I came to ATMC not knowing what was in store for me. This was my second treatment and being only 17 years old, I was pretty scared and unsure how it was going to go. I stayed here at ATMC for 2 months. Coming off heroin was not fun at all. ATMC reminded me that you are not alone in your detox. Everyone here was such a big help in my recovery. I don’t know what I would do if I hadn’t come here. I was a user for over 2 years. I never thought I would be where I am today. From the support groups, friendly staff members, and the healthy organic food, I started to believe that maybe just maybe this could work. Honestly, you get what you give and I gave it my all. And now I’m proud to say I’m clean and sober for the first time in a very long time. When I arrived here I was sick, weak, and mad. Still everyone wa so kind to me and really helped me through the rough stuff. After doing the Chelation Therapy day after day I started to feel like my old normal self. I no longer craved for the feeling the heroin gave me. I was able to be happy and go without thinking about getting high. I don’t think I could have done that without the Chelation Therapy. I’m not saying it was my favorite part of ATMC but it was definitely one of the most beneficial things I’ve ever done. I have to say after over dosing and going into cardiac arrest twice, coming to ATMC saved my life. I feel like a brand new person, I’ve never been so happy. I feel like maybe I had forgotten how to be happy, ATMC helped me find the inner me, the real me, the girl that my real friends and family members missed so much. I am now able to look at things in a better way, everything isn’t so gloomy anymore, I’m able to appreciate the little things in life now. Everyone moves at their own pace and ATMC helped me through the things I had a hard time getting through. The educational part of the program was also very beneficial; I took great interest in learning how different things affect different parts of you and your brain. All in all I’m so grateful for everything I learned and I would definitely recommend this program to anyone that has an addiction problem.

Christy

Hi my name is Hyder A. I’m 28 years old, and I’m from Houston, Texas. I’d like to share my experience here at Alternative To Meds Center with you. Before I got here to this program I was taking massive amounts of opiates (Loratab, Loracet, Hydrocodone, etc.) All 10mg\650. I reached the point where I was taking 120 of them a day plus another 20 Xanax to go with them. This went for 5 years straight. I thought I would be taking pills the rest of my life. Then eventually die from them. I had lost all hope! I’ve been to other rehabs and they didn’t help me at all.

My sister and mother started to search of another place, and told me they found a place that would really help me get my life back. It was Alternative to Meds Center. On the first day I got there the staff was unbelievable. They are very kind, they always asked me how I felt. My case manager was T.J. I would not have asked for someone better. He helped me build my self esteem back up, always made sure that I was taking my medicine and vitamins properly. He is also a very kind and caring person.

I am clean and sober and I cannot believe that the journey was so smooth. I think that if I hadn’t come here I would be dead, jail, or in the hospital. This program has changed my life and I encourage other people to come here! I thank the staff so much for what they have done for me. If I did it hopefully anyone can do it : )

My experience at Alternative to Meds Center in San Francisco, California, has been an outstanding success. I received excellent treatment from a staff that is experienced, caring, and hard working. My detoxification was smoother than I could have ever imagined due to the scientifically proven diet and supplements. I was able to get opiates and benzodiazepines out of my system in a safe environment with minimal discomfort. The individualized setting allows personal care from a well trained staff while learning a diverse skill set that will help me with whatever I do in the future. I have undergone detoxification from a lower dosage of medication in the past and I now realize the process does not have to be as painful as it was in other treatment centers. While I was quite skeptical about the nutritional aspects of the program, I now realize the important role that a healthy, organic diet plays in my body, especially during a detoxification process. The Alternative to Meds Center did an excellent job, from case managers down to the chefs, in providing answers to my questions and showing me a proven process that I can continue to implement in my life when I leave the facility.

Greg-Austin, TX

I am a sixteen year opiate user, and have escalated my drugs of choice to oxycontin. Prior to coming to ATMC I was chewing 240mg oxy. I had tried numerous times to detox at home with obviously no success. One night I gathered the courage to reach out for help, and found myself on the crisis line with Dianne. She informed me that there was help out there and that she could help me reach my objective. This was to come off opiates ASAP! With in four days of speaking with Dianne I found myself in San Francisco at the ATMC center. That was a week ago, today I am going home with a clear plan on how to stay sober. The nutritional aspect of the program played a key role in ensuring I feel comfortable during my detox. “I feel good, really good!” And I thank all the staff and clients at ATMC for helping me with my recovery.

Thanks Jill

I attempted to detox and discontinue abusing opiates once before. I got a prescription for Soboxone from a doctor and tried to detox at home. I stayed clean for approximately 25 days, but I was overwhelmed with depression and anxiety; components of the long-term withdrawal effects from opiates. These symptoms were also present when I began the program. Around ten to twelve days into the program, I noticed a significant shift in my mood as well as a much clearer mind. I no longer sit around worrying about my past and future; I am now able to “remain in the present” and enjoy my current situation. During my first attempt to quit I knew in the back of my mind that I would inevitably return to my addiction. This time, on the other hand, I feel quite confident in my ability to return home and remain sober. I am confident that I will start living and enjoying my life again, rather than hiding from it behind a drug-induced benevolence.