Medical Treatment + Commitment = Recovery

by Kim Zanti

Dennis had guidelines. He’d only smoke meth after 5 p.m. to loosen up in the Long Beach scene. He swore he’d never use meth during the day while he worked as an interior designer. He thought that would be crazy—meth was a party drug.

Saul (prounced “Sa-oul”) sought extremes. Long hours managing a popular West Hollywood hotspot meant plenty of cocaine to stay awake and alcohol to smooth the rough edges. He loved food, singing, dancing, people and his job’s intense pace.

When a corporate takeover forced him out and a botched surgery caused excruciating pain in his hand and foot, Saul’s doctor prescribed Oxycontin and other painkillers, but meth is what deadened the physical pain and dissolved the sadness of losing a job of 13 years.

Then Saul met Dennis. Sex brought them together, but it was their ability to talk to each other honestly that made them a couple. They were upfront about meth and being HIV-positive. They were in love, could manage their habits and life was OK.

Until, that is, Dennis’ guidelines faded and he was smoking meth whenever he could score, and Saul sank into deep depression as his meth use escalated. They were still together, but after two years addiction had taken away any hope that they would ever laugh or feel happiness again.

One day, Saul’s dealer showed him the column I wrote in this space last April about End Dependence, the nonprofit organization that gives financial grants to Angelenos for free medical treatment of addiction. The dealer wanted to quit if he could do it with someone. Saul agreed. When it came time to fill out the grant applications, though, the dealer wasn’t ready. But Dennis was.

The couple decided to quit together. Their motivation was to recover their own lives, so they could be better partners, brothers, sons and men. They wanted to share their lives without the black veil of meth hanging over their souls.

Last September, End Dependence approved their grants. Free treatment included a psychosocial assessment, history and physical, five out-patient IV infusions of Prometa, nutritional supplements and follow-up visits. Dennis completed treatment in December, Saul on Jan. 8. They’re now clean, free from cravings and 150-percent committed to recovery. Hopelessness and anxiety have been replaced by laughter and singing in the car.

Today, Dennis and Saul can look into each other’s eyes and feel love. It’s their commitment to recovery that has made life worth living again, but the End Dependence grant helped make that happen.

Are you ready? If so, visit enddependence.org, or call (310) 456-8998 for grant applications and guidelines.

Kim Zanti is executive director of End Dependence