Aired: March 30, 2009 – 11:00 AM PST
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TITLE: I didn’t know what clean and sober was
SPECIAL GUEST: Special Guest: Dean Bales, Drug and Alcohol Counselor in Orange County, California
Dean was a drug dealer back in the 90’s and today after being shot nine times and left for dead… he has turned his life around and now helps teens and others in jail to turn their lives around. He has written a book called “I Didn’t Know What Clean And Sober Was” to chronicle his life.
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My name is Dean and this is a true story about my life with drugs, alcohol, and my Higher Power God, who freed me from my addiction. Some of you might be turned off by the mere mention of God, so this book is especially for you, because that’s the way I felt also.
God is mentioned in five of the twelve steps of AA, (alcoholics anonymous) NA, (narcotics anonymous) CA, (cocaine anonymous) and CMA, (crystal meth anonymous) but don’t let that discourage you from the 12-step programs, they’re not religious by any means. These are social model groups, based on people helping people and spirituality.
There are many pathways to spirituality, which are called religions, but there is ultimately one conclusion, a loving God. Hopefully, you will know the difference between spirituality and religion. I myself never knew the difference and didn’t care to ever find out. Then something drastic happened that changed my way of thinking. This book tells what happened.
So if you drink and use drugs and don’t believe in God, this book will help you. If you believe in God and continue to drink and use, then maybe you need to get in better contact with your spirituality, this book will help. Either way, I’m not going to preach in this book, just tell you the true story of my life with drugs and alcohol, how they almost killed me, and eventually, how I got away from them for good. I will tell you how I got in touch with my higher power, which I choose to call God and how my faith in God turned my life around. Just remember to “always keep an open mind,” because if you don’t, nothing is ever going to change for you. For some of you, the thought of a higher power or God just seems impossible, I know it does, because I felt the same way also. But if you just take a chance on something special, and if you’re truly serious about changing your life, then you have no choice but to believe in something far greater than yourself.
If you’re not serious about getting sober you might want to read this story and get serious. Maybe you’re just curious about drugs and wondering what they feel like? If this is the case, then you definitely need to read my story. I will tell you all about drugs, what they feel like, what they can make you do and not do, and where you will eventually end up if you continue to use them.
Today, as a drug and alcohol counselor, I know there is not just one way, or easy way, to get clean and sober. I’ll tell you what works for others and what worked for me; you decide what works best for you. Remember there are many different tools, thoughts, theories, and ideas used for staying clean; try to know most of them. Use only the ones you need to get clean and stay clean; discard whatever else doesn’t work for you.
I’m not a writer and this book is not fiction. I was, however, a qualified, bonafide, dope fiend. I just happen to be alive today, by the grace of God, to tell this story. Read my story and you can be the judge of how lucky or blessed I really am. There are three results from using drugs and alcohol: those are… jail, institutions, and death. I have visited all three on several occasions and was Blessed enough to be alive at the end. Just remember; it’s not about a religion; it’s about a relationship and no matter how hard you feel it is for you to get clean and sober, believe me, it’s more than worth it… it’s the only way to be!
