Témoignages Portage Colombie-Britannique

Avant de venir au centre « The Crossing » de Portage à Keremeos en Colombie-Britannique, ils étaient tous des toxicomanes se demandant comment vaincre la toxicomanie.  Ici, ils partagent leurs expériences et vous offrent leurs témoignages pour vous donner une meilleure idée de leurs démarches dans le programme de réadaptation en toxicomanie.

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• Coming to Portage has been the hardest and greatest journey I’ve ever made. When I arrived, seeing the other girls getting well gave me a glimpse of the light and inspired me to fight for it. Through the times when I felt like giving up, my community encouraged me and fought with me.  En savoir plus...

• It’s funny how when I first came here I thought I had the least problems of anyone else here. But the truth is I was no different. I can’t believe how different I am and how much strength I’ve consumed. When I think about how much I still want to attain, I realise that it all takes effort and that everything will be okay if I don’t pick up a drink or a pipe. And I love that feeling. It’s indescribable. En savoir plus...

• I never thought I would be able to stand on my own two feet without drugs. Portage taught me that I can have a life without drugs and I can be a lot happier then I have ever been before. I will never forget where I came from and the people I met while in my addiction, but I am confident in my recovery and know that this is the life I want. En savoir plus...

• At the age of eleven, Noah started drinking alcohol as a coping mechanism to escape his emotions. By fourteen, he was using heroin. He states that using sometimes made him feel “crazy,” as he experienced psychotic outbreaks. On several occasions his parents called the police on him and he would be sent to the psychiatric unit of the hospital. After these episodes, Noah stopped using heroin because of the side effects on his mental health. En savoir plus...

• On her sixteenth birthday, Nicole came home to witness her mother attempting suicide through an overdose. At this point she began to shut down and detach from all emotions. She didn’t fit in with other youth her own age. At parties, she would just go to the bathroom and shoot up. At seventeen, she was using crystal meth and heroin and began selling herself for the drug. In her last year before treatment, she was involved in criminal activity. She attempted suicide through overdose on several occasions. En savoir plus...

• In high school, Melanie began using cocaine. Her life then revolved around getting this drug. She wanted to numb the feelings of self-hatred, being different, rejected. She admits that using only made her feel worse, but she could not stop. She felt physically and emotionally sick. En savoir plus...

• For the next two years, Sue was on and off the streets, living with dealers and sleeping with them for drugs. She lived in the park for a while where she sold herself for crack. Sue went to detox three times. She went through a lot of fights with her boyfriend and experienced psychosis, where she did not know who she was. She still does not remember moments of this experience. Sue admits that she hated the high; she hated the lifestyle, and wanted to change. She felt isolated and depressed. En savoir plus...

• Ben started getting involved in criminal activity and into trouble with the police. He was asked to leave his foster home as it was too difficult for his foster parent to manage his dealing, stealing, lying, and anger. At this point in his life, Ben stopped caring, and was using cocaine daily. At his next foster home he found a way to break into the safe where he would steal money to buy meth. Eventually he was kicked out. En savoir plus...

• Before I came to Portage, my life was out of control. I had pushed away all my loved ones, and put drugs and alcohol first. I had no self-esteem or self-love, and I was feeling constantly suicidal. Everything in my life revolved around getting and using drugs and alcohol. En savoir plus...

• “Addiction and recovery is like death and life. I have chosen life,” says Caitlin, who explains that she has regained her morals and values at Portage after years of criminal activity.  “I have begun to rebuild relationships with my family and close friends.  I respect myself now and am happy with where I am at.”  En savoir plus...
  
  
• "A mixture of different mental and behavioural issues that I have struggled with throughout my life had made me come to realise that I needed the help that Portage has to offer. One of these issues is the fact that I was born a crack baby.  My birth parents were both on the run from the police.  I was tossed between my birth mom and foster care up until I was 10 months old, when I was adopted into a very loving family that raised me the best way they knew how." En savoir plus...

• "After relapsing about 6 times, selling myself, crashing my car due to impaired driving, getting kicked out of college and losing my job, I finally decided to go through with the application. Three months later, I arrived at Portage finally ready to make the change. I’ve been at Portage for five months now, and words will never be enough to express my gratitude. I can honestly say I’m learning to love and respect myself, something I never thought I’d achieve." En savoir plus...

• "My addiction started at 12 years old.  I hated the feelings I have felt all my life.  Feeling unloved, disgusting, and worthless.  So I chose the one thing I knew would take them all away: heroin." En savoir plus...

• "We moved when I was eleven and I started doing drugs and drinking when I was 12. I ran away from home quite frequently, from ages 13-16 and got kicked out of my foster mom’s house when I was 16 for selling drugs." En savoir plus...

• "I decided to come to treatment because I couldn’t handle my own lifestyle anymore. I picked Portage after researching long term residential treatment centres. Coming here was terrifying and I wanted to go home for the first two weeks I was here. I toughed it out though and this place really grew on me. The first few months were the hardest but it got easier after that. I am graduating from the Program now, six and a half months later, in Phase Five and as Chief. My life has changed dramatically. I have goals and dreams. I have healthy relationships with friends and family and I believe that I will be successful." En savoir plus...

• "I found the Nor-Mar tour very interesting and informative, as I plan to pursue a career in the welding industry," says Dan, a Portage Keremeos resident.  "I saw many parallels in the values that Jim, the general manager, told us he looks for in employees and the values we learn here at Portage: reliability, honesty, consistency, respect, and pride in quality. I learned that Portage is teaching us skills that are 100% transferable into the real world. I am thankful to Jim for showing us around Nor-Mar and for answering all of my questions."

