Luiz Ferreira · 35 min
After seventeen years of hidden cocaine addiction driven by a secret he could not tell his family, Luiz Ferreira discovered that moving to Australia and finally accepting himself as a gay man was the only treatment that worked.
Hear this story
Luiz Ferreira spent 17 years hiding a cocaine addiction behind a well-paying job and a respectable life in Rio de Janeiro. No one knew, not his family in Brasília, not his friends who eventually gave up, not his employees. He tried everything conventional medicine offered: different religions, medications, psychiatrists, therapies, yoga. Nothing worked. He would collapse at work, call ambulances, drive his car thinking about crashing it. He kept using anyway.
At 37, his psychiatrist gave up and threatened to contact his parents. Instead of rehab, Luiz booked a flight to Australia. The cost of cocaine there was $300 a gram. More importantly, before he left Brazil, he took his parents for coffee and told them he was gay. A secret he had carried since he was 13. He cried. They said they loved him. He moved to Sydney and never used again.
It took a master's degree in counseling for Luiz to understand why. During a university assignment mapping his family history, he realised his addiction had never been about the drug. It was about the trauma of hiding who he was. Once he accepted himself and stopped hiding, he didn't need cocaine or alcohol or anything else to numb the pain. He woke up at 5am with energy. He was poor as a student but happier than he had ever been running a business. Now he works with people facing addiction, helping them find and heal the trauma underneath. He tells them what he learned the hard way: life sober is so good.
⚠️ Content advisory: this episode discusses addiction & recovery, which some listeners may find distressing.
If you need support, you're not alone. Help is available: • SMART Recovery Australia (addiction): smartrecoveryaustralia.com.au • ReachOut: au.reachout.com
“I tried everything you can imagine like different religions, different try to find like every single medication in the market to stop, psychiatrists, all different therapies, yoga, everything and nothing worked.”
“Any addiction comes from trauma — in addiction, gambling, drink, sex, anything will come from trauma.”
“I accept myself — I don't need to have drugs anymore, I don't need to drink, I don't need to do anything, because I accept myself.”
The hero, today
Luiz hid his 17-year cocaine addiction from his family and everyone around him because he had the money to fund it, showing that addiction does not announce itself through poverty or visible collapse. He tried every conventional path to stop: different religions, medications, psychiatrists, therapies, yoga. None of it worked until he changed his environment and accepted himself as a gay man. Luiz learned in his master's studies that his addiction was rooted in trauma from not accepting his sexuality, and once he came out to his parents before leaving Brazil, he no longer needed drugs or alcohol to numb the pain. He woke up at 5 am every day in Australia with energy to live, despite having no money, because for the first time he had nothing to hide and no reason to use. Luiz tells people struggling with addiction that many free services exist in Australia, and the cost of continuing is far greater than the cost of seeking help: the money spent, the energy lost, the relationships broken.
Yes. Luiz Ferreira is a real person who shared their own story in their own words. Kintsugi Heroes is a not-for-profit that shares first-person stories of overcoming adversity, told with the person's consent.
Kintsugi Heroes, a registered Australian not-for-profit. Every story is shared with the hero's own consent and reviewed under Kintsugi Heroes' trauma-informed content standard before it goes public.
Luiz hid his 17-year cocaine addiction from his family and everyone around him because he had the money to fund it, showing that addiction does not announce itself through poverty or visible collapse.
He tried every conventional path to stop: different religions, medications, psychiatrists, therapies, yoga. None of it worked until he changed his environment and accepted himself as a gay man.
Luiz learned in his master's studies that his addiction was rooted in trauma from not accepting his sexuality, and once he came out to his parents before leaving Brazil, he no longer needed drugs or alcohol to numb the pain.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 00:07
Welcome to the Kintsugi Heroes podcast, where we share inspirational stories of everyday people going through different challenges and how they overcome them. Please be aware that the story you're about to hear may have moments of deeply felt emotions and personal experiences. If anything you hear has a triggering effect please reach out to someone who can help keep you safe. If you love this conversation, we'd love you to like and share it with your friends so we can continue to share more inspiration and hope to as many people as possible. Now listen up for our next hero's story. I love meeting with Luiz Ferreira, It was a lovely conversation. He just was so infused with passion and joy for life. Every cell of his body was just exuding this vibrancy and this joy and optimism. But it wasn't always that way for him. He's from Brazil and he fell into cocaine addiction for more than 15 years, hid this addiction from everybody, including his family. And eventually he moved to Sydney and he tells the story of this journey and how he had to face face it, share it with his family. He basically hid it, and he was a fully functioning addict because he worked in a very well-paying job that was able to fund his habit. So this is another side of addiction that often those that aren't exposed to addiction don't realize. People can look and seem just the same as everybody else, but on the inside, things are totally different. Luis has changed his life. He came to Australia, he's, he's got a master's degree in counseling, and now he helps others with addiction and overcoming it. And boy, what a force of nature he is. But it was a wonderful story, and I know that you'll get a lot from this. This is Luis Ferreira. Hello, and here we are for another episode of Kintsugi Heroes. I'm here with Luiz, and you have a very long name, and I'm impressed by your name. It's Luiz Paulo Boulos Alves Pereira. How did I go saying that?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 02:32
It's Luiz. You did really well, actually. Just the second one is Paulo, but you did it pretty well.
