Client Testimonials

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Our Client’s Recovery Journey

The Cabin has successfully treated a diverse range of people of all ages and backgrounds from all over the world. The process of entering rehab and starting on the road to recovery literally transforms people’s lives, giving them new purpose, hope and direction. The testimonials below are taken from some of our clients and wonderfully express the new direction their lives have taken after treatment at The Cabin.

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Jeff’s Recovery: I wake up almost every day in a happy disbelief that I am alive and that I don’t want a drink

I am writing to you as someone who is recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body, in large part I owe it to all that I learned at The Cabin. Jenna, you know well I had some struggles even after my last trip to The Cabin, but I kept going back to the things I learned. Now, I have maintained regular meetings, a sponsor, have completed the twelve steps, and I am celebrating 9 months of sobriety this week. At this point, even knowing I only have a daily reprieve dependent on my condition, I can say that the crazy obsession to self-medicate is gone.

I have moved to San Francisco. I have a new job (3 months employed again now), I volunteer in H&I here and go to meetings regularly, travel for work, go on flights, stay in hotels, and always keep my recovery program in action. I have been snatched from the jaws of insanity and death and plunked down into a life full of the ninth step promises. I wake up almost every day in a happy disbelief that I am alive and that I don’t want a drink, (which is the first thing I ask God’s help for!). I think of this passage from Russel Brands book “recovery” quite often, and it also reminds me of how The Cabin was so instrumental in getting me here. It reads like this: “My old way of life is with me still like a worn-down coin in my pocket that I toy with from time to time. Like a madman I sometimes countenance going back, back into the burning past to snatch at some scorched pleasure… How did I become this person, on the other side of my misery? On the other side of my life?” Well, how I got here really started at The Cabin, and then was bridged by a good after plan, a sponsor, and really working each of the 12 steps in a program, which for me just happened to be AA. Jenna, I never told you this, but on my second trip to The Cabin I was walking behind you once and you were almost nonchalantly mentioning how you would never need to start over again in your sobriety. You said it so convincingly, “NEVER AGAIN”. I thought at that moment that I wished i could have that same sense in my own soul. Well, knowing it’s a daily reprieve, I know that as long as I stay working my daily life the way I am now, that for me also it will be never again. I thought of you guys tonight when I got an email from a friend from The Cabin who has had his own relapse issues and was saying how helpful that place had been to him and I thought that I really wanted to write. At some point, I’d love to come back and visit as my sobriety goes on. Perhaps to help in some way.

Dan’s Recovery: ‘Beyond anything I’ve experienced before’

It’s too emotional to write all my feelings (although I am learning how to express these better) – a new chance at having a real life is no understatement, and this is a gift of life beyond any gift I have ever received. I have confidence again (in myself and others). I was a moody, scattered broken guy just two months ago, and now I finally have some tools to live in the real world. My addiction is in recovery thanks to you all. It’s truly beyond words, but my feelings (at last) are real.

With utmost anonymity and care, The Cabin’s expert team of counsellors, medical staff and psychologists, together with other clients, gave me the peace of mind to finally let go of my unmanageable life and focus on my recovery. The staff and community at The Cabin gave me the assurance of anonymity, yet a level of care and love coupled with a treatment plan unrivalled in my experience. As an addict of 24 years, The Cabin’s comprehensive treatment plan and fellow clients allowed me to relax and absorb the treatment I needed – to my family’s relief. As a recovering addict (following years in and out of treatment), my gratitude for what The Cabin’s team have helped me achieve is beyond anything I’ve experienced before. Their love and care doesn’t stop at the gate – I value their considered, confidential approach too. Their aftercare and genuineness are like a safety blanket. They’re like a second family to me now. What can I say? I was described as a ‘broken man’ when I arrived The Cabin, and am now on a very different and happy road. What a journey. The Cabin’s clinical team are beyond anything else, frankly. Now I really have a life to enjoy. Simply beyond words. Just thanks, thanks so much for everything. You guys the best.

