My addiction problem progressed slowly over such long period of time it was difficult to admit I had a problem. I graduated from a good university had a good job and married a wonderful woman. We had two children and a good social life and owned a home in an upscale neighbor hood. I was drinking and smoking pot but it never seemed to interfere with my obligations to work or family. My wife started to make comments about the lack of time I spent with her and the kids. She said it seemed like my buddies were more important to me than my family. My wife never smoked pot and I would tell her I was going to hang out with the guys when in realty I was going to smoke pot. I felt guilty about lying to her but it was better than the argument we would have about me smoking pot. I was stopping at the bar on the way home from work a couple days a week for a few beers.
Sometimes I stayed past a “few” beers and would come home late. Sometimes I forgot about promises I made to take the kids to a ballgame or parents night at the school. One night when I was supposed to be “with my buddies” my wife needed me and called my friend. When she couldn’t find me she confronted me when I got home. She actually knew about my pot smoking and pointed out how it had become a problem. She made me promise to talk to a professional about my pot smoking. It was suggested that I attend an out-patient program twice a week. At the program they talked about addiction and about total abstinence from everything, alcohol included. I had promised my wife so I continued to attend even though I didn’t think I had a problem. Two weeks went by before I found myself smoking a joint. The therapist at the treatment program had me submit to a urine test, which was positive for Marijuana. When confronted, I admitted to smoking pot and drinking a few beers. The therapist suggested to me and my wife that I enter Lakeview Health Systems,
a Residential Treatment Center in Jacksonville Florida. I didn’t want to do this and said I could stop on my own. My wife and the therapist ganged up on me and my wife said she would leave me if I didn’t go. I spent a month in the Residential Treatment Center. It gave me time to think, away from all the distractions. The professionals at Lakeview Health Systems knew exactly what to say when the overwhelming urge to use hit me. I learned all about addictions but most importantly I learned about myself and the reasons why I used and drank. I’m out of treatment now and things are better between me and my family. I know I’m not cured and have a long way to go, but now I’m headed in the right direction. I will always be grateful to the professionals at Lakeview Health Systems.