More stories
This site is part of Kintsugi Heroes. Visit the main site for the full podcast. If any of these stories hit close to home, support is out there, you don't have to sit with it alone.
Read how we handle these stories ↗
Kintsugi Heroes · Registered Australian not-for-profit · kintsugiheroes.com.au ↗
He woke up at 5 am every day in Australia with energy to live, despite having no money, because for the first time he had nothing to hide and no reason to use.
This conversation includes a brazilian in london discovers drugs, back in brazil, weekends become every day, friends give up, but the drugs don't, running on coke and gym sessions, three ambulances and thoughts of ending it and his psychiatrist gives up and calls his family.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 02:39
Yes, thank you so much. Uh, though, I'm, I'm really honored to have you as my guest. Today. Thank you for being here.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 02:49
I'm glad to be here. Super excited.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 02:52
Excellent. And the reason we're here is we're sharing our stories, and you've got stories obviously to share with me. I'm really looking forward to this, and these are stories of inspiration, and I know that sometimes that they can be challenging to speak about. It could be difficult, but, um, yeah, let's just get into it, shall we?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 03:11
Yeah, how you can see if it is a strong accent, I'm from Brazil. And then when I was 21 years old, I moved to London. And I spent 2 years there, and for the first time I start to have drugs. I came from a really traditional family, Catholic, and I never had drugs back home before. And then I thought to be just a phase of my life. But then I end up addict. I had a really serious problem with drug addiction.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 03:46
What, um, so you went to London and then you found drugs. What was the attraction for you?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 03:55
I think was to discover the new, like that young bloke living another country, let's try new experiences. And then when I realized that I was hooked up and I couldn't stop anymore. And the interesting thing was when I went back to Brazil after 2 years living in London, I was having drugs in the beginning just on the weekends. And then the weekends changed for 4 times a week. And I got in my worst time when I was having every single day. And this came the decision to move to Australia.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 04:35
So how long were you back in Brazil for?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 04:39
15 years.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 04:41
Hmm, wow. So you were taking drugs for that long?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 04:44
Yes, but every day was like the last 4 years I was there.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 04:50
Hmm, wow.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 04:51
And the funny thing was I really wanted to stop, but I couldn't. I tried everything you can imagine, like different religions, different— tried to find like every single medication in the market to stop, psychiatrists, all different therapies, yoga, everything, and nothing worked. Yeah, it was a really difficult time in my life, and I like to talk about it because nowadays I've been clean for 7 years. And it's really good to see how I could change and have this positive outcome.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 05:33
So you, just, just adding up all the numbers, you, am I right in thinking that you were taking drugs for 17 years? Yes. It's a long time.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 05:45
Yes, it is.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 05:47
How did that impact your everyday life, you know, your social interactions, your work? Relationships.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 05:54
Yeah, the point was, I, during all these years, I was functioning. I could like go to work, do everything. But if you see like my relationships are like destroyed, because when you are addict, you live for the addiction. That is what I mean. And in my case, I was working to have money to buy my drugs. Was a really challenging time. I really wanted to stop, but I couldn't.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 06:25
Did you have others around you in your circle that were also in the same situation?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 06:32
Yeah, this was pretty difficult as well. I was, because my family live in Brasília, the capital, and I was living in Rio. I was by myself. I had a couple of friends. But even friends, they help you in the first years and then they give up about you. You know, it was really difficult.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 06:53
So when your friends gave up on you, you still had the drugs, right? Yes. So your drugs became my priority, your priority, your comfort, your security, the purpose for everything that you did.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 07:10
Definitely.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 07:11
Sounds like that drove your decisions and your life for a long time.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 07:16
Yes. I never thought I would be living in another country again because I had the experience to live in England when I was in my 20s. And financially, I was in a good position as well, good situation. I opened my own business. But to be honest, when I opened my own business was the worst because I didn't have a boss anymore. And I was just working from home and using drugs all day long. And the pain point as well was I always loved sports, health, lifestyle, and the drugs were like destroying this side of my, my life.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 07:54
Were you trying to play sports?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 07:57
Yes, I— this was funny. I was like using drugs, but I was going to the gym every day.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 08:02
How was it? Tell me, because I, I don't have any knowledge of, of what that's like. How does it impact you?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 08:08
Yeah, actually it's pretty dangerous. Why? My drug of use was cocaine. In Brazil it's pretty cheap. And I was, for example, having coke and going to the gym because it gives you a bit of energy, like, and it's dangerous because you can have like a heart attack. But I truly believe when you are addict, you don't think about consequences. You think the things are not going to happen to you, the bad things, but happen. I'm just so glad to be alive and to be here telling my story.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 08:42
Did you reach a point where you had one of those dark nights of the soul or a wake-up call? Did something happen?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 08:51
Actually, to be honest, I had like at least 3 times when I was working before I opened my business. Where the ambulance came to take me to work because I passed out. And even that wasn't a wake-up call at the moment. And also I was really depressed and having the drug, of course, any drugs makes you feel depressed, but when you wake up in that depressing mood, when you get high again, you kind of forget about your depression. And but I remember many times like driving my car and just thinking I could crash now and die, I just want to end this. I was having suicidal ideation many, many times. But of course, coming from a Catholic family with all the religion values, I had that thought, I can't end up my life, be selfish. I just wanted to stop and I couldn't. Yeah, and then, then what happened was I was doing psychiatrist treatment with a proper psychiatrist for 3, 4 years. She tried all medications that you can imagine to help to stop my addiction. And then in my final session with her, she said, I give up. We have to send you to rehabilitation. Please give me your parents' details. I have to contact them. And then when she said that, I freaked out because my family didn't have idea about my addiction.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 10:37
So you'd been a drug addict for 17 or something years at that time and your family didn't know?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 10:44
They didn't know because they were living in Brasília, the capital, and I was living in Rio, and I could hide really well. And then I came to my mind what my family will say, what I would tell my employees, because at the time I was running a business, what I'll tell friends that don't know. And then I was like, what I would do? And then I said, I need 24 hours. And she said, okay, 24 hours. I went back home. I start to look on a rehab website, and then all websites I saw was the same thing. You can't take your mobile phone with you. And then I was like, I can't go there. And it was funny, one of my best friends at the time, he was moving to Australia to do a master's here. And then I went to like an immigration agency that they send students here. And then I explained my situation to her and she said, yeah, in Australia will be pretty difficult because the cocaine there costs $300. And I said, perfect, I'm going. Because I never was, yeah, I never was the kind of addict that will steal a television set Or, you know what I mean? Always had money to have my addiction.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 12:11
Right.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 12:12
Then I said, okay, I'm going to Australia. I need a new start. And I came here and I never used.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 12:20
So tell me about, I mean, that just sounds phenomenal. First of all, did you tell your family?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 12:26
Okay, okay, I can tell now. What happened as well, this is interesting because I found out this here. I completed a master's in counseling and I learned this in my master's, my placements. Any addiction comes from trauma. Any addiction—gambling, drink, sex, anything—will come from a trauma, right? What happened in my case was I'm a gay man and I didn't accept myself as a gay man. My family didn't know. Super traditional family. I never felt comfortable to tell at my jobs I had there, I'm gay. I was always trying to hide because Brazil is a third world country where many people don't accept. Here, after I concluded my master's, I learned that what happened in my situation was How I had this trauma to hide my sexuality, I was having drugs to forget about. And when I moved to Australia, first thing before I move, I took my parents for a coffee and I told them I'm gay. I, I needed to tell them before I move. And when I moved here, I was so good. I was like, I'm important. And no one cares in Australia what is my sexuality. It's my own business. And then I think this is the reason why I don't need to have drugs anymore. I don't need to drink. I don't need to do anything because I accept myself.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 14:08
That's really profoundly powerful. Yeah. Did you go through a period of detoxification?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 14:17
Nothing. Nothing. Can you believe? Wow. Wow. Because what happened as well, I was really depressed. And when I decided to come to Australia, I said to myself, things are going to work. This is my last chance.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 14:36
Things must work. Hmm. So did you have a strong enough self-belief that those words Yeah, actually felt true for you.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 14:49
Exactly. And it's funny as well, just remember this. Before I came to Australia, I read an article where they did some tests with rats, lab rats, and then, uh, these, the test was with cocaine as well. And they, they had this, these rats completely addicted on coke, and then they completely changed it. The rats' environment, and they put them in a new environment with a kind of like playground, some toys for them, and they didn't suffer any craving. This motivated me as well to come because Australia would be my playground, a completely different country where I don't know anyone, with different things, and I believe this helped a lot as well.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 15:38
Yeah, it makes sense, makes sense. It's, uh, fascinating to hear that you were, you know, I guess addicted to drugs for so long, and yet the power of your mind and the belief changing your environment, you know. But I think there was that obviously that pattern that you've— you realize later on, you know, through your studies, but you realize where it started and How important was it for you to have that coffee with your parents and tell them you were gay? Was powerful.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 16:12
I remember crying a lot. Imagine, I was 37 years. I knew I was gay since I was 13, and I never ever disclosed that before. And I remember I was really emotional, and then I told it, then I felt relieved. Like, I don't have nothing to hide anymore. It was really powerful.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 16:37
That is beautiful.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 16:40
Sorry for the interruption. This is Ian Westmoreland, the founder of Kintsugi Heroes, and thank you for listening to this story from one of our amazing heroes. Our mission is for these stories to provide hope and inspiration to people experiencing life challenges and to also educate to the broader community on how best to provide support. If you would like to help us to continue to produce more hero stories and cover more adversity themes, we would welcome all donations. These can be made via our website kitsukiheroes.com.au. The donate function is at the bottom of the homepage. We'd also welcome any feedback. You can email me direct using ian@kitsukiheroes.com.au. Kintsugiheroes.com.au. Now let's get back to the story.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 17:31
And how did they respond?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 17:34
Yeah, they said, okay, we love you, this doesn't matter, but they still not accepting 100%. For example, they wouldn't— I can't imagine myself introducing if I have a partner to them, but I sober in my mind, it is the most important. I accept myself.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 17:59
Yeah. Yeah. So your own self-acceptance was number one. Yeah. So tell me about, so Australia, it sounds like everything shifted for you in Australia. Mm-hmm. You came here on a, as a student. Yeah.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 18:14
Yes. Yes. And it was a big change in my life because imagine I had my own business in Brazil and came here as a student working 20 hours a day. Was a big change, but it was good to see. I'm just grateful to be alive, you know what I mean? Because when I was in Brazil and when I opened my business, it was my best financial situation, but completely depressed, crying every day, like want to end my life. And here in Australia like counting my money, all right? I can't go out every day, otherwise I don't have the money to pay my rent. But happy, super happy. And this is why always I have big discussion with friends when people say money is the most important. It's not. And it is funny, coronavirus showed this to us. How many people, like, you could be like millionaire, but during lockdown you couldn't leave your place. Money is not everything.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 19:12
So you've experienced a lot of, well, quite a number of really key value lessons, haven't you? Definitely, definitely. And you did that, you know, fairly quickly in your life. Yeah. Tell me what's been the driver for you to continue, I guess, to create this new life for you.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 19:37
The drive, they came like naturally for me when I, when I moved here, took me like 2 to 3 years. And then I thought, okay, I want to stay in Australia forever. I don't want to go back to Brazil. What I need to do? I studied business, my bachelor's. I couldn't apply for any special visa or get a skilled visa. And I wanted to get a citizenship. And then I got a sponsorship.. And then after I got my permanent residence, was like one of the happiest days in my life. First day. Second day, I was depressed because I was like, what I want to do? I don't know what I want to do. I knew I didn't want to work in the corporate world anymore. I knew I want to do something meaningful. And then when I decided to do this master's in counseling, and help people with their addiction, help people in their journey. Because I remember when I was in Brazil, I went to an expert, a psychologist expert in addictions, and I remember our first session, I asked him what was your addiction, and then he said, I never had an addiction, and then I didn't go back. Because I was like, how someone don't have the expertise of my situation, don't have the life experience, wanna treat me? He wouldn't understand my struggles. And then this why I decide to work with addiction. But to be honest, I'm happy to do anything in counseling because I really wanna help people. And mental health, it's the most important thing in our lives.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 21:24
Is there someone that stands out for you as, as being a help to you during those 17 years before you came to Australia?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 21:36
Yes, I had some friends, but what happened is people get tired. They help you in the first years and then they just give up. And I don't have any resentment because You can't look after others for the rest of our life. You know what I mean? Yeah. I did basically everything by myself.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 21:59
So have you created a path or a life for yourself now to be the solution for the problem that you needed solving? Yeah.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 22:09
Back earlier on? Yeah. And to be honest, I truly believe everything that happens in life, can be the worst situation ever, will be a good side. We always have to see the good side. And in my case, I love Australia so much. And this was a good side of my addiction. Because if I didn't have my addiction at the time, I wouldn't be here today. That's true. You know?
Aveline Clark (Host) · 22:40
Yeah, so looking back, what would have been the key kind of highlights or gold nuggets that you've learned from this journey? It's a very interesting journey that you've been on.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 22:51
Yeah, from the addiction that you lose so many things, you hurt so many people, you get hurt a lot, depressed, down, and it's not worth, it's not worth at all. But at the same time, I, I can't stop my life. I love mindfulness. I The concept of mindfulness, it is forget about the past. You can't change. And I use this in my daily life. Why? Why I'll lose my time and my energy thinking about my past? I had a difficult past. It's not worth, it's not good for my mental health to think about. Already happened, I cannot change. So live a good life nowadays. That's pretty powerful.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 23:36
You're right. Yeah, we can't change our past, yet so many people do spend so much time and invest a lot of energy in the past. So what, how can someone use their past as a growth tool?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 23:51
Yeah, I think there are things in the past, of course, that are good things that you can remember. For example, if I remember about my addiction, any problem, because we still having problems. We have problems, every single one. But when I have problem, I problem, I just look and say, I had a difficult past from addiction and I overcome and I'm here. I'm not losing my energy with this problem, you know what I mean? And I think this is the lesson, make us resilient, stronger for life. But things that are upsetting about your past, just forget. Is not worth. You cannot change.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 24:32
So true, so simple, and yet exactly so true. It's just practice, because always try.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 24:40
When you start to think, can I change? No. So let's forget. And the future, of course, you can work in our futures, but there are some things in the future that are not in our hands. We— you don't need to use your energy about that as well. What you can't control, because not good for mental health either. So the focus is your present. Live like an amazing present where you can focus, know what you're doing, know what you don't want to do.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 25:09
You've got this beautiful energy about you, Luiz, and a smile for those that are listening to this audio podcast and can't see your, the video of this. And you just radiate joy. You really do. And so your story surprises me, and yet it doesn't surprise me because it feels to me like you, you, you did the hard yards, you did the time to work out what was most important. And now you are happy. You're choosing to be happy and you've got joy inside of you.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 25:46
Exactly. And life is beautiful and you have the option. I have two options: I wake up and have an amazing day, or I wake up and have a bad day. I can manage that. I can manage how things will destroy my day or not. Of course, sometimes everyone— don't get me wrong, you have bad days, but you are in control. I'm not allowing that difficult situation destroy all my day. I'll get stressed, I'll get upset, but I have to evaluate, is it worth?
Aveline Clark (Host) · 26:20
You studied a master's in counseling, so you're obviously helping people now. Am I right? Exactly. Yes. And how is that going? Are they people that have had similar journeys to you or, or different journeys?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 26:33
Yes. Yes. I work at the Overcomers Place. We do group addiction, group therapy for addicts. It's really rewarding. For the clients, they know you had the same experience and you overcome. This motivates them to overcome their addiction. And always, well, what I tell them, it is baby steps, baby steps, be patient in your journey and everything could be fine, but depends just on you.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 27:04
And I assume you speak to them about the need to trust in themselves because that's what you had to learn. And what you did. Yes, yes.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 27:16
We teach some techniques to them, some exercises. They can do homework because daily practice, they have to do their part to overcome their addiction.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 27:27
How important is it for you to help them find something to look forward to? Because you had Australia to look forward to. You had Australia to, you know, to take you away from Brazil and the drugs. How do you relate that to your clients, people now?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 27:46
Yeah, each person is unique. You have to see what works for them. Uh, many of my clients, they have families, they have children, and my advice always: talk to your family. You have all this beautiful support. They are on your side in this journey. Because they want to see you well. And it really depends on the client. It makes sense. Yeah. Yeah. What I like to work is in the trauma. Many, many times the