Living a happy, joyous, and free life by embracing the mind, body, and spirit.
Hi Mike, Welcome to the forum. And thanks for the up and up on that place. I'm so sorry you and your wife had to experience that trauma. I hope you will ask your wife to participate in our forum as well. We are a very solid, closely connected group of addicts and family members/loved ones that have come together like no other site or group on line that I have found. May I suggest that you check out this site. www.findtreatment.com Also look up that National Institute of Drug Abuse for info on current therapies and you can find out if the treatment center utilizes that type of therapy. For example, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ( CBT ) is often a component of Recovery therapy. Another one used is the Matrix Model and NIDA will give you in depth info on these. Addiction IS a family disease and I hope you both will continue to share your ups and downs with us as we are here to support you in any way we can.
Blessings, Janice
It's always OK in the end, if it's not, then it's not the end.
Its amazing to me how one can actually trash a Facility they really know nothing about,and another can personally attack a man he probably never had the oppurtunity to really get to know,and have knowledge of his accomplishments with-in the 12 step recovery community as well as his accomplishments in the field of addiction.
As a person who has been employed in the treatment industry for several years I've seen my share of personalites,Both amoung staff and with clients. I feel sad for your wife Mike that she didnt give Recovery First a chance. And then manage to munipulite you into pulling her out of treatment. During my using days I munipalating the best of them as well, taking everything so personal I thought it was all about me, and the real deal was I just continued to look for excuses why I was the victim and how people treated me unfairly...Bla Bla Bla..I hope that your wife has managed to find a facility that can cater to her needs,both personal and clinically.,and she has found ongoing recovery.
As for you "Serenity Now" KEEP COMING,we need examples like you with-in the fellowship so we know what we dont want,and just because we are clean it does not mean we practice all the principals in ALL of our affairs,Maybe its time for another 4th step,you must have a long 8th step list,Keep praying,add me to your prayers,I need all I can get.It must be lonley being you.
As a personal friend of Jim Davis, I have seen the man wear his heart on his sleeve,I have seen him go out of his way to help countless others. He just celebrated 27 years of sobriety. He must be doing something right. He has given back to the fellowships through out his sobriety and continues to. He keeps what he has because he continues to give it away. Jim and I joke all the time with eachother,his great sense of humor is one af his many assests,and we both pretty much agree that "If they are talking about us,They are leaving someone else alone" And we are all crazy,just good that we are not all crazy at the same time.
As an employee of Recovery First your blog Mike was a little confusing to me,Jim has not done a group in a very long time. Im not sure when your wife was there,but she may be confused as well. I get the pleasure of running into former clients all the time, they are full of gratitude from thier experience while at Recovery First. Our last measurement and follow up survey contacted 78 former clients 40 of which are still clean and sober,not bad for "the worst" treatment facility.I was not aware that DCF took complaints from facilities concerning thier employees, OH its because DCF doesnt,That would be the Dept.of Labor,No complaints are on file,as for DCF complaints, there is one. From a client who needed to be transferred to a medical facility and refused, He wanted a payoff ,$1,000.00 would have settled it for him,But DCF was kind enough investagate and to close that case immeditaly.Wrong information Mike for the Sober.com commuity. I know that sometimes addiction can affect the families,and I guess Mike you have been affected.
Jim Davis has been in the field for many years,he has helped thousands of people recieve treatment.Since he put his blood, sweat ,tears, and money into starting Recovery First a couple more thousand as been added to people who have recieved help from him.I have personally witnessed hundreds who have gone through the program,and nothing was expected of them except to be take another shot at life, at no cost.
Of course I am partial about my personal opinions stated here,however I have stated some facts as well. So please before anyone passes judgement on any facility or personally attacks one, please be honest enough to state the facts,identify the opinions and just admitt to the out right lies.
Enjoy your Recovery,and Please be good to yourself. Beth A.
today is the next step in the journey......paw
Hello!
Welcome to this site SerenityNow and Beth! Thank you all for sharing your opinions! You all have the right to express your feelings!
Beth, I understand you wanted to defend your friend and the place you work at! I don't know what really happened there. I do know, maybe you should give treatment a chance, it starts to grow on you! It at least makes you think about things a little more! I kind-of had an attitude while I was in treatment! The three people, and the one who couldn't make coffee(! ) helped me change my life forever! Thanks ladies! I will forever be greatful to you!
Mike, I hope your wife is doing well! I hope she is taking things one day at a time, and giving things a chance! She is also welcome here!
Let's just keep things civil around here!
Blessings to you all!
Ann
My name is Joe, I am a 48 year old Man who has experienced addiction for most of my life. In December of 2006, I tried once again to get clean. I had a long relapse after Five and a Half Years Clean. In the 7 month relapse, I lost everything I had accumulated in the time I was clean includuing my health insurance. I was hopelessly addicted to Crack Cocaine. After numerous attempts at getting a bed in the County Detox(BARC), They never had one avaiable. I went to Atlantic Shores Hospital.
I was given a drug called Suboxone (beware) to detox, the next morning, I was founf nonresponsive and rushed to Holy Cross Hospital. I was in a coma, intubated, put on a ventilator and had kidney failure . The outlook was Grim. God however, had a different plan. I survived and I know now why.
