My Survival Story: From a Twenty-Year Addiction to a New Beginning

David M., Narconon Program Graduate

Hello, my name is David. I’m 52 years old, and I was born in Switzerland. My story with drugs began when I was just 15. Looking back now, it’s hard to believe how far I’ve come.

The first time I tried a substance, I was just smoking marijuana with friends. At the time, it felt like harmless fun, a way to escape, a typical teenage rite of passage. I wasn’t thinking about the consequences. Of course, I had no idea that this first step would dictate the course of my life for the next two decades.

As is often the case, my journey started with curiosity, but soon I found myself chasing more intense highs to distance myself further and further from my own reality. After that first experience with marijuana, I moved on to ecstasy, LSD, then cocaine, and finally, heroin. For nearly twenty years, these substances were an integral part of my life. What began as a search for freedom and fun spiraled into a cycle of self-destruction that systematically pulled me away from the person I was meant to be.

These drugs dragged me into dangerous and devastating situations. I had accidents that required surgery, I dropped out of school, and I became completely disconnected from the world around me. While my friends were moving forward, building careers and families, I was sinking deeper into a life marked by profound disorientation. In hindsight, it’s clear: drugs ruined my life, trapping me in a seemingly endless downward spiral.

However, after years in that prison, I finally had to admit a fundamental truth to myself: I had a problem, and I desperately wanted out. But it wasn’t that simple. I knew I needed help, and that’s when I started looking for a treatment center. I discovered the Narconon program and, without overthinking it, I decided to give it a shot. Something told me that this program could be my way out.

The Narconon program was the turning point. One of its core components is a unique sauna-based detoxification method that I found incredibly effective. Through a specific regimen of sauna sessions and vitamins, the program helped me flush out the drug residues that had accumulated in my body and were fueling my cravings. Day by day in the sauna, I could feel my body purging these toxins. I felt physically lighter, and my mind became clearer. After so many years lost in a fog, I finally felt like I was regaining my clarity, ready to face reality with a renewed mind.

By the end of the program, I felt like I had been reborn. With a clear mind and a healthier body, I was ready to live a different kind of life—one where I didn’t need to escape. This journey made me understand the profound destruction that drugs bring into people’s lives. Having gone through this transformation, I felt a powerful desire to help others. That’s why I joined the Narconon Europe team, to help those going through situations similar to my own.

“Never underestimate the power of these substances, and don’t ever think that addiction is something you can manage on your own. Asking for help is the first step toward a new life.”

My advice to anyone struggling with drugs is simple: stop, and get help. I know how difficult, even impossible, that can sound. But with the right support, as I found at Narconon, it is possible to break free.

To the parents who suspect their child might have a substance abuse problem, I urge you not to look away. Talk about the situation openly, with calm and understanding—not with judgment. Young people today often start out of curiosity, peer pressure, or even to cope with anxiety and stress, but drugs can take control with shocking speed. Discuss it with them and look for a solution together. My experience has shown me how crucial it is to involve qualified professionals, like the team at Narconon, to guide young people and their families through the recovery process.

Today, I can say with certainty that while I lived through twenty difficult years, that chapter of my life no longer defines me. I have successfully put it behind me, and thanks to the support I received, I have found my balance and a true passion for living life to the fullest. I hope my story brings a ray of hope to those still fighting addiction and encourages anyone facing this challenge to believe that change is possible.

David M. Narconon Program Graduate