Pubdate: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 Source: Detroit Free Press (MI) Copyright: 2005 Detroit Free Press Contact: http://www.freep.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/125 Author: Christy Arboscello, Free Press Staff Writer ADDICT LOST EVERYTHING, FINALLY FOUND INSIGHT Former Drug User Now Counsels Others At his lowest point, Dan Greene almost lost it all, including his ability to think clearly. In his 2-year battle with meth, Greene, 32, of Battle Creek watched helplessly as the relationships and achievements he had nurtured fell by the wayside as he nursed his demanding addiction to the drug, also known as crystal meth and speed. "When I got introduced to crystal meth is when things really turned 180 degrees," he said. "Speed is a stimulant that can keep you up for days on end, and you feel like you don't need much sleep. But what eventually happens is, when you become addicted, is you need it just to get out of bed. You need it just to perform daily tasks ... if the house caught on fire, you don't want to get out of bed." Still, the dreadful aftermath he experienced wasn't as horrifying as those he has witnessed. Meth addicts develop behavior and thinking patterns akin to people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorders. Some become paranoid or delusional, often picking at their skin because they're convinced bugs are crawling beneath it, Greene said. According to the Oakland County Health Division's Office of Substance Abuse Services, meth is extremely addictive, with a 98% likelihood that people who try it will become hooked. Its abuse is more prevalent on the west side of Michigan. "We're being told again and again and again by the people on the west side of the state that it's coming our way," said Kathleen Altman, the program's prevention coordinator. Greene is a former high school athlete who graduated from Ohio's Kent State University. A few years ago, he was a newly minted mortgage officer in Las Vegas deep in a depressing state of sniffing and smoking meth. "My life is going downhill. I don't have a girlfriend. I lost my best friend," he said, thinking back on that time. And then he lost his job. "See, with meth, man, you have these severe mood swings. You just snap on people." With the help of his older brother, Greene eventually landed at Narconon Stone Hawk in Battle Creek, where holistic approaches to treatment like vitamin use, along with counseling, led him to beat the habit. For the past 2 1/2 years, he has helped heal addicts as a counselor at the center. "I believe everyone has a purpose in this life, and I believe this is my purpose, to help people," he said. "I have a full understanding of what the person is going through." Like others, Greene was introduced to meth after climbing from so-called gateway drugs like marijuana to heavier narcotics like cocaine. In high school in Warren, Ohio, he smoked pot. While attending Kent State, he dabbled with mushrooms, cocaine and acid and then became a drug dealer. He even dropped out of school, hustling full-time. Following a couple run-ins with the law as a teen and then as an adult, he and a friend moved to Las Vegas. Greene, who pumped iron to gain a buff physique, worked as a club promoter. He then started selling ecstasy, coke, pot and even steroids, he said. Then he encountered meth on the Las Vegas club scene. When he was in control, he became a certified mortgage officer and worked steadily. When he wasn't, he ignored his responsibilities, was kicked out of his place by his best friend, lost his girlfriend and his job, and did not take care of himself. And he started hallucinating. "I saw faces in my wall. I thought there was evil spirits, so I would always light candles. I was whacked," he said. "When the phone rings, it scares you because you don't want to confront life." His appearance changed dramatically, too. "This is a guy who used to do body building. Now I'm a skinny little rat. ... I let it all go, and now I'm hanging out with lowlifes," he said. Today, Greene is healthy, responsible and clean. After graduating from Narconon, he became a certified chemical dependency counselor. "Can you imagine? All that I've been through, now I work here. My life's in order now."