I was 6 yrs old when I had my first morphine experience at the dentist office, and it took away all the crunchiness i was feeling in my alcoholic home life. From that point on I sought out to kill all of my emotional pain with any kind of substances that were mind and mood altering.I was quite successful at finding pills in the cabinets of unsuspecting adults as I come from an era when addiction wasn't a house hold word especially from an elementary school kid. By age 11 i was drinking to get drunk smoking cigarettes, huffing gasoline daily. I was an adrenaline junkie as well lying cheating and burglaries were a wonderful cheap way of filling that bill. oh yes I was given positive strokes for beating up kids in our neighborhood that my dad didnt like. Children of alcoholics usually arent just given acceptence based on the fact that they are human. No, we have to do tricks like a dog to get approval from our parents. love isnt just a given. Having to make your own bottles when you are just 2 yrs. old does irreputable damage to a person. Opiates filled a void in me that otherwise felt raw like a wound that wont heal. By the time I found Aegis in Chico I was42. Nine other treatment centers,countless detox stays AA meetings by the hundreds and a gunshot wound to the head by a serial killer who had killed 17 other people. Nothing else has given me what Methadose Maintenance coupled with an individualized TX plan and exceptional staff members who are highly skilled people who are dedicated to the cause of helping sick hurting addicts become whole human being and sussessful members of society. thank you Aegis for the happyiest 10yrs of my 53 yr life. yes Aegis get 5 stars from me .