Treatment against alcoholism, find your own method

Vitaliy Kovalenko ,
Manager of the charity organization Sobriety
Professor at Non Governmental Russian Society Thinking University


Let me tell you how I came down to the state of calling for help at the “Optimalist”. Until the age of 40 I lived and worked as manual worker. The administration of my company noticed my capacity to manage, though I do not have any university background and was promoted as a qualified worker – I was earning a decent salary and could foresee prosperity for my family. My circle of friends changed. Managers are not usually so busy at work. We began to celebrate whether birthdays, holidays, or birth of someone’s child – a good reason for drinking. Therefore, from that moment I began to drink more and more alcoholic drinks, but I always thought I could stop drinking at any time. However, it did not turn out that way. I only wanted to drink more. I bought vodka, brought it home and drank alone during weekends. At first my spouse could put up with the situation easily.

But later, we began to argue. I started to hide the bottle at home and ended up drinking secretly. She would quickly notice that I was drinking by feeling my breath. Then she would search for empty hidden bottles and our loud discussions would continue.

I always thought that I could quit drinking any time. In reality, I felt like being swallowed hopelessly by the effects of drinking and could not imagine myself living without drinking anymore.
One of my acquaintances is a policeman working with street alcoholism, with whom I sometimes drank. A representative of street order is no longer capable too fill in a glass of water for his hands are shaking too much due to alcohol. He looks like being over 50 although he is only 40 years old.
To be honest, I never believed in medical treatment for alcoholism. I addition, it scared me. Once after my regular quarrels with my wife concerning my state of drunkenness, she advised me to visit a charity organization Sobriety, saying that the “Shitchko” method is built on a 20 years history of treatment without drugs and medical consultation: a psychological corrective therapy against alcoholism.

For the first visit, my spouse accompanied me because I felt frightened to go on my own. After having participated to the whole course during 9 days consisting of daily group sessions of 2 hours, including participation of ex alcoholics, I thought I would never drink again. I started to believe in myself again. Now I meet with ex participants who haven’t returned to drinking 15 years after the course.

I advised my friend policeman to take part in this course. However, he responded that his does not consider himself an alcoholic and would manage to stop drinking alone. He has a stressful job and vodka helps him to relax. This is an excuse to justify his constant state of drunkenness.
I’m sorry for him as we are now following different paths and objectives in life. He nevertheless remains a good fellow.

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