Teens and parents struggling with drug abuse situations are invited to Rainy River High School next week to listen to the recovery story of an Irish youth and his father.
Julian Madigan and his father, Gerry, will be on hand Feb. 13 to recount their personal story as part of the district Substance Abuse Prevention Team’s campaign.
“I’ve heard a lot of really good things about these guys, it has a grass-roots approach,” noted SAP program co-ordinator Kelly Olsen.
Madigan is an Irish youth who spent four-and-a-half years addicted to drugs–especially Ecstasy–before making a slow exit from the debilitating habit.
As a therapeutic exercise during his recovery and rehabilitation, he documented his experiences which were later published as “The Agony of Ecstasy,” an international best-seller.
Within three-and-a-half years of the book’s publication, Madigan and his father had addressed more than 500,000 people throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland before moving to Calgary, Alta. in July, 1999.
During the seminar at RRHS, Madigan will describe his lifestyle before he became part of the drug scene–and how his life began to spiral out of control once he got hooked on drugs.
Madigan also will explain, step by step, how the habit progressed from innocently getting involved and dabbling in drugs to the rave scene, and the adverse affects on his relationships and the rest of his life.
“The best way to learn about things is to have someone who’s gone through with it talk about it,” said Olsen.
Madigan also will go through his “Five Steps to Freedom” from drugs.
Madigan’s father, Gerry, will outline his struggle once he realized his son was heavily involved in drugs and how he handled the problem.
“It’s also family-oriented because it is a father/son approach,” said Olsen.
The first seminar at 1 p.m. will be attended by RRHS students while the second one is open to parents and other adults from across the district at 7 p.m. at the high school there.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
