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« on: March 06, 2002, 09:16:00 PM »
I agree with your statement. I was in Straight for 6 months, and yes, it did work.. however, a lot of cruel and unusual punishment was totally unnessassary for many of the people I saw in the program.
Being forced on the ground and "eat" the carpeting to putting our hands on someones loopholes in our jeans.
I know the ones that were abused and mistreated need to move on with their lives..but it will always be embedded in your brain for the rest of your life.. that is the horror we face everyday to some degree.
I was an abused child most of my life, so some of what I saw at STRAIGHT wasn't too shocking to me, but when I was treated that way, I felt like I was a bit confused.
Tough love ISN'T abuse, rather it is supposed to be a way of emotional expression, the way I see it.
It took me years to realize this after I got out of the program.. the humiliation, abuse and neglect of caring on the staffs' behalf was much like a boot camp/death camp, at least those poor jewish people back in the 40's were able to see the sun!
I can relate to much abuse throughout my life, I did need some tough love, but just enough to scare me, not to torchure me the rest of my life.
The truth is, EVERYONE has something they do wrong, we are not perfect people and we certainly have our reasons for doing things.
I've been 11 years off of drugs, and only made it to 2nd phase. I didn't need to "graduate" the program to remain off of drugs. I have been at my current job for 4 years, and I am engaged to a man who never drank or used drugs in his life.
God certainly doesn't give you more than you can handle.. I suppose that is why STRAIGHT closed... shrug