guest post by Ehsan Ranjbar
Recovery Review seeks to celebrate the varieties of recovery experiences. In that vein, we’re pleased to share this guest post from Ehsan Ranjbar describing his addiction and recovery experience in Iran.
Addiction first entered my life quietly, almost like a whisper, when I was 19. Back then, it was just joints — nothing heavy, nothing I thought could truly harm me. I was young and curious, unaware that I was already standing at the edge of a long, dark road.
Things took a sharp turn when I moved from Iran to Malaysia for my studies. It was there that I fell completely into the abyss. Heroin and methamphetamine wrapped their chains around me, and in just four years, I lost everything. I wasn’t a student anymore. I wasn’t even myself. I was a shadow — hollow, numb, and broken.
When I returned to Iran, I was in ruins, physically and mentally. My family rushed me to the hospital, and I was barely functional. I couldn’t speak properly. I didn’t laugh. I didn’t recognize joy. Doctors considered electroshock therapy for me. Thankfully, that path was never taken.
I tried to quit — many times. And sometimes, I managed to stay clean for a few months, even a year. But sobriety without healing was like walking barefoot on glass. Everyone around me would say, “You’ve made it. It’s been a year. You’re cured.” But I didn’t feel cured. I felt empty. The energy wasn’t there. I would cry for no reason. I’d snap in anger, and I couldn’t hold down a job. Something deep inside me was still broken — and no one seemed to understand that.
And then, gradually, I found my way to Congress60. Congress60, also known as the Human Revivification Society, was founded by Mr. Hossein Dezhakam in 1998. It is a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Iran that offers a unique and transformative approach to addiction recovery. While most addiction treatment programs view addiction as a form of chronic poisoning or a failure of willpower, Congress60 sees addiction as a substitution — a replacement of the body’s natural opioid production with external narcotics. Based on this understanding, the logical path to recovery involves reversing this substitution and restoring the body’s internal balance.
The standard treatment at Congress60 takes approximately 10 months. During this period, individuals use Opium Tincture (OT) combined with the DST method (a gradual, structured tapering protocol) to repair the body’s opioid system, known within Congress60 as the X System. Although opium may sound controversial, Congress60 believes it offers the most effective medicinal compound, containing a variety of natural alkaloids essential for helping the body regain its natural equilibrium after the dysregulation resulting from addiction.
The very first truth I learned at Congress60 was both simple and profound: Addiction is not just a habit — it’s the substitution of external drugs for the body’s natural opioid system. In long-term addicts like me, this inner system — the X System — had essentially dried up. That’s why I felt the way I did, even after quitting. That’s why I couldn’t “just get better.” Congress60 had a method for this — a beautifully structured protocol called DST (Gradual Systematic Reduction).
Throughout the treatment journey — referred to as the First Travel — newcomers participate in regular educational sessions to build a strong worldview, considered the essential weapon for moving forward not only through addiction recovery but also into a fuller, healthier life.
Upon completing the first travel, once medication use reaches zero, individuals begin the Second Travel — a lifelong journey of personal growth, wellbeing, and living free from external substances. Beyond this method of physical restoration, they reframe the whole experience. They called the process a Travel.
And suddenly, something in me lit up.
I wasn’t just quitting drugs — I was traveling.
From darkness to light.
From hatred to love.
From destruction to hope.
From addiction to wellbeing.
Everything was changing — and I couldn’t believe it. But it was really happening.I remember thinking, “Okay, once I’m done with heroin and complete this treatment, I’ll just stick to marijuana. Nothing serious. I’ll be careful this time.” But as I continued my journey in Congress60, something deeper began to unfold. It wasn’t just about getting clean anymore — it was about healing. Wholeness. Purpose.
Recovery Life in Congress60: Beyond Treatment
Each traveller (member) of Congress60 is part of a legion — a recovery group they choose to join. Every legion is supervised by a Guide, a former addict who has completed their First Travel, achieved full recovery, and passed a series of extremely challenging certification exams. (I can personally attest to the rigor of these exams, having gone through them myself.)
Congress60 offers a vibrant and comprehensive recovery environment that extends far beyond traditional treatment. Members are encouraged to engage in a wide variety of activities, from art to numerous sports programs, including archery, track and field, and even rugby. Master Dezhakam believes that by playing rugby, members can show the world the transformative power of the DST method combined with OT.
Once a week, all legions gather in city parks across Iran to participate in athletic activities, reinforcing health, camaraderie, and community spirit.
Congress60 also places a strong emphasis on family healing. Families of travellers, referred to as companions, receive parallel education and training designed to rebuild the bonds that addiction had broken. As Master Dezhakam says,
“We must repair the broken bonds between families and their loved ones.”
Beyond addiction treatment, Congress60 also supports weight loss legions and smoking cessation groups. Every initiative — whether for substance recovery, lifestyle change, or personal growth — contributes to creating an environment where everyone is united for one purpose: helping fellow travellers move toward health, hope, and a better life.
I began hearing more about service — about love, and even about finding God within. That sparked something in me. I felt drawn to it. So I started serving others on a voluntary basis. I wasn’t doing it for recognition. I was doing it because it felt amazing to give back — to support someone walking the same road I had once walked alone.
Now, as I write this, it’s been 14 years since I completed my treatment. Over these years, I’ve had the privilege of serving as an addiction treatment guide — and being the point of change for more than 50 individuals on their own travels from darkness to light. That number humbles me deeply.
And I continue to serve today as a translator for Congress60 — a role that became one of the most meaningful parts of my life. I’ve translated four books and countless interviews, communications, and articles exchanged between Mr. Hossein Dezhakam and Mr. William White. I am currently managing translations and coordinating data collection between research teams in the U.S. and Iran as part of a comparison of addiction treatment patient profiles in Iran and the U.S.
It has been a true privilege working with Mr. Dezhakam and Mr. White, whose wisdom, humility, and decades of service in the recovery movement continue to inspire me deeply. I thank God for the opportunity to know and work alongside such great men of our time.
Congress60 Today: A Growing Movement
Today, Congress60 has expanded its reach significantly, operating over 70 branches across Iran and serving more than 30,000 members annually. This extensive network is supported by a dedicated team of Guides and Co-Guides, all of whom are volunteers who have successfully completed their own recovery journeys and rigorous training programs.
Beyond its core mission of addiction recovery, Congress60 is actively involved in addiction-related research and offers a variety of public and professional educational activities aimed at raising awareness and improving recovery outcomes.
Reflecting on my own journey, I am currently part of a team of research scientists preparing an updated overview of Congress60’s treatment philosophy and methods, comparing the demographic and clinical characteristics of a large Congress60 patient sample to an equivalent sample from the United States.
Fourteen years ago, I could not have imagined an opportunity for such service.
Through it all, I came to realize something simple but profound:
Change is possible — but only when you choose the right road.
For me, that road was Congress60.
Recovery Review 