Robert’s Recovery: Nothing Short of a Miracle

I would like to express my gratitude to the cabin for my experience there over the past 3 months. The growth and understanding that i have experienced is nothing short of a miracle. Thank you for the organisations capacity to help impact my life in such a way, and deliver me home to my loved ones as a changed man with plenty of work to do and maintain in the future.

I would like to also thank and acknowledge the entire counselling team for their guidance, and especially my two counsellors, Brian and Des for their remarkable knowledge and understanding of what was going wrong and how to help me turn things around. Brian was able to crack my thick headed skull with his approach and Des was able to provide me with the care, love, understanding and knowledge that i really needed to start making a serious shift. It has been nothibg short of a miracle. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything. Peter, you took your time out to hear me whenever i had an issue and once again, that is also greatly appreciated. Thank you all very much once again,

Carole’s Recovery: A Sister’s Gratitude

Dear Peter, I wanted to write you on behalf of our entire family to say thank you for helping Carole get clean from her addiction to yaba.  I will never forget when I came to Thailand and saw her all strung out.  She looked so terrible, it really broke my heart to see her that way.  The worst part was that no one in the family had any idea of what was going on.  No one even knew she was using drugs.

That day, when I brought her to your centre, you were so kind to us despite her not so kind words.  I’m sure she hadn’t slept for days as she doesn’t remember anything.  She doesn’t like to talk about rehab much.  I think she is still pretty ashamed about the whole thing.  She did say that your counsellors were wonderful, especially Ali and that she was able to get some of the best sleep she has had in years.  I think it gave her the opportunity to cultivate some peace and begin the healing process. As you know, Carole moved back to the UK to stay with me for awhile. She looks great and is doing so much better.  I know she still struggles because sometimes I can see the sadness in her eyes.  I think she misses Thailand.  I know she appreciates the much needed support she is still receiving from Ali and I am so thankful you all are continuing to help her. Again, I just wanted to express my gratitude to you and the counsellors at your centre.  You gave me back my sister and that’s something I will always be thankful for.  Best of luck to you and The Cabin. Kind regards,

Patient Recovery Stories: Overcoming an Addiction to Yaba

My name is Carole and I am a 34 year old expat who was living in Thailand. Last year I tried yaba known by the Thai’s as the “crazy drug.” Yaba is an insane drug and I can’t believe I let myself get sucked into it. My neighbour offered it to me and said it gave her more energy and helped her to lose weight. I knew what it was when I took it, I’ll admit that. Don’t know what I was thinking, maybe I was just bored and wanted a little more excitement in my life.

Yaba totally took hold of me. I was supposed to go back to the U.K. last summer but stayed instead. Yaba is cheap and the cost of living here is too so I wasn’t motivated financially to quit. When my sister came to visit me in April, I thought she was going to have a nervous breakdown. She was so upset to see me like that. It is because of her that I went to The Cabin.I only stayed for 14 days but it definitely changed my perspective. I realised I had to get away from the people who were pulling me down. Probably the biggest benefit was that I was able to just calm down. I haven’t felt that relaxed in a long time. I know I will never use again. I have lost my desire. I left Thailand and I’m back in the U.K trying to sort my life out. Luckily I have great friends and a loving family to turn to when I get down. Many thanks to The Cabin for giving me space to breathe and a place to recover.

Michael’s Recovery: A Mother’s Gratitude

Dear Peter, I am writing on behalf of my son Michael who came to your centre this year. I’ve spent the last 5 years watching him destroy his life with drugs and alcohol. To see your son suffer and not be able to help him is a terrible feeling that I would not wish on anyone.

