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DougA's Story
Doug A. - "A Cincinnati SMART RecoveryŽ Miracle"
When Douglas A. first attended a SMART Recovery meeting he seemed the least
suitable candidate for recovery. Here was a man with a head injury to the right
frontal lobe from a bullet wound incurred during service in the military.
Several years of coma followed associated with retrograde amnesia for all events
prior to the injury. Severe bouts of petit and grand mal seizures, meningitis, a
string of D.U.I.'s, maladaptive behavior, prolonged drinking of alcohol and poly
drug abuse followed. Divorce, womanizing and children who would have nothing to
do with him followed in quick order. What we didn't factor in was Doug's
determination and dedication, and as it turned out a pre-injury high level
intelligence quotient thanks to records his mother supplied.
Doug took to the ABC's and Cost Benefit Analysis like a duck takes to water and
the results have been dramatic. To see him today is to make one swell with
pride.
He has just completed college after but one and half years of attendance, has
won the coveted prize from his college for the student who has most overcome
adversity, and he has been totally abstinent these past two years and brushes
off urges like annoying fleas. His comment, "why would I jeopardize all
that is so beautiful that has happened to me".
His son is in constant contact, he has a post in the secondary schools in
Cincinnati as a teacher of literature and the arts, and he is actively
facilitating one of the SMART Recovery groups when his schedule permits. When
Doug is presiding, the board is replete with C B A's and A B C's.
This success story is a tribute, first of all to himself for the determination
and dedication to applying the cognitive behavioral tools of SMART Recovery to
his ongoing problem, and for the support given by his fellow participants in the
program. It illustrates how much the techniques of SMART Recovery can do even in
the face of extensive organic damage -- in this case to the frontal lobe so
necessary for "executive functioning decision making". It offers hope
to all, and we can rejoice in this human success story.
Douglas added this to the story:
"SMART Recovery has totally changed my life, i.e. I just graduated from
college with a Bachelors degree in English and my children were there to witness
the affair. I am forever grateful to SMART Recovery and Dr. Bozian because he
addressed all the issues and helped me to advance my recovery from the brain
injury. That is exactly what I needed. SMART Recovery offers the cognitive
behavioral tools . . . and that is exactly what I needed to recover from my PTBD
(Post Traumatic Brain Disorder) and by doing that, my addictive behavior was
addressed and is no longer an issue."
Congratulations, Douglas!
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