By Adam, 4 pages, no translation available

By Christopher, 1 page with translation

This is my 14^th detox. I started taking drugs since 6^th grade of primary school and heroin since the 7^th grade.  For the last 2 years I have been living on the street.  Each day I wandered around the railway stations and stole money for drugs. I have been often beaten and acid was poured on me because I owed money of my debt to the dealers. I have no contact with my father, and my older sister took no interest in what is happening to me.

I am very undecided and don’t know what to do. I am scared of the treatment and going to a KARAN center.  I have never been to any centers. I don’t trust myself and have a very low esteem. I feel that everybody has left me. I am very lonely. The longest abstention I had was 2 months without drugs. After the detox I want to spend my vacation at the Mezurieu Lake District, and after that in September I will be ready to go to the inpatient center of KARAN.

I feel good at the detox. I feel that everybody shows a lot of interest in me, especially the people running the detox. I got here after talking to Arnolda, who helped me and gave me psychological support. I am aware that I still do not fully appreciate how good is being done for me.

Christopher – 22 year old.

By Anya, 2 pages with translation

My experience from the detox

This is my 13^th day at the detox. I found myself here after talking to Arnolda – the psychologist from KARAN.  If I want to undergo the treatment in one of the KARAN center I just have to go through the detox. During the first 5 days I felt terrible and nothing seems to help. I wanted to leave but the wonderful people who were running the detox encouraged me to stay. The atmosphere here is fantastic – everybody helps everybody. I got a lot of support from the people running the detox. Up to now I have been to 3 detoxe’s in either hospitals or did it myself at home using different kind of medicine but as soon as the medicine and painkillers stopped working I went back to drugs. This detox is completely different – I am all the time fully conscious what am going on and not under the influence of psychotropic pills.

The herbs are to clean our body from the poison of drugs. They are to produce a psychological and physical feeling to knock drugs. In my case I think this is working. I can’t imagine that after coming out of here I will be taking drugs. I don’t want that to happen. After the detox I am returning home. I don’t want to go to rehabilitation – readopting center. But I also know that I will be unable to cope with all the problems by myself. I do not regret that I am here and I am very happy that I decided to come here because now I really understand that I don’t want to take drugs any more.

Anya – 22 years old

By Kasia, 3 pages with translation

This is the 6^th day at the detox. I came here, thanks to the father of my close friend who spoke with my parents and me about the need of undergoing treatment. I imagined the detox to be completely different. I had no earlier experience. I have never been to a detox before. I never expected such a great myself from the people conducting the detox and the group itself. I feel more as if I am in an inpatient treatment center than at a traditional detox.

For the first few days I felt terrible – physically and mentally. I fainted (lost consciousness), vomited, and wanted to leave. But each time I talked to with members of the group I changed my mind and decided to continue the detox. This detox helps me to get to know myself before, and herbal medicine I am taking does not act like painkiller. After taking them I don’t feel like taking drugs again and don’t even think about them.  I am here not only for myself but also for my parents who I don’t want them to be disappointed.

I do not want to go to a treatment center after the detox because I am afraid I could not bear to be separated from my parents whom I love very much.  After the detox I want to find job at Elokens (Department store), and if they will not help I will probably decide to go to a KARAN center.

 This is my 7^th day of abstention (not taking drugs) and I feel OK! I am proud and glad to be here because I like the atmosphere and the people who do everything to help me.

Kasia –17 years

By Lukas, 2 pages, no translation available

By Tompek, 4 pages with translation

This is my 4^th day at the detox. I have been taking drugs for 2 years and decided to enroll for the detox after the consultation with Arnolda. I am beginning to feel better and becoming calmer. I don’t think about drugs because the atmosphere and the people here help me to forget about them and overcame all the worst moments. The people here are very devoted to what they do and very nice to us. It is very important for me to talk to people and here I have many opportunities to do this. When I compare this detox with the 2 detoxes I have been to before in hospital, I must say that over there nobody really took any interest in what’s happening with me. The talks among the patients concerned only one issue – drugs!  Here we can speak about everything! Our problems and feelings on the spot. I feel I am getting a lot of support and the others are interested in what I have to say. I have already got a month of abstention (off the drug) and I think I am changing here and the way I perceive things. I see a chance for myself, although I am scared of going to a center for treatment. I want to change and do something good for myself.

This detox is based on herbal therapy, which is to clean our body from drugs, and to develop a feeling of repulsion towards them. We also take medicine, which has a tranquilizing effect. 

I started taking drugs because things were not so good in my family and of the misunderstanding with my wife. First I started to drink and then my friends talked me into drugs. I now want to change, undergo treatment, return home to be together with my wife and child. I know that I cannot accomplish all this by myself and that is why all the support I am getting here at the detox from the people, is important to me.

I am very glad to be here and am sure that this is the best detox I have been given so far.

Tompek

By Andrew, 3 pages, no translation available

A thank you card hand-made and presented by the patients

The brave 7, we miss you!!!