In an interview with Sapo, a patient at The Clinic of Change tells the story of how alcohol became an addiction, his failed attempts at recovery, and how psychedelic-assisted treatment helped him get back on his feet. Today, he has been sober for two years and looks to the future with hope.
Read the full article HERE.
In an interview with journalist Joana Petiz of Sapo, Alexandre shared his harrowing story, marked by alcohol addiction and the way this destructive relationship affected his professional and family life, as well as his health. It was after several years of drinking and several failed treatments that he ended up at The Clinic of Change, where he decided to undergo psychotherapy sessions assisted by ketamine, a psychedelic substance.
“‘A Clinic of Change was a game-changer. I went in with no hope, but I started to believe that maybe this time it would be possible right from the first session. For the first time in decades, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel (something I’d never felt during my 20-month detox program in Santarém), and it made a huge difference,” he says. And he admits without any illusions: “‘Without this treatment, I wouldn’t be here today.’”
In a situation where “the statistics related to treatment are not particularly encouraging,” Alexandre found the treatment at The Clinic of Change that enabled him to overcome his addiction.
“We know that about two-thirds of people who undergo traditional treatment relapse within six months. And we have, in fact, achieved rates where about 70% of people remain abstinent from alcohol at that time. These are still preliminary figures from our clinic, but as we can see, we’ve almost reversed the relapse curve, which is, in fact, very good—even though these are preliminary figures that still require much more research and study,” says Victor Amorim Rodrigues, clinical director of The Clinic of Change, a psychiatrist and psychotherapist, as quoted by Sapo.
What results has this treatment produced?
More than just a “miracle cure,” the treatment shows promising results based on scientific testing. “A clinical trial by Solvonis Therapeutics indicates that the treatment Alexandre underwent achieved an 86% alcohol abstinence rate at the six-month mark among patients who drank every day,” according to the Sapo article.
Learn more about our programs HERE.
The Clinic of Change is a healthcare provider registered under number E166508, located at Rua das Picoas, 12, Ground Floor, 1050-173 Lisbon, with operating license number 22863/2023, and registered with the ERS under number 39467.
