‘FAMILY’ HELPS TO HEAL JUSTIN
Drug-free and ready to take on the world
FORMER drug addict Justin Heal admits he couldn’t have become clean without his “family”.
And that extends to more than his immediate family, it includes staff of the Sunrise Way rehabilitation centre who have become his family.
“It’s my mother’s birthday today,” he explains.
“And the best present I could give her is for me to be healthy and clean of drugs.”
Justin, 29, reached a crossroads last year when he realised he had to do something about his addiction.
“For me it was ice (methylamphetamine) and weed (marijuana),” he said.
“I decided I wanted to get clean and change my life.
“I knew I needed help which was difficult for me because prior to that there was nothing I couldn’t do on my own if I put my mind to it. It was the first time in my life that I had to ask for help and Sunrise Way took my information and started the process.”
Justin got through an intensive six-month program with Sunrise Way and has been clean since.
He still keeps in touch with Sunrise Way staff who provide an after program service to keep their graduates on the straight and narrow.
“While you’re in there its easy to stay off drugs but then you’re back in the real world and there’s nothing holding you accountable except yourself,” Justin said.
“That’s where a lot of people come unstuck.
“The journey of recovery is very individual but I haven’t found it too hard to stay on the straight and narrow.
“Once I made that decision it was final, I basically made a promise to myself that I’d get help.
“I was in addiction for quite a while and I’m not going back.
“I have a laser beam focus on what I want in life.”
Justin now wants to help others who find themselves in that hole of addiction.
“That’s why I’m doing this (interview),” he said.
“A lot of people go into rehab because that’s what their family wants but you have to do it for yourself.
“Drug addiction is not something that’s talked about enough and I want to spread the word that you can change your life.
“From where I am now, how happy I am, I just want to help others get here.
“Sometimes it can be a pretty lonely world out there but that’s part of the reason I’m doing this, to let people know that help is available.
“Every single day I wake up I’m grateful that I don’t have that compulsive behaviour that comes with addiction.
“The relationships I have now are phenomenal, I have a great support network.
“Some of them have seen me at my worst.
“All I want to do now is get the message out and do what I can to help the next person.
“If everyone helped one other person, what a better world it would be.
“You can turn your life around. I’ve done it and I’m not the only one.
“A part of me will always be indebted to that place (Sunrise Way), I will never forget what they did for me.”
Justin was a special guest and speaker at the Sunrise Way dinner at Rumours International on Saturday night and took the stage alongside comedian and entertainer Dave Hughes who also spoke at the function.
Sunrise Way works at a 92% capacity for its 20 bed live-in rehabilitation programs and also has a waiting list.