I tried to talk to him about his addiction, well we all did, but he just wouldn’t listen. That’s why I was surprised when he told me he needed help. I don’t know what exactly you all did for my boy, but he is better. When we picked him up at the airport, it was shocking to see him so healthy. He is living with us now until he can get back on his feet.I know he still struggles and gets depressed sometimes but I know he’s not using. Michael runs everyday, spends a lot of time reading and goes to Narcotics Anonymous meetings twice a week. He found a job at a mechanics shop and is saving money to go back to school. He says he wants to study Engineering. I have to admit I was a bit skeptical that you could help him. He’s been using for so long, I guess I didn’t know if he could break the habit. He doesn’t talk about rehab much, says it’s too personal. He did say you have a beautiful place and speaks highly of your counsellors. I just wanted to write you and say thank you so much for giving me my son back. Whatever you did, made him better and I will always be grateful to you all. Sincerely,

Patient Recovery Stories: Q & A with George, a Recovering Alcoholic

Q: George, can you tell us a little about yourself? My name is George and I am a recovering alcoholic. I grew up and Holland and have held a long and distinguished career in Information Technology. At the age of 46, I realised I was an alcoholic, a workaholic and had an addiction to Benzodiazepam.

Q: Why did you come to The Cabin Chiang Mai? I knew I needed help so I began researching alcohol treatment centres around the world. Basically I choose The Cabin based on my first impression of their Website. I needed rehab treatment and when searching the internet I came across several options, three in Thailand, 2 in Nepal and a few in South Africa. After looking into the prices of treatment for all the centres only 3 remained competitive. Then, it just came down to the feeling and impression I got from The Cabin’s website. Q: How would you describe your rehab experience at The Cabin Chiang Mai? Going into a rehab in the first place was very difficult. Getting that treatment over 6000 miles from home was an even bigger step. The second part was admitting I needed help. When you are a high achiever, like I am, it is even more difficult since sometimes it feels as though your life and everything you do is under a microscope. The Cabin is located in a beautiful and peaceful environment. Though at times it was difficult, it made sense to be removed from the “real” life out there and all its temptations. Being at The Cabin helped keep us ‘addicts’ away the strong impulses of abusing so often triggered in our daily lives back home. I have to say that my experience at The Cabin was one of serenity. I gained a deep level of understanding about my addiction. I felt I did the right thing. I took the right step towards my recovery. As a matter of fact I think my experience will stay with me for the rest of my life, helping me to stay sober and on the right track. Q: Can you describe your thoughts on the excursions as part of your recovery process? A: I found the excursions to be extremely therapeutic. It gave me something to look forward to every week. I had the opportunity to try things I have never tried before. One Sunday we went on jungle canopy tour. Zip lining through Thailand’s national parks was an experience I will never forget. Q: Can you describe ways in which the recovery program at The Cabin impacted your life? I would have to say that their programme impacted many aspects of my life. Physically, I feel stronger. They place a strong emphasis on exercise and we did exercise/sporting on a daily basis. Now I am practicing yoga twice a week and I recently started taking Tai Chi classes at my local gym. Mentally, I am much more confident. I was diagnosed with dipsomania (an uncontrollable craving for alcohol) so I am learning to take life one day at a time. I now understand that letting go is the right thing for me to do. Socially, I feel like I have grown. During my treatment, I suddenly became more interested in the human part of life. Q: Would you recommend The Cabin to a friend? I have made a commitment to stay completely abstinent, a commitment shaped by my experiences at The Cabin. If anyone is suffering from alcohol addiction, I would highly recommend getting treatment at The Cabin. They helped me to overcome my addiction and start a new chapter in my life.

Patient Recovery Stories: Overcoming Heroin and Cocaine

My addiction started when I was 15. Due to extraordinary circumstances I had access to a large sum of money, which I began using to gamble. At 16, the gambling lead to heavy cocaine use and by the time I went to university my addictions had also progressed to heroin; this continued for 14 years. During this period, I dropped out of university and spent the majority of my time travelling, partying and attempting various stints at a number of addiction treatment centres; in the past ten years I’ve entered over 20 rehabilitation centres all over the world.

Not only has this affected my life and the decisions I have made but it has caused a tremendous amount of pain for my family as well. My mother would always be anticipating that phone call with the news that her first son is dead. My brother and sister, who don’t use, would hear all these horrible stories about me from others, which caused them so much despair; it’s like they never really had an older brother.I felt like hope was running out; I’ve tried so many different attempts to get clean but all with no change, thus no success. In January last year I was in a really hopeless state. I had just completed two 28 day programs in South Africa but relapsed once again and continued to use for another 3 months. It was then that I sought help in Cape Town and was recommended to The Cabin Chiang Mai. I arrived there with the expectation that it would be very much the same as all of the other treatment centres I’ve been to but from the energy and warmth I felt the minute I arrived, I knew I was wrong. Unlike other treatment centres, the programme itself is completely different; I’ve never experienced a treatment centre that cover step 1and 2 so comprehensively. They use mind maps to really engrave the images in your mind and the unique teachings of CBT played a huge role in helping me to finally begin overcoming my addiction. I now have clarity behind the reasons I react to certain situations and this is the first time I can see my behaviour evolving. My time at The Cabin was by far the most enjoyable and beneficial experience I’ve had in any treatment centre in the world. With many of The Cabin’s staff in recovery themselves; their ability to draw on their own experiences really helped me to benefit and I also found their success inspirational. There is no other treatment centre that I have stayed longer than 6 weeks and I’ve now completed 5 months in The Cabin’s programme, something I thought I could never do. I would recommend this place over any other place I’ve been to and I’ve just about been to them all.

My Son’s Recovery: A Father’s Gratitude

A Father’s Plea for Help: My son is an alcoholic. He is unemployed and lives at home with us. Things are out of control. He is angry, depressed and becoming violent. He needs help. We are desperate and don’t know what else to do. Please call me as soon as possible to discuss your programme and if you can help my son.

After Son’s Rehab:Dear Peter, This letter comes with enormous gratitude from our entire family. I wish I could put into words how you have helped my son. Until recently, my wife and I were in a really bad situation. “Anish’s” drinking was out of control. My other sons wanted him out of the house. His drinking problem was tearing our family apart. At first I wasn’t sure anyone could help him. Now I know that sending him away was the best thing we could ever do for him. He is no longer drinking and we are slowly learning to become a family again. I know this is a slow process as his brothers have a lot of resentment and need to learn to trust him again. “Anish” spoke very highly of your centre. I know he wasn’t sure he really needed help but spending a month there must have changed his mind. He really connected with your counsellors and some of the other patients there. He said he loved Thailand and couldn’t wait to go back. Now, “Anish” is sober and looking for work. We all believe in him and hope that he finds happiness. We are forever grateful to you and your staff.
Prakash, New Delhi

Patient Recovery Stories: Overcoming Alcohol & Cocaine Addiction

If you asked me 6 months ago if I would be alive today, I probably would have said no. My name is “Jonathan” and I am 45 year old recovering alcoholic and cocaine addict. I’ve spent the last ten years living and working in Hong Kong. During that time I became a heavy cocaine addict. I loved to drink and I loved to gamble and it wasn’t long before I cocaine became a part of my life.

Life has been pretty good to me. I made lots of money in the stock market but sadly enough, I threw most of that away on alcohol, my cocaine habit and gambling at the horse races. The past few years have been hell. In March of this year, I overdosed at a friend’s party. It was the overdose that made me “wake up”. I thought, what I am doing here lying in this hospital bed? I am almost 46 years old and my life is a disaster.There aren’t any rehab options for Westerners living here in Hong Kong. A friend told me about The Cabin in northern Thailand so I decided to give it a try. My programme lasted 28 days. The counsellors introduced me to the 12 steps which we worked on every day. Rehab was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Four weeks of digging up the past and talking about my abuse wasn’t easy. But I was able to let go and start to appreciate and trust myself again. I am now sober and enjoying life. It still amazes me when I look back at where I was and how far I have come today. For the first time in nearly a decade I feel whole again. I know there are people out there just like me. People who are caught up in drugs, alcohol and gambling. Addiction is not fulfilling. Take it from me, someone who has been there. Addiction is only an attempt to fill a void in your life. My advice to anyone out there who is suffering from addiction, is to give yourself a chance to feel whole again. Go to rehab and get clean. Life can be pretty amazing if you only give it a chance. Many thanks to The Cabin for helping me to see that.

You won’t find another rehab that takes better care of you than The Cabin