If the back room was used for "school" then where'd you guys have Morning Meeting back then?
We used to smoke indoors, in the coordinators' office, all the time. That office was the designated indoor smoking area. Mike Gorman and Marcy would smoke all over the building though. Mike'd carry an ashtray around in his hand. Then, after a while, the State of TX got wise to what we were doing and made everybody smoke outside. Then we had to go out by the pool.
I used to bum smokes off of Ruben and some of the other staff, though of course I was eighteen at the time. Some of the staff even used to send me on cigarette runs; they'd give me money and I'd go to the gas station down the street to buy packs for them while they were on duty. I'd get to go for a walk and would get some free smokes for my trouble. I was a model, true-believing DAYTOPian at the time too, and they knew I would not split.
Personally, I know nothing of any kids being given cigarettes when they were sent to NY; I never heard anything like that. The only kids I recall that went to NY were John Hopkins and a girl named Renee Haynes. I am not sure where Jeremiah Neal went through residential, but I thought that it was Athens?
Who or what is Medea? Are you saying that you were literally sedated? I do not understand.
My only input about what you have supressed is this: if you do not deal with the trauma, then eventually the trauma will deal with you. You are in legitimate therapy now, is that right? It sounds like you are on your way towards healing and resolution.
So I do not blame you for resenting and being angry over your experience. What DAYTOP did to us is shameful. It's taken me fifteen years to realize that DAYTOP is an abusive pseudotherapy group. In my opinion DAYTOP is a full-blown cult; I call it a "sobriety cult."
DAYTOP was certainly detrimental to my well-being, and did me great harm in the long run.
PM me whenever you care too. I know a few ex-DAYTOPians from back in the day and could put you in touch with some people whom you may remember. Do not hesitate to let me know if I can help you in any way.