Brandon’s Story
I’m only eighteen years old, but I started using drugs at an early age. Both of my parents were addicts, but my father went to Transformation Life Center last year and graduated; he did really well. He wanted me to come here (TLC), but I didn’t want to. He found crack in my room. He told me I had to get out or come here. I always argued with him. His motives were to help me, but I didn’t want help at the time.
My life of drugs began when I was prescribed a barbiturate at age nine. By eleven I started drinking alcohol. This started the dark part of my life. I was prescribed medication for depression and anger, and I talked to a lot of psychiatrists. I had no sense of peace or joy. My parents got divorced when I was five and my dad was an alcoholic. Throughout high school I partied and graduated at seventeen.
After that I continued to party. I lived with friends for a little while, and then with my girlfriend for a couple of months. She was against drugs, and when she found out I was using more, she kicked me out, but she wanted to help me. She called my dad and tried to get me here to TLC. She told me to get help, but I wouldn’t.
I lived on the streets for a while in South Jersey. My mom lives in Philly, and I moved in with her. She’s a drug addict, and I would use drugs with her. She was heavy into crack and partying. I lived with her in a crack house. We bounced from house to house and leaned on other people. I’d stay at my sister’s sometimes, but she didn’t want me using drugs.
By that time my dad was in TLC. I saw how happy he was and that annoyed me, but I was curious. He came out a different person, always so happy. I didn’t understand, and I didn’t want to go to rehab. But God changed my heart a couple of days before I came here.
