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20 February 2005 ‘People who have degraded their home communities by stealing, begging, even attacking for money to feed a habit give up their Western “rights” in order to take a vow. The declaration of faith is in effect to themselves and to retrieving their own healing powers.’ Personal experiences of ‘Extreme Measures’ (DDN 24 January 2005) In response to Extreme Measures‚ (DDN, 24 January) and subsequent comments on the treatment: I have had two sons at Thamkrabok Monastery. One son recently returned after a year and the other has decided since going in August to commit himself to a full year as a monk during 2005. The point of the treatment is that it gives hope to the demotivated, returns strength of character to the victim mentality, remedies depression and obsession. People who have degraded their home communities by stealing, begging, even attacking for money to feed a habit give up their Western ‘rights’ in order to take a vow. The declaration of faith is in effect to themselves and to retrieving their own healing powers. The mechanism is Buddhism. Here is a community whose communal vows of poverty take on a daunting variety of addicts and alcoholics in a tough love regime that kick-starts those ‘lost souls’ back into society, friends and family. I have recently been helping Mike Sarson, who runs the charity East-West Detox, with his campaign for funding the expansion of a western treatment centre within the Monastery. We are targeting the county DATS who have had clients use the service to begin with, and will widen the net once further successful outcomes have been reached. At the same time, Mike and his trustees are looking at the possibility of a halfway house in UK, for the preparation and stabilisation of clients before treatment and for a post-detoxification re-introduction to independent working/life/training environments. The charity cannot live without funding support, and nor can the Monastery absorb an increasing number of Westerners. The scheme needs two full-time workers in Thailand and funding for a halfway house for eight people in UK. My son would not be alive today without the help of this organisation. Name and address supplied ---oooOooo--- Letters 20 February 2005 I am very aware of the East-West Detox programme for UK addicts at Wat Thamkrabok in Thailand and personally know of several people that have benefited from the programme and have remained drug free long term from a whole range of substances including opiates, stimulants, alcohol and tobacco. I therefore feel that it is a very viable choice of treatment for British addicts. Hopefully more public awareness will encourage the necessary funding into further research of this innovative method of treating the world wide problem of drug dependency. Paul Holloway, by email ---oooOooo--- Letters 20 February 2005 And on aftercare… We have always been very aware that follow up and aftercare support for those returning to the UK is very important. All our clients are given a choice of residential spiritual environments, with which we have links in order to continue their recovery and receive support on their new path. These include the Samye Ling Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Scotland, Winford Manor Retreat near Bristol, Boscence Farm Cornwall and Amber Foundation, Devon. We also link people into a 12 Step fellowship like Narcotics Anonymous if they choose. Mike Sarson, East-West Detox ---oooOooo--- The original article can be seen at http://www.drinkanddrugs.net/features/feb2005/letters.pdf |
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