Happy family

THE PREEMINENT MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT PROGRAMS FOR ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS

MARY – Developing a Sober Network

Mary’s son

Mary’s son, Hunter, came to Turnbridge in August 2010 after successfully completing primary treatment at Mountainside Treatment Center. During Hunter’s sophomore year at Texas Christian University, his personality began to show signs of change and his family began to suspect that he wasn’t being entirely honest with them. His attitude became volatile, and he began picking fights with his stepfather, Dennis. “From our perspective, we didn’t know what he was up to,” Mary said. “He told us he was going to school and he wasn’t. I had a feeling that things were out of control. He told us that his grades were different than what they were, and I caught him in that lie. Once they discovered Hunter’s deceptions, Dennis and Mary withdrew financial support, and cut off all contact from him for eleven weeks. Those eleven weeks were “totally awful,” according to Mary, and one of the hardest parts of the whole ordeal. Due to a lease agreement with a family friend, Hunter still had an apartment at the time, but as his time there began running out, he contacted his family just before the lease expired. “As the lease was coming to an end, he started calling,” Mary said. “He said he knew that he needed to get some help. He knew that he would be on the street. A lot of things from his perspective came crashing down at that point. [It was] a pretty big warning sign that his life was out of control. From our perspective, we didn’t know what he was doing, or where he was, we just knew that he was in bad shape and we were not willing to support him in that lifestyle.” With the help of a local substance abuse counselor, Mary was put in touch with a nationally renowned interventionist and addictions consultant, Doug Lyons, CADC II from Clere Consulting. They agreed to meet in Ft. Worth where the two of them developed a plan to get Hunter into treatment. Hunter was high when he showed up to meet Doug for the first time, but he nevertheless agreed to enter a treatment program. Hunter entered Mountainside Treatment Center in July of 2010. The program’s Continuing Care director recommended Turnbridge for extended care and sober living. “We wanted [Hunter] to be challenged,” Mary said. “We didn’t want him to go to a fancy, country club program. We wanted an extended program; we told him he was in it for the long haul.” Hunter came to Turnbridge in August of 2010, perhaps still reluctant to buy into the recovery process. “The first couple of months were pretty rough,” Mary said. “I don’t think he got out of his bath robe for weeks, and he refused to work the program.” At this point, Dennis and Mary came to visit Hunter to deliver a message: get with the program and start doing what’s asked. This was one of the most challenging times for Mary, but Hunter soon came around and started taking the necessary steps to better his condition and improve his life. Hunter eventually began working on Turnbridge’s maintenance team, and has passed many hurdles along the way. He is currently attending Sacred Heart University in Fairfield Conn in pursuit of a degree in management. “I never thought he’d go back to school,” Mary said. “I’m pretty excited about that. He’s planning to stay in the New Haven area where he has a network. He’s a Texas boy, and I know he’d love to be back here, but he’s concentrating on getting through school.” “[Hunter’s] life is manageable now. His relationships are healthy, and he has a better sense of responsibility. He tells the truth, and you can trust him. I have recommended Turnbridge; it’s a great program. There are guys there that Hunter can relate to. They’ve been through what he’s been through; it’s not just guys in lab coats. For the most part, the people that he interacted with on a daily basis have become some of his best friends. Developing that sober network has been incredible for him.”