Upon release from Holy Cross, I had no money, no home, no vehicle and just the clothes on my back. I needed Treatment for my addiction and had no Insurance. Every where I turned was another dead end. It seemed I wasn't worth much to the world without insurance. Here's is where GOD kicks in for the second time. I had met a Man in NA 12 years before, his name was Jim Davis. Though we only cordially spoke at the meetings I would see him at, he was the only one. YES, he was the only one to have the compassion we hear about all the time in recovery. He was the only one who thought that my life was important enough to try the save. He was the only one who offered me a Full Treatment without ever asking me for one dime. He was an Honest, Caring Human being who lived what he talked. He Walked the Walk. This is my story and it is only made possible because GOD chose to get Jim Davis Clean 27 years ago because he knew that someday I would need him to Save My Life. That's what this man did for me, never asking for anything in return.
Recovery First saved my life and as part of the Alumni, I have contact with hundreds of others whose lives were forever changed as a result of thier treatment facilty.
Amazingly, I am clean 15 months again and my life is once again wondeful and very much worth living. In order I have three things to thank for this, GOD, Jim Davis and the Program offered to me FREE OF CHARGE! at Recovery First.
Greatful
Joe F.
Thanks for all the input you guys. And welcome to all you new folks! I, for one, am grateful for all experiences shared, both negative and positive. I, along with a few other addicts finally figured out that there are FIVE sides to every situation. Yes, 5. 1.)The situation with 'me', how it affected me, my feelings etc. 2.) The situation with 'you', affect, your feelings etc. 3.) MY interpretation of the situation, what I THINK. 4.) YOUR interpretation and what YOU THINK. 5.) What it really is, the exact nature, the outside opinion who sees a different perspective.
Of course, we choose the perspective that most satisfies our ego, right? 'This happened to me and I think it was really fucked up'. 'This doctor doesn't know what he's doing....' And we KNOW this to be true, right?
Let's not forget what they tell us as newcomers to recovery, whether in treatment or in 12 Step programs. Our thinking has to change. Our thinking is flawed. Our perspectives are off base. I know when I made it to recovery I was self centered, arrogant and judgemental. And I can still be that way in 'the heat of the moment'.
This is just my opinion, what I've learned and where I am in my recovery. I know that Today's Truths can be Tomorrow's Lies. It happens. I don't like it when people 'put me on point' and tell me what they see, pick me apart. I feel JUDGED. But how else am I going to become aware? I have a right to defend my beliefs as everyone does. But HOW I go about doing it makes all the difference in the world.
Just my thoughts, mine only, BB
Hello! I read all of the comments on the topic of the owner of Recovery First. I had to make my own comment about it because I write books and noticed something extremely interesting that I felt I needed to share with everyone who has read this.
When reading all of the responses to Michael’s message, the one message that stood out to me was the one that said Jim Davis is insane and can’t even help himself… It looks like Michael actually wrote that negative message too!!! *** All of the same grammar mistakes Michael had in his message were all in this response message too! I wouldn’t doubt that he wanted his first message to look as real as possible and that other people have had the same experience with Jim Davis so it must be fact, so he wrote it himself. Notice also that both of them just joined the website forum the same day they wrote the message. The person that responded to Michael’s message joined the website forum two days after Michael’s message and posted the same day joined just like Michael. (I just had to share with you what I saw with the two messages being the same type of writing with the same grammar errors)… and the response was posted twice to both of Michaels messages about his wife that were in two separate areas on this website under two separate headline forums.
I do not know Jim Davis; I was looking for a rehabilitation center myself and came across this forum. I noticed the similarities immediately between the two and the fact it was the ONLY negative response back from his message.
I agree when people say:
Never believe what you read!
There are always three sides to a story- What you say… What they say… and the truth!
Also, that you should do your own research and get facts not opinions!
This Michael person can be anyone and may just know Jim Davis and have something against him, or it could even be an owner of another rehabilitation center trying to sabotage the reputation of Recovery First to gain business. The story could be partway true and his wife just manipulated her way out of rehab, or maybe this Michael person was actually the person in rehab and he didn’t like how tough they are on you. But you need to be tough and have someone pushing you or you will never make it. You can’t be cradled into sobriety; it’s a hard fight and battle. You just never know what the real truth is unless you experience it yourself.
My own opinion is that someone who would own this type of facility must have a good heart, compassion, and want to help others. As I read Beth’s message, it seems Jim Davis has been through it himself, and when you have been through the fight yourself, you have a good chance at helping others through sharing your own life experience and know what works and what doesn’t.
Thanks for reading my thoughts!
Hello Liz!
Welcome to this site! Everyone has their own complaints and opinions! Seeing is believing! Go check it out yourself and be your own judge! If you go there you will know if your comfortable or not! That is why we don't all have the same things, listen to the same music, or eat the same food!
Keep coming back!
Being a former client of recovery first I can personally attest to Jim coming to a group and basically yelling at the group and telling them how ungrateful they were. This was in Oct or early Nov of 2006 I think the catalyst for his diatribe had something to do with a friend of his had been injured or killed in some sort of accident. At the time some of the residents had complaints about certain conditions, though petty, did not warrant a verbal assault because he was going through some emotional turmoil in his life. I don't know what the situation with the original posters wife was only my own expereince. Besides that one incident I will say that my time there was enlightening.
I should follow up by saying that my statement is not a negative review of the treatment or of the staff. I just didnt like the owner and the way he treated the clients (first impressions). Honestly if you want help and want to get better this place can help you. My counselor did an excellent job and the rest of the staff were equally wonderful. They were tough when they needed to be but fair at the same time. I remember Beth from above she could be one of the tougher ones but she was generally a nice person beneath the work exterior. Thats all.
Hi Elquilar, welcome to the site and thanks for the input. Glad you got through ok and look forward to hearing more of your story. Keep coming back.