– Former drug addict now runs rehab centre

Hello Everyone,
I hope this week has treated you well. I would like to share a huge success story today, one pertaining to someone whom I greatly respect and admire- Mr Clarence Young. Mr Young is currently the coordinator for Phoenix Recovery Project- an inpatient drug rehabilitation centre in Mon Repos. He is very successful and admired in his field of work but his situation has not always been that way.
Mr Clarence Young is a recovering drug addict and this is his story.
Clarence, born and raised in Trinidad, began with the occasional use of tobacco/ cigarettes, marijuana and alcohol at the age of 11. By age 15, he was a consistent and daily user. By age 18, he had moved on to harder drugs such as cocaine and mandrax. Surprisingly, while on these drugs, he managed to graduate from John Donaldson’s Technical Institute at 17 in Trinidad. He then worked for a year as an electrician at the University of West Indies. During this time, he claimed that while he knew his family loved him, they were worried and frustrated by his obvious usage.
Clarence then decided to go for a holiday to New York City as his brother was living there and heavily involved in the drug trade. This led Clarence to stay illegally to continue his habit of drug using and dealing. By this time, his drugs of choice had increased and expanded to heroin, LSD, angel dust and crack –cocaine- his favourite of all. He claimed that the disco era made the drug use, especially cocaine, easy to continue.
After four years of this lifestyle, his family became very worried and insisted that he moved back home to Trinidad, especially as he was having numerous troubles with the law. Since he also believed that crack–cocaine had brought him to his lowest point, and in a life-threatening situation, he agreed and moved back to Trinidad at the age of 23.
In Trinidad, Clarence kept using and dealing drugs, not being able to sustain employment. Again, he was having issues with the law and his relationships with both family and friends were deteriorating.
At the time, he lived with his mother and brother- who was also using and dealing drugs. This eventually drove their mother out of the house. When I asked him if he ever lived on the street himself, his response was “I was a vagrant with an apartment.”
This serious drug abuse/ dealing continued until age 31- which he recognises as his turning point in life. In 1990, he contemplated quitting and thought of many ways of doing so; one particularly being religion. That year, he entered his first self- help drug rehabilitation programme called Rebirth House. He remembers it being quite challenging and ended in a relapse four months after.
Relapses are quite common among drug users and should not result in self- hatred or giving up. Clarence did not let this relapse define him as he re-entered treatment in November of 1990. He completed three months which, unfortunately, resulted in another relapse of crack-cocaine- his main drug of choice at the time.
He attempted rehab for the third time at Trinidad’s New Life Ministries Rehabilitation Centre on April 16th 1991 and after using just therapy and no medication be became clean and sober, and has been ever since.
This means that on April 16th of this year, Clarence Young celebrated his 25th year of being sober. (Congratulations Mr. Young- that’s amazing!)
When he completed his successful stint in 1991, he decided that he wanted to dedicate his life helping others who have been in his shoes and therefore, started training to be a drug counsellor. This was also a suggestion made to him by his counsellors during rehabilitation. He studied addiction studies at the University of West Indies and after two years, returned to New Life Ministries to give back as a drug counsellor.
During his work there, he met some Guyanese individuals who asked him to come down to do some work here. Clarence agreed and came to Guyana for three weeks in 1995 where he facilitated a drop in clinic for current drug abusers. Thankfully for us, something told him to make a more permanent move to Guyana and has been here ever since.
Upon his arrival, Clarence got involved with Guyana’s first structured drug rehabilitation treatment program at Prashad’s Hospital. Then, in 1996, he designed and implemented the Salvation Army’s Drug treatment programme.
In 2000, his own project, Phoenix Recovery Project opened its doors. Today it’s successfully functioning with over 35 clients and is the only inpatient facility that treats women in Guyana.
When I asked Clarence if he had any advice for current drug users, his response was “To use is to lose. Use every possible opportunity to stem the downward spiral that you’ve embarked on. Life could be better without the use of drugs.”
I could write so much about Mr Young’s and Phoenix’s accomplishments and clients so I will save that for another day. I will leave with you their contact information for anyone looking to seek treatment. (Address: 90 Block C Mon Repos. Telephone number: 220-6825)

Clarence Young’s story, while inspirational, demonstrates the typical pattern of a drug abuser. It starts off innocent and casual and more often than not, leads to heavy substances. The consistent use leads to low self-esteem, familial and other relationship issues, unemployment, troubles with the law and so much more. I hope this story encourages current users to seek treatment and allows the belief of future success, much like Clarence.

If you would like to share your story, anonymously or not, please write in to caitlinvieira@gmail.com. Also, continuing letting me know what else you would like to talk about OR stop in and see me at Woodlands Hospital Outpatient Department. For issues with drugs/ alcohol – Monday’s at 4:30. General mental health issues- Wednesday’s at 4:30.
Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always!