnancy, I wasn’t even ready for a baby shower or anything.  When the “crew” found this out…they immediately started planning me a party.  I was thrilled?  These people didn’t even know me and already they genuinely cared.  I remember freaking out because I was expecting a baby boy, and to my surprise, circumcision was not covered by insurance.  What was I going to do?  (I also need to throw in that my son’s father is usually incarcerated).  Not only did these nice people throw me the best baby shower, but y “main” gift was a certificate to pay for my son’s surgery.  Who would have thought? 

I still would have a lot of craziness between then and now.  During this time, a woman by the name of DeeDee (who really is a queen in my book) struggled trying to get our attention and/or time.  Let me tell you first hand, she never gives up!  She would call us, stop by our apartment, write and even invite us to events we would never show up for.  Eventually I was a ta breaking point and decided to call her.  It was also on a Sunday morning to top it off.  She still answered the phone to hear me crying uncontrollably.  She then stayed on the phone with me (it was quite a while too!) until I was somewhat calmed down.  She told me to do my best to take a deep breath, relax and get a good nights’ sleep.  She also assured me that I was not alone, and that she would be at our apartment first thing in the morning to pick us up. 

From that day forward, I realized I had wasted a lot of time not turning to her and the rest of the PCAP staff in the past.  None the less, you have to start somewhere.  Better late than never, right?  Now things are going better than ever for me and my son.  He is currently enrolled and attending a learning center and I am working.  Our next goal is to work on our living arrangements.

I often tell DeeDee how much we love her and the whole PCAP organization.  They really are life changers.  I think anyone who has the opportunity to work with these people, should jump in with both fee!  Stop wasting time like I did…these people are the greatest and really can make a difference if given the chance.

L.D.’s Story:

On October 25, 1999 I entered Drug Abuse Prevention Center 180 day Residential Program, utterly beaten by my drug abuse. A19 year old young woman, who had lost everything and every one, had nothing or no one to live for, and who thought that there was no hope to ever be the person that she was before using drugs. I wanted to die.

My personality had become completely adjusted to the lifestyle that I was surrounded by in my active addiction, that I had lost who I was prior to abusing substances. I was a different person. Selfish, mean, and careless, and the list can go on and on.

Through various group processes and interventions by chemical dependency professionals, I began to see exactly what behaviors had been altered as a direct result of my drug abuse, or at some point during my drug abuse. When there were twenty people in a room pointing out a negative behavior that I displayed, it was somewhat of a challenge to deny what others were seeing. Group processing also complimented changes. Reinforcement of positive behaviors, and modifying the negative, assisted me in discovering that one defective behavior could be turned into an asset. As the days went on, I was able to discover the endless possibilities that I was capable of. I could be productive, I could be responsible, and I could do much more as long as I did not use drugs.

While in treatment I was assisted in getting established in a 12-step community to begin developing relationships that became crucial in my recovery outside of residential treatment. The people that I was introduced to were in fact the people who ended up being my support staying clean from all drugs following inpatient. This community led my life in an entirely new direction. With this support by my side, I knew that I could handle any situation in life and I would never be alone in anything.

No matter what, I NEVER HAD TO USE DRUGS AGAIN!

My life was brought to an entirely new direction, and I owe that to the dedication of, DAPC, all of the employees, and all of the people who made it possible for this center to help drug addicts learn how to live a new way of life free of all drugs. Without all of those people involved in DAPC, I do not know if I would be here today. I don’t know if my seven-year-old daughter would have her mother. I don’t know if my four-year-old daughter would have her mother. And I don’t know if I would be here testifying on behalf of this agency. With the way that I was living my life, I am almost positive in saying that I would have died. But what I no know is that I am capable of being a wonderful mother today, a wonderful wife today, and a beautiful person today, DRUG FREE. I am a responsible person today with future goals for my family and myself. Like I have already said, “My possibilities are endless!” I owe all that my life has already become, and all that my life will be in the future, to DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION CENTER, and their commitment to me and all others like me!

B.B.’s Story

I went though Drug Abuse Prevention Center’s (DAPC’s) Long Term Residential Treatment in 1997. I came into treatment with no hope. While in treatment I found hope, happiness and willingness to do everything it took to change myself. What I got out of DAPC, you cannot put a price on. I found that I did not need to get “High” to be ok. I have ADHD and was unable to read or write when I got to DAPC. I had a counselor that showed me that it was ok to do the best I could do. I love the people at DAPC, they saved my life. I can now read and write. I have been clean for 7 years and my life is filled with good stuff. I give my time to DAPC to help out when they need me to do things like drive the patients to church, to ball games and so on. I don’t think that my life would be what it is if I had not come to DAPC. DAPC is my family now and will be for as long as they are here. I thank each and every one of the people that made it happen.

Just to let you know where I came from, I had lost everything and was living in an old train station with 4 feet of snow on the ground. Well, God saw fit to send me one of his angels. He was dressed as a sheriff. He asked me my name, I told him. He ran it and came back to tell me I had 11 warrants. He told me that they were not going to take me to jail – there went “3 hots and a cot”. He told me that I could get help and told me where to go. I went there and 15 days later I was in DAPC. I went back 2 years later to find that old man, they told me that no one like that worked for them. I get goose bumps every time I think about it. So by my own testimony you can tell that I am grateful that I found DAPC.