“Winners” Would Constantly Put Me in Danger.

Full Circle Survivor Story: 2022

I live in Denver, Colorado. I had a counselor and I had told this counselor that I lack social interaction and they had shown me The Full Circle Program, my first night I had ever shown up it was a function called Iron Chef, as soon as I had gotten there I had people walking up to me telling me that they loved me and were asking what my story was, I was really weirded out by this but I had gotten used to it over time, for awhile I thought the group was awesome until I was constantly pressured into doing things I didn’t wanna do but I had to be “willing” and “open-minded” to everything to get sober and stay sober.

The counselors had knew I was on Probation and URGED me to go out past curfew, commit various felonies, etc. I had seen multiple felonies committed such as shooting fireworks at houses and vehicles all the way to breaking into abandoned buildings and businesses and causing over $50,000 in property damage, I had started to distance myself from the group I would leave early and stuff like that and the counselors and other group members would constantly urge that I needed to stay all night long and involve myself with the group and stay over at houses, etc which I was all very very uncomfortable with.

It got to a point where I would have to hide away from everyone while I waited for my ride to come and pick me up, I saw many disgusting things while I was apart of this group such as chopping off heads of frogs, full on animal abuse. Someone had actually bought a chick and brang it to the group the chick ended up being used as a basketball and was killed.

I also was very uncomfortable with counselors asking me what type of porn I watch, how I masturbate, when I masturbate, and how porn is bad for your brain. I was constantly asked very very personal questions and I was always told “If you’re not honest you won’t make it in sobriety” I constantly felt like I was being used and abused in this group.

The counselors had actually ended up putting me on a “Shop Commitment” where I would show up everyday when the shop would open to when the meeting/functions were over during that time I had accomplished nothing I was told I would be helped with schoolwork and other things, what actually had happened was I was used for Free Labor such as painting, moving things around, repairing furniture, etc.

I was always told by Counselors and other group members that if it was a cult I wouldn’t be allowed to leave. When I wouldn’t show up on some nights my phone would be bombarded with texts and calls from group members and other counselors along with my parents phones. The counselors tried to control every single aspect of my life along with my parents they constantly told me I shouldn’t get a job in early sobriety and told my parents that they should lay off and let me do whatever I wanted too because I was around “winners” but these “winners” would constantly put me in danger. I’m glad I got out of this group in time before something bad happened.