• "I came to Portage with a lot of issues like abandonment, loss, resentments, addictions, regrets and so on.  By being at Portage I was able to learn how to express my feelings and open up.  I was like a safe that was hard to crack open.  When I finally did open up, all the hurt of a five year old boy came out.  I am now a mature young man.  Portage gave me many of tools to help me succeed in life.  I have learned how to have structure in my life.  I have also developed self-respect and learned to love who I am.  My past addiction rarely goes through my head and I now wish for a successful life which I believe I will get because of my time at Portage." – Cody, Portage Keremeos resident. 
  En savoir plus...
• "In my addiction, I was missing the basic fundamental needs of living a happy and successful life. With the support from my peers and the dedicated staff, as well as all the tools I have learned, finally I am able to feel good about myself and the choices I am making. Portage has saved my life. It is such an amazing place and it can help anyone who is willing to put in a little dedication." -  Jon, Portage Keremeos graduate
  
  
• "Last year on Recognition Day, I was still pretty fresh off the streets and did not want to be at Portage.  I was confused and afraid and acted out in violence frequently. I was planning on leaving Portage, but made a commitment to myself to stay until just after Recognition Day, because I had the chance to sing on stage with the other girls.  I sang my heart out.  I saw all the people who graduated that day and I started to believe that I could do it too.  So here I am, almost ready to graduate the program -18 years old and loving life.  It wasn't easy choosing recovery over addiction, life over death, the hard way over the easy way - but it was worth it.  Never give up, stay strong, keep fighting for your life." -  Naomi, Portage Keremeos resident
  
  
• "Nature was lifeless to me in my addiction.  But all the nature walks and outdoor activities we do at Portage have really opened my eyes and inspired me to get involved in things that I really wanted to do deep down, but never had the opportunity or the will do to before.  I planted my very first tree here at Portage, on the grounds where I got my life back.  That tree will be here growing long after I graduate for many people to see." - Nik, Portage Keremeos resident
  
  
• A parent's testimonial: "Our son, Tim, has been at Portage Keremeos for two and a half weeks now and is thriving. The news from both his caseworker and the nurse, along with his own phone calls, has been heartwarming. In this short time we have already started to rediscover our son again. We know it is still early, but the time he has been free of drugs and alcohol has been doing so much good and he is proud of how far he has come. We cannot tell you how proud we are that he has decided to embrace this program. He is thriving on the structure that is in place and on the support that he receives – an environment where he can comfortably explore what makes him who he is. We are enormously grateful." - A parent of a Portage Keremeos resident
  
  
• "Portage has given me the opportunity to achieve my goals - to help me with my family and work through my problems, not around them.  To be able to do the things that I wasn't able to do before...it's really encouraging, it's inspiring.  It lifts me up and it really helps with my daily life." - Robert, Portage Keremeos graduate and recipient of the Portage BC Adolescents Bursary Program honouring the Central City Foundation
   

Karen, age 17
I got here 6 weeks ago. A couple of weeks into the program, I hated it here. I cried to go home. I tried to run away somewhere away from Portage, but I got talked out of it by a resident. And I was upset for a while, I didn't want to participate in any meetings, I stayed in my room. Then I got to think about what I was doing. Then I finally realised that I was making a fool out of myself. I was thinking more and remembering why I came to treatment. I came because I want to be the change in my family, community, and myself. And now I'm ready to change my life, I'm excited for graduation. In the beginning of my program I told everyone that I'm only staying until June but now I've changed my mind by seeing other residents transition, and one day I want to be like them, clean and sober!

Priscilla, age 18
I came into Portage insecure, with a tough angry front. I had to pretend to be someone I was not in order to survive in a cruel world. Portage has saved my life! For the first time in my life I truly love myself and know who I really am. My experience at Portage hasn't been easy but it has definitely been worth it. It's not that I never want to use again; I now value sobriety too much to ever use again.

Jon, age 19
Portage is a safe, serene, and challenging place. In my addiction I was missing the basic fundamental needs of living a happy and successful life. With the support from my peers and the dedicated staff, as well as all the tools I have learned, finally I am able to feel good about myself and the choices I am making. Portage has saved my life. It is such an amazing place and it can help anyone who is willing to put in a little dedication.

Carrie, age 15
I came to Portage alone and afraid. I remember at the beginning I thought this will NEVER work. I'm destined to fail. Well guess what, IT WORKED! My 11 month program is over in 22 days. I hated myself when I came here, yet a month ago I spoke to grade 8 & 9 students about how much I love myself and my sobriety. This program saved my life. It wasn't easy but in the end it was sure worth it. I am on my long lasting road to recovery.

Tom, age 17
I came into Portage not knowing how to read and write at 17 years old. Coming here has freed my mind and my spirit, and it's given me the motivation to change.  I can say only good things about this place. In my experience at Portage I have found that everything I need to be a better person and make a better life is here.

Robbie, age 18
My experience at Portage has been very intriguing. Sharing my experience with the other youth in and out of Portage has been great. I love being able to help people understand themselves. I shared my life story at a local high school and to help people who are not in the program understand the dangers of drugs and also to be aware the susceptibility to addiction was very powerful. This program has helped me recognize that I have a voice that matters, that I am able to have a great, successful life, and that I can do anything as long as I put 100% effort into it.

Amberlynn, age 14
When I came to Portage, I didn't know who I was. This place changed my life. I love my family and the people close to me again. I'm so grateful for the chance to come here and change. Now I know who I am and I love the person I've become. I love Portage and now I know who I really am.

Oeuvres réalisées par une résidente de Portage à Keremeos

Son interprétation de la «dépendance» et de la «sobriété»