Phoenix House is the only residential substance abuse treatment center for adolescents in New Hampshire. Orion is sober and in recovery with help from Phoenix House.
Orion: When I was younger I picked up drinking and smoking pot. By age 15 I was into prescription pain killers. It was so bad, I had no choice but to go to rehab. I had no idea what recovery was. I just knew I couldn’t stop getting high. They teach you about what it is and what you have to do to stay sober.
I went there when I was 15 and I stayed sober for two years. After two years I relapsed and when I went back I was about ready to drop out of school and Phoenix House worked with my school to do online classes and I was able to graduate, otherwise I would just be a drop out.
Right now I work full time and I am planning on going back to school.
Phoenix House is always there. There’s always a councilor on that I can call, so even at three in the morning I can talk to one of the night staff. I go back to volunteer there because I like talking to the kids and letting them know that you can have a life sober and to give it a shot. I go there to try to convince some kid who is maybe just as stubborn as I was that you can have a second chance. There’s more to life than drugs and alcohol.
