Program
offers aid
to drug
abusers
By Andy Riggs
The 12 long-haired youths, barefooted and wearing patched
bluejeans, sat in a circle facing the speaker.
The large recreation room contained a Ping-Pong table,
television, stereo and some albums. It seemed as if a large
family had gathered for a serious family discussion.
In a sense, it was a family discussion. Except there was no
father and mother, no children. They all were adults.
They were trying to help each other express their true, inner
feelings.
Were they scared? What did they think of someone else?
Why did they think that? How were they supposed to react?
These are some questions asked to patients living in Full
Circle, a program for drug rehabilitation. The program, that
began June 1, has already helped many to get their heads
together. The treatment is counseling.
Matthew, 19, was a UN L student last year. He was a cocaine
dealer, living in Harper Hall.
"I sold to narcs twice. They didn't bust me at the time so I
didn't know then that I had screwed up. The middle of March
last year I went to the hospital when I was high on the drug
THC. After I got out, I dropped out of school. I went home to
Omaha and got busted for possession of coke," he said.
"After a month in jail, charges were dropped because I had
three felony charges against me in Lincoln. (The two cocaine
charges and possession of marijuana.) I was in jail for awhile,
but got out on bond. I came to Full Circle June 18 for help. I
could have gone to the penitentiary," he said.
Matthew was strung out when he was in jail. His nose was
raw from snorting cocaine. His nerves were shot and he
couldn't think straight. Jail was always in the back of his
mind. He thinks Full Circle has helped him.
"I've found out a lot about myself. I know how to study
now. I'll probably be here nine or 10 months altogether. I can
tell I'm being helped," he said.
Matthew is in charge of the kitchen in the house and does
the cooking. There are jokes about the food in Full Circle just
as there are jokes about the cafeteria food in the dorms.
"Much of what happens here is the same as living anywhere
else. Funny things happen. Last week a kid found some tea
and rolled it into a cigaiet and lit it. It smelled just like pot.
No drugs aie allowed here so everyone got real worried about
what happened. Then we found out. It was pretty funny," he
said.
He described the group counseling as straight forward,
saying that it makes him feel better. Matthew gets lonely
sometimes and he says the group helps him overcome it He
said he plays his guitar much of the time and has written some
songs. He describes the songs as visionary, some of them are
fantasies, some are love songs.
Kris, 17, had a baby last week. Monday night she was back
at Full Circle in group therapy. She came to Full Circle
because she said she knew she needed treatment and because
of the baby. She is one of the most active in therapy.
"I was kidnapped two years ago by an ex-Black Panther and
taken to Omaha where he forced me into prostitution," Kris
said. "He was a heroin user. I was so scared and nervous that I
need a way of escape. I began using it, too. I mainlined heroin.
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Full Circle staff members Ron Ruitnke (left), Cheryl
Mulford and Steve McElravy
One day, he let me go out on my own and I stopped a police
car. In order to avoid a lot of questioning and hassle, I told
them I was a runaway."
Kris was taking LSD and smoking marijuana when she lived
in Kansas City with her boyfriend. She became pregnant and
had a fight with her boyfriend, so she came back to Lincoln to
see her father.
"When you go to the groups, you really find out your
feelings," she said. "For instance, I've always been yelled at
instead of being hit so I'm scared of people yelling. One night
in group, two persons started a yelling match. I was terrified, I
was shaking. I couldn't endure it anymore so I told them to
stop. Then, the group investigated my feelings. Ever since then
I've been cured."
Dr. Olga Bom, Full Circle director and therapeutic
communications specialist, said she loves to help youths find
themselves through group counseling.
During the day, she works for the Lincoln-Lancaster county
drug project, and at night at Full Circle.
"Caring is the most important part of the program," she
said "I care for everyone here. It doesn't matter if they like me
or not, I care about them. If they choose on their own to like
me or care for me then it's like a present.
'This may sound conceited, but I'm good at my work," she
said. "What I try to do is help someone who thinks they don't
need help. Most of the time I succeed."
Full Circle is open 24-hours, seven days a week. The
telephone line is always open, and patients need not be court
referred. No one will ever be turned away.
60
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Theologian
discourse
A theologian who has
traveled throughout the world
researching and speaking about
Christianity will speak this
weekend in Lincoln.
John Warwick Montgomery
will speak at the First
Evangelical Free Church at
3301 N. 56th. At 7 p.m.
Friday, Montgomery will speak
on "The Quest for Noah's
Ark." He will speak on "Is
Christianity Credible?" at 9:30
a.m. Saturday, on "The
Inerrancy of Scripture" at 9:45
a.m. Sunday and on
"Christianity in a Corner" at
1 1 a.m. Sunday.
Montgomery is a professor
and chairman of the Division
of Church History and History
of Christian Thought at Trinity
Evangelical Divinity School in
Deerfield, III.
He also is director of
Trinity's European program at
the University of Strassbourg,
France, and executive director
of European Operations for the
Christian Research Institute in
Wayne, N.J.
ODOC
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Slaves sold
The UNL Rodeo Assn.
earned $224 last week at its
annual slave auction. Slaves
were auctioned Thursday night
following a horse sale at the
Burlington Northern
Stockyards. Rodeo in April.
HUMAN POTENTIALS
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K'llUl s.
Thurs. Oct. 11
Address:
"PSYCHOLOGY & ASTROLOGY"
3:30 p.m. Union
Rap Session
8 p.m. Raymond Hall (in WRH)
Fri. Oct. 12
Workshop at UIIME. For information, call 432-6561
HOLLYWOOD &
VINE
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up and
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HIS BEST YET!
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SAND
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TODAY-7:30, 9:20
ENDS THURS.
page 10
daily nebraskan
Wednesday, October 10,, 1973