07-08-2007

Rehabilitation

Major Peter (left) had been a shearer before becoming a Salvation Army officer, and so was happy to be in country appointments. This year, however, he was appointed to William Booth House for men. Peter's wife, Major Helen Pearson, ran Catherine Booth House, as a separate facility for women, until the recent amalgamation of the two. The joint facility rehabilitates people with addictions. Peter and Bill (right) spoke about addictions, rehabilitation in general, and Bill's journey through rehab, including:

• With addiction, development stops, so a 40 year old can be an emotional 16 year old.
• Bill used to play AFL for North Albury.
• Peter - as manager - and Bill - as participant - have been at William Booth House for about the same length of time.
• With the drugs out of his system, and applying the training he has received, Bill has gone from unstable to doing very well.
• The Salvation Army's rehab program doesn't seek to produce "dry drunks" but to produce changed lives.
• As well as playing AFL, Bill worked at a steel foundry.
• Bill is addicted to gambling, alcohol, and drugs.
• Bill's fiancée left as she couldn't cope with his addiction, including stealing from her and her family. Bill sought relief from the emotional pain in his addiction, continuing the vicious cycle.
• The cost to Bill of his addiction was at least $400,000, as his house, car, and wages went to feed it.
• When Bill joined the rehab program, he was in assessment for 4 weeks, not 3, but he accepted it because he knew that he needed help.
• Participants in the program are told to accept the discipline imposed or are shown the door. Participants say that being "stood down" gives them a wake-up call.
• Bill now has a better understanding of God, letting Him guide.
• An optional part of the program is the Alpha Course, an introduction to Christianity. Danny, a Moslem, wasn't asked to attend, but raised the subject himself. Major Peter went to a mosque, and Danny went to the Alpha Course, as each reached out to the other. Danny found, through the course, that the Christian God is a god of love, not vengeance.
• Bill has started seeing his daughter now. His ex-girlfriend and he are now communicating where they didn't before.
• WBH receives a third of its funding from the Red Shield Appeal.
• Peter finally understood Step 1 of the program after 7 months. The acceptance of powerlessness is very empowering. At that rate, it will take him 7 years to "get" the whole program.
• The participants work about 3 hours a day, but are mainly focussed on joining in the program's groups and lectures.
• There is some after care to assist people transition back to normal community living.
• Drugs both cause new, and deepen existing, mental health problems, but people respond well if the causes are treated. Some other programs produce "dry drunks" as they deal with the addiction but not the root causes that precipitated the addiction.

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  Last changed: 03:20:37 04-10-2008