February, 2016. I’m in a bus in the jungles of Mexico on my way to Mayan ruins in Bonampak. I’m sitting next to a delightful woman who has lived an adventurous exciting life. She has been scuba diving in the Galapagos Islands and other exotic locations. It’s clear she lives a life filled with joy. She is connected to her family and has friends all over the world. Her energy is infectious and I know we are going to be friends for a long time after this. She asks me what I do for a living, and I explain that I work at AToN Center. She gives the biggest smile and pulls out a 25 year an AA chip with “25 years” stamped on it.
My new friend is a perfect example of how there IS life after rehab and it can be spectacular! I asked her what the most helpful thing she learned in treatment and her response has stayed with me: “When I learned that I wasn’t a bad person, that this wasn’t a moral failing – that I needed to treat this like a medical condition, something changed. I realized that heart disease and diabetes aren’t moral failings and I needn’t embrace the stigma that addiction carries.”
Here at AToN Center we want you to know that there IS a wonderful life ahead of you in recovery and hope you can take this example of a type of future that can await you!
Cassandra Cannon, Ph.D.
Clinical Director
AToN Center 888-535-1516
