15%

15%. That is the rate of addicts who will continue with sobriety. The other 85%? They will continue to use. Live on the streets. Die.  Not very hopeful sounding numbers but they are honest. Not once. Not ONE TIME has a facility put forth this information. NOT ONCE have they been this honest. All of the other facilities my son has been a patient in have proclaimed how high their success rates are...higher than any other place around. Basically a line of pure bullhs***. All of those testimonials on their website I believe are complete crap.

The clinical therapist who runs the family sessions on the weekends where my son has been for that past 49 days (YES! 49 days clean!) provided this staggering statistic. SHE was honest. Brutally honest. She knows that there are clients she is treating that won't make it a week past release. She also knows there are the ones she does help who make it out and stay clean. This propels her forward everyday.  Unlike most therapists or counselors at rehab facilities, she is not, nor has ever been an addict. She does however have a family member who is. Her 'in your face' attitude is refreshing. When a client tells her he/she is wanting to go use, her reply to them is "ok, so when do you want to die?" Her no bull attitude has earned not only the addicts respect, but the family members too. She is real.

My son called me on Valentine's Day to thank me for the card I sent and to tell me he wanted a weekend off from visitors. My brain immediately went into panic mode...thoughts of him running as he has only another week or so to go before being released. Thinking that he was going to run because he knew he wouldn't have any visitors. Instead he called me on Friday night asking if I could please send him some cigarettes as he was running low. Since this is a holiday weekend, I said I would drop some off on Monday at the front desk. He immediately perked up and said that if I came by during lunch, we could probably visit. He sounded really happy about that.

Does he 'got this'? No, but he will have to work at it every day to maintain it.

There is hope. I have hope.