Cory Monteith – Yes, you can do it.
Born in Alberta, 1982, and raised in British Columbia, Cory was, at the age of 5 able to read far in advance of his age.
However, with parents divorcing when he was 7, Cory was a troubled youth, who says that he went to around twelve schools before he was thirteen, including alternative programs. He was into drinking and drugging with his friends, and by the age of sixteen – this promising student quit school completely.
By age 19, worried family members put him into drug rehab, after an intervention, but Cory says – “I did the stint, but afterwards went back to exactly what I was doing before”.
The turning point in Cory’s life – what might be called a spontaneous recovery, in fact was a result of many fortuitous circumstances happening at once, – enough to enable Cory to both question and then overcome the cycle of addiction that ruled his life. Not everyone is lucky enough to have everything in their favor, at once, some will need professional, effective, and experienced help.
Having stolen money from family for drugs, he was told to get straight or he would be reported for theft to the police.
Knowing that he would be found out for the theft, Cory says that he now sees it as a cry for help – that was answered in terms that required him to take responsibility for his actions – to reconsider his drug abuse – and do something about it.
Although many children and youths flounder at that point, due to lack of effective support, Cory moved in with a family member, in a small town – where he was both offered employment as a roofer, and introduced to acting.
It was at this point that Cory decided that he was going to work out why he did drugs, to take a good look at his life. For the first time, Cory felt the satisfaction of “working hard” and being “good at something”.
Monteith tells PARADE – a message for all – “I don’t want kids to think that it’s ok to drop out of school, get high – and that they will become famous actors too.”
In fact, for Cory there is, aside from the acting, a most important personal victory.
He has obtained, through an alternative school – in Victoria, BC – his high school diploma.
And, in 2009, he re united with his father – after having virtually no contact with him, for over 17 years.
At some point Cory found forgiveness – of his parents and their faults.
It is often said that parents do the best that they can for their kids. It is not often that children can come to understand what this means – and totally forgive their parents for their mistakes, their failings.
Parents who do fail to love their children, and provide support, in every case will be found to have been, similarly deprived themselves.
As Cory says: “At some point you realize that parents are human. They make the best decisions they can with the options available to them”.
It is for each and every one of us to take responsibility for our own lives, regardless of the conditions we suffered, in our family of origin.
Some people try drug rehab, do a “stint’ and fail to make a recovery. Recovery from drug addiction is not so much about giving up drugs, but about recovery from conditions that have made us feel unloved, and unlovable. It is about re-evaluating our lives – from a position of self esteem.
To a young child, abandonment issues, when a parent for whatever reason, is no longer there, can feel as bad as actual abuse from a parent who remains in the home.
As Narconon President Clarke Carr has said – in his experience -” drug addiction is most profoundly a consequence of a person lacking life skills.”
The understanding and confidence to deal with life often comes to people only after many years of reactive self abuse, and addiction.
For Cory, now a Canadian “star” – with many achievements on his record, the glitz and glamor of “stardom” holds very little attraction. Cory maintains sobriety – a balance and happiness.
”I’ll go out, but I leave early, before the shenanigans. I really don’t do the Hollywood party thing”.
“I’d rather watch sports, watch videogames, play sport, workout or sleep, to be honest”, he says.
Having a life of your own, that is hardworking and successful, that is independent of other people’s values, and what you feel that you “have to do” has been achieved by Cory.
For young people in Canada who have got themselves into drugs, and for their parents, the situation can feel overwhelming, with lack of communication, lack of understanding.
Not all drug rehab is the same, not all families have a capacity to provide that much needed help to those members who have turned to drugs, to parents who feel at a loss, unable to help their children.
Narconon is in Canada, an international alcohol and drug addiction recovery program that enables people of any age to become free of drug addiction. No matter what the history, or the type of drugs that have been abused, Narconon offers comprehensive help to enable complete addiction recovery.
The Narconon program provides thorough detox and full support – enables complete drug addiction recovery.
Graduates of the Narconon program have come to be and to realize that they are “good at something” – happy, contented and productive, in their chosen field.
Some might choose to go on and achieve a higher education,
but most importantly,
Narconon graduates have self esteem – are completely drug and addiction free –
ready and able to start a new life – free of the chains of the past.
