Coming clean

“One night I hear this scratch, scratch, scratch at the door and I open it up. It is my cat, come back after one month.

“I hugged that cat and cried and then I knew. I knew what it was like for my husband when I’d run off and do crack.”

….

For the first time in a struggle that has taken half of her life, she will have additional help from a newly expanded detox system in Toronto, which, if successful, will become the blueprint for the rest of Ontario.

It is designed to support addicts beyond the acute withdrawal phase until they get into treatment or are stabilized at home. Hospital administrators have added some new tricks like acupuncture, neighbourhood groups and home visits. For the past 30 years, detox has meant five or so days of residential care and then the addict was back out the door.

MORE: TheStar.com – Coming clean