The Sound of Interlude

Interlude Recovery Program client Eugene, had been through many stuggles in his life, and to make the burdens worse developed mental illness and a co-occuring substance use disorder. Eugene may have been headed for despair if it were not for the help of Interlude. Read his self composed testimoney below. (Eugene shared his story at an Interlude Breakfast in May, 2009 and got a standing ovation from the audience!)

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Good Morning,

My name is Eugene Stone. Most people call me Stoney. I guess I picked up that name because my last name is Stone and because for almost 63 years I was always stoned.

I was born in Scranton Pennsylvania in the fall of 1943. When I was two years old my father and Grandfather would take me to the bar and give me beer to drink. I have memories of my father being what I would call strict. If I did anything he did not like, he would hit me. I also remember him hitting my mother. I recall him drinking Virginia made wine and whenever he drank it, he would lose his temper with both my mother and me.

When I was 8 years old my mother divorced my father and later remarried my stepfather. We moved to York Pennsylvania and by the age of 13 I was often drinking wine. I used to like the feeling that I got from drinking wine and I would frequently pass out in the TV room. As time passed I went to high school and started hanging around the wrong people. On the weekends I would drink 2 quarts of beer with them. Sometimes it was more than two quarts. I would come home drunk and my mother would say "Don't wake your father, go to bed and sleep it off." I was also smoking cigarettes at this time, a habit I started at age 11.

I graduated from High School and went to see my biological father in Scranton. He decided that I needed to go to the Navy and enlisted me. I served in the Navy and NAF CAMP SPRING MARYLAND and on the VSS enterprise. I later received an honorable discharge. During my time in the service I smoked pot and continued to drink. I realized at this time that I had a drinking problem.

Shortly after discharge I got married to a woman named Roberta. I remember being drunk at the reception. My wife became pregnant and I found out that she had been cheating on me. This led me to drinking very heavily. I began to ride with a motorcycle group and that is when I was introduced to hard core drugs. At this point I was out of control. 

I was admitted to Newtown's [former] Fairfield Hills mental hosptial and put on medication, drinking and still drugging. This continued for years. I was in and out of jail, had many visits to Fairfield Hills, and I was also homeless for many years. When I did manage to obtain housing I lived in a slum apartment. At that time I did not care about myself.

I took a trip to Scranton, PA and smoked an illicit substance known as "angel dust."  I did not know where I was. After that traumatic experience thankfully things changed for the better, since  I found out I had been accepted into Interlude's Recovery Program back in CT. As of now [May 2009] I have been a resident at Interlude's Recovery program and have had sobriety for over a year and a half. I was even able to get my driver's licence back just recently.

The house provides support for me, such as having rules that need to be followed, support groups on weekday mornings, and chores that need to be done. I am also encouraged to attend AA meetings which I go to weekly with my sponsor.

Interlude is a safe house and I feel at peace being there. The staff is willing to help all of the clients. Interlude has shown me how to live drug and alcohol free. Today I feel good about who I am and who Interlude has helped me become. I am able to help others while also helping myself.

Thank you for taking the time to hear my story.