NEW HOPE FOR ADDICTS Salvos saved me, says addict
FORMER drug addict Ricki Stanley credits the Townsville’s Salvation Army Recovery Service for saving his life.
Originally from Melbourne, Mr Stanley said it took him about 14 years to realise he had an addiction.
“I lost a lot of things including relationships and realised I needed to do something with my life instead of putting my head in the sand,” he said.
“I started to meet with people from various detoxification centres who paved the way for my recovery and I was then accepted into the Townsville Recovery Services Centre.”
Mr Stanley said if he hadn’t gone to the centre, he would either be dead or in prison.
“I didn’t realise the effect drug abuse was having on my life and my loved ones,” he said.
“To me, addiction something other people fered with.”
The team at the recovery service worked with Mr Stanley to identify the issues which led to his addiction.
“I was nervous on the flight from Melbourne to Townsville and going in as a scared man I felt like I had no control of what I did,” he said.
“It was intense and forced was suf- me to address the trauma in my past.”
Mr Stanley is proud to be clean after graduating from the centre in April and is now studying a double degree at JCU in business and law after becoming an active member in the church and community.
“It is such a blessing to finally have a clear head and hope for the future and to know I now have the power to make the right choice,” Mr Stanley said.
“This journey and the support I have received from the Salvation Army has shown me that everyone has the potential to change their path.”
Mr Stanley has advised other users to give the service a go and make the right choice for themselves.
“The program is very simple and if you just apply it, it works,” he said.
“You have to physically make the choice to improve your life otherwise if you don’t improve it, nobody else will do it for you.”
Mr Stanley said the new centre was a great facility and much needed for the community.
“There are a lot of things this region needs and it’s great to see they have actually gone and increased capacity for the service,” he said. SUCCESS STORY: Ricki Stanley used the Salvation Army’s service to help him beat drug addiction. He is pictured at the new treatment facility which opens today.