Oliver from Zurich speaks openly about his journey out of addiction
“The crazy thing is, I never really liked the taste of alcohol.”
Out of loneliness, Oliver would secretly drink vodka first thing in the morning. Short-term alcohol therapy at the Berit Klinik saved the Zurich resident from his addiction. The 55-year-old speaks openly about his darkest hours and shares how he found his way back to life.
Alcohol was his lifeline, his supposed best friend. Whenever Oliver (55) felt lonely, he reached for the bottle. Secretly—and often as early as the morning. “I mostly drank vodka because I’d heard you couldn’t smell it,” the Zurich native admits. “For years, I lied to myself and convinced myself that I had everything under control.”
The downward spiral began about 14 years ago. “I moved with my wife at the time and our two children, leaving my familiar surroundings behind. That made me unhappy.” Oliver threw himself into his work, suffered two burnouts, and the relationship fell apart. “What bothered me the most then was being separated from my children. Not being able to see them every day hurt me.”
Alcohol is often a supposed solution to another problem—such as pain, deep emotional wounds, or feeling overwhelmed. That was the case for Oliver, too. “When I wasn’t feeling well, I drank. I knew that alcohol wasn’t a solution, but to me, it was my friend.”
“Dad, we can do this”
The stereotypical image of an alcoholic put Oliver off. “I always told myself, ‘I never want to end up like that.’” But he had long since been caught in a vicious cycle himself, changing as a result of his drinking and unconsciously hurting the people around him.
The decisive wake-up call finally came from his new partner. She sought a conversation with him and urged him to seek help. “I thought that was really strong of her,” Oliver says in retrospect. When his addiction counselor at the time also recommended the Berit Klinik to him, he mustered the courage and signed himself up for short-term alcohol therapy.
For Oliver, the biggest emotional hurdle was talking to his children. “I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. That’s what I was most afraid of.” On the day he made his decision, he invited them over and laid everything out on the table. Their reaction still moves him to this day: “They supported me and said, ‘Dad, we can do this.’ That was very emotional and important to me.” His partner, his parents, and his sister also stood by him and supported him in his decision to seek help.
Back to Life in 29 Days
At the Berit Klinik, Oliver committed to an intensive process. “It was challenging; it was emotionally draining,” he admits. The short-term inpatient alcohol therapy program at the PSA of the Berit Klinik in Wattwil lasts 29 days and is tightly scheduled, in-depth, and holistic. The days are filled with individual and group talk therapy sessions, as well as art and movement therapy.
In the video (link below), Oliver speaks with brutal honesty about which therapy helped him the most.
Dr. Sonja Arens, the lead psychotherapist at the Berit Klinik PSA, confirms that such significant change is possible in just 29 days. “But the work doesn’t stop when therapy ends. We prepare our patients for discharge so they can cope with everyday life again.” Dr. Arens emphasizes how important it is to understand the role alcohol plays. It is often used as a coping mechanism when a sense of inner security is lost due to stress or negative emotions.
The goal of therapy is to strengthen his well-being in the long term. The therapist, who is now continuing to treat Oliver on an outpatient basis, greatly values her work with him. “He brings a sense of curiosity and a positive attitude to the table. It’s a joy to work with him.”
Working with addiction patients is intensive and multifaceted. “Part of what makes my job difficult are the hard life stories that people bring with them,” says Dr. Arens. “Working with these stories therapeutically can be challenging.” But it is precisely this challenge that drives her: “Seeing how people get back on their feet and thrive after completing therapy means a lot to me.”
Oliver wants to encourage others facing similar challenges
Today, Oliver has reached his goal. He lives a life of sobriety. The 55-year-old now experiences life in a much calmer and more mindful way. When people around him are drinking, it doesn’t bother him. He even avoids non-alcoholic alternatives. “The crazy thing is, I never really liked the taste of alcohol. I just liked what it did to me,” he says candidly. “That’s why it’s not hard for me to do without it.” Situations that used to automatically lead him to reach for the bottle, he now faces with clarity and one rule: no exceptions.
Oliver is deliberately going public with his story to encourage others facing similar challenges. “Seek help, and don’t wait too long,” is his most important piece of advice. “You feel ashamed—I know that from my own experience. But I think it’s important to be transparent. Talk to your loved ones about it, because almost always, they are the ones who suffer the most from addiction.”
The article originally appeared on Blick online on June 18, 2026
