Congress 60 is rooted in the personal experience of Mr. Hossein Deshakam.
"I’m an electronic engineer by training. I worked in the field of industrial research, design, and repair for 30 years as my addiction to alcohol and then hashish and opium took over my life. I was a hardcore addict for 17 years. I tried many different treatments to cure myself but was repeatedly unsuccessful. In the end, I began playing a game that evolved into the research and trials that I tried on myself. By determining my daily dosage, time of use, and tapering of the drugs, I implemented a plan [using opium tincture—known in the West as Laudanum] and to my own disbelief, was successful after an eleven-month period to break my physical addiction. It was through this that the DST Method [pharmacotherapy used in Congress 60] was invented." (Dezhakam quoted in White, 2011)
Following self-cure using the DST method, Mr. Dezhakam published an account of his experience in a book, Crossing the Zone 60 Degrees Below Zero, and started an NGO, Human Revivification Society (Congress 60) under the motto, 'Let's curb this devastating flame,' to help others seeking addiction recovery. In 1998, the first session of Congress 60 was help in a small room with eight people attending. Today, more than 20000 individuals hold membership cards within Congress 60’s 38 branches in Iran.
"Congress 60 is a people-supported, non-governmental organization, active in the treatment and recovery of drug addiction. Its foundation is based on the principal of a revived addict helping fellow addicts who are currently still using narcotics…. It has a license from the Ministry of the Interior, and its purpose is to reduce the harmful results of addiction. Congress 60’s axis of activities consists of education, prevention, curbing, and guidance in curing addiction. The main objectives of Congress 60 are providing scientific research and practical solutions in recognizing the relationship between the human psyche and illicit drug dependence and providing a useful method and guidance to drug addicts and their families." (Dezhakam quoted in White, 2011)
adapted from the book: Innovations in Addiction Treatment and Recovery