Alexandre Almeida: «The (long) way to my recovery.»

Alexandre had tried everything to free himself from the disease that made him reach rock bottom: alcoholism. He was about to lose everything, including is family, his most cherished treasure. Until the moment his wife came to find his “salvation”: the KARE program of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy at The Clinic of Change, in Lisbon. “Now I am free from alcohol, I have recovered my family, my sanity, the joy of life. And how good it is to be alive.”

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Read Alexandre’s full testimony about his experience with psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for alcoholism, at The Clinic of Change (Lisbon):

My name is Alexandre Almeida and I am here to give you my testimony, in hope that it may be useful for those who are suffering and going through the same pain that I went through. It would be selfish of me to talk only about my own suffering since those around me were suffering as much or more than me.

This alcoholism disease (chronic dependence) was deeply rooted in me, I went through the most diverse types of treatment, but without any success. I was treated in a public hospital, where they had the specialty of “Ethyl-Risk”, and I was assigned to a specialized Psychiatrist in this area with many years of experience. Here I also had support from a psychologist, I did group therapy, but it came to a certain point where the Psychiatrist said, and I quote, “I no longer know what I can do for you”. It was a shock to hear these words, but it was the harsh reality: I had reached “rock bottom”.

Later, my wife, already desperate, found a clinic where I was admitted for twenty months and two days, yes, that’s right, twenty months and two days. At that clinic, we had group therapy on a daily basis, as well as psychiatric care, but when I left, after fifteen days I relapsed. It seems insane, but it’s a reality, this damn disease wouldn’t give me a break and I was about to give up.

Later, once again my wife, already in despair, found a private clinic in Lisbon, without in patient clinic regime, where the treatment consisted of HBM psychotherapeutic intervention. Basically, it was a treatment based on hypnosis, but it only solved my anxiety problem. In other words, the main problem remained (to my despair).

I was about to lose my family, my children no longer spoke to me, my wife was sick with desperation, as she no longer knew what to do and she was about to end the relationship with me, which would certainly be the end of me, yes, literally. But today I see that I am very lucky to have the woman (and family) that I have.

With this medicine and the support from my therapist, I was finally able to get to the bottom of my problem

I was about to lose my family, my children no longer spoke to me, my wife was sick with desperation, as she no longer knew what to do and she was about to end the relationship with me, which would certainly be the end of me, yes, literally. But today I see that I am very lucky to have the woman (and family) that I have.

In a last effort (and last opportunity), my wife came to find my salvation, The Clinic of Change, based in Lisbon. I must confess that I was already without hope, which is natural after so many treatments, so many clinics and so many failed procedures.

In the beginning, I had to undergo an “Initial Medical Assessment” to find out if I met the eligibility criteria for ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. Thank God I did.

I started the treatment almost immediately and I am eternally grateful to my therapist. The treatment consists of psychotherapy with the administration of the medicine Ketamine. But that was not the most important thing (although quite important). With this medicine and the support from my therapist, I was finally able to get to the bottom of my problem, understanding the reasons for so much suffering and to learn why I resorted to alcohol in the first place.

Things from the past were weighing on me and I didn’t even realized how much that got to me. Currently, the traumas from the past have not disappeared, but are sorted out, “well kept” and no longer hurting me. Today, and just for today, I am free from alcohol, I have recovered my family, my sanity, the joy of life. And how good it is to be alive.

[We want to thank Alexandre for sharing is story and helping other people to find help.]