Amid ongoing questions about the effectiveness of rehabilitation centers, the story of a man who overcame an addiction to methamphetamine offers a message of hope to others struggling with substance use.

At 43, Villarreal has been drug-free for 12 years after completing a rehabilitation program at CRREAD El Campito.

He believes recovery is possible when a person is determined to stop using drugs, but he also recognizes that rehabilitation requires more than a treatment program. For him, his family was the motivation that made the difference.

“I believe 50 percent is the rehabilitation center and the other 50 percent is the family. If a person has the will to quit but doesn’t have a family, it is very difficult to overcome addiction because when they leave the rehabilitation center, they have nowhere to go and they return to the same situation,” he said.

Villarreal began using drugs at the age of 13.

At 21, he tried to quit on his own. He spent the next seven years struggling to avoid relapse, a period during which he married and had children.

His family became his main motivation to overcome a serious relapse as he approached the age of 30.

He went through several rehabilitation centers in other states in an effort to overcome his addiction before eventually entering CRREAD El Campito.

After four months at the center, he made the decision to leave drugs behind for good, with his family serving as his main motivation.

He has remained drug-free for 12 years and says he no longer feels tempted to relapse. Today, he simply asks God to help him remain close to his family so he can continue on that path.