During a visit to the therapeutic community, one of two run by the institution for the treatment and rehabilitation of individuals with addiction problems, the director revealed significant changes in both the profile of those seeking help and the type of drugs consumed over the past decade.
Rita Rocha indicated that among the 65 clients, the average age ranges between 50 and 55; however, in the last two months, there has been an increase in younger individuals coming in for treatment, presenting with addictions to ‘crack’ or other synthetic substances alongside associated psychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia.
Rocha attributes this shift partly to the type of drugs available, with an increasing presence of lab-produced substances, many of whose components are unknown.
“They have a significant psychiatric impact and cause damage, the extent of which we still do not fully understand,” she noted.
She explained that this is a recent change, with a treatment incidence of 50% for alcohol addiction and the remaining 50% for drug dependency. Among those undergoing drug treatment, all are addicted to ‘crack,’ a form of refined cocaine.
“‘Crack’ is cheaper [than cocaine] and has a much more potent and immediate effect. People develop psychological and physical dependence much more rapidly,” Rocha explained.
She pointed out that this represents a change in drug consumption trends. About a decade ago, heroin, alongside cocaine, was the prevalent drug, whereas alcohol consumption was “much less common.”
“It does not mean there weren’t alcoholics, but alcoholism is an addiction that takes longer for people to seek help for. The deterioration is always much more gradual, and it’s a socially accepted drug,” she said.
Ricardo Montero, aged 40, has been in treatment at Quinta da Tomada for six months after attempting to quit alcohol without medical support, which nearly cost him his life.
He recounted that he started drinking at the age of 8, accompanied by uncles and cousins, turning to them whenever he ran away from home to escape physical abuse by his stepfather, with whom he lived along with his mother after his parents’ separation.
“I hit rock bottom when I realized I needed my father’s help. When I reached the point where I truly saw that I needed help, that I couldn’t do it alone, and that I was becoming a burden to my family, I had to ask for help,” he recalled.
At that point, “I no longer had the strength to walk, to work, to do anything” and “was consuming about six liters of brandy” a day. He drank from morning to night, slept little, and “always had the bottle nearby.”
Before seeking help from his father, he spent several days sleeping on the streets, staying with him for around 30 days until he could secure a spot at Quinta da Tomada.
“I say I’m undergoing treatment for my feelings because alcohol was a consequence of not knowing how to deal with my emotions,” stated Ricardo, admitting that if it weren’t for “that moment of despair” leading him to seek help, he might now “either be on the street or not be here at all.”
He aims to return to a “so-called normal life,” get back to work, mend family relations, and reunite with his 9-year-old son.
Ricardo’s objectives resemble those of Bruno Pereira, aged 41: rebuilding himself as a person, completing the treatment, engaging in volunteer work, returning to employment, and restoring his relationship with his 16-year-old son.
Pereira arrived at the therapeutic community following a screening at Espaço Aberto ao Diálogo in the Chelas area of Lisbon, which supports homeless individuals.
He began using drugs at 12, after his parents passed away, continuing for “more than 20 years.”
“I managed to build a family and a business amidst it all,” he recalled.
“Drugs were always a part of me, and I ended up living more time on the street than at home. I was homeless, parked cars, stole, sold drugs, and when I got tired of all that, I asked this house for help,” he recounted.
He started with hashish, which “opened doors to other drugs”: “When my mother became ill, I began using cocaine and then moved to ‘crack.'”
He has been in recovery for almost two years, “without touching anything,” and this time he believes it is permanent: “Because I asked for help, because I am aware that it is possible to be on this side without using, because I know I have a son waiting for me.”
The center’s director added that the changes in consumption patterns influence the type of treatment provided, noting that “people have a much greater need for psychiatric support,” which sometimes necessitates hospital admissions.
Furthermore, since the average age is between 50 and 55 years, “individuals are much more debilitated” with more associated illnesses, posing the “great challenge” of ensuring comprehensive therapeutic treatment.
According to Rita Rocha, beyond therapeutic concerns, the “bigger challenge” lies in the reintegration of these individuals, as many lack any family support and require housing and employment solutions once treatment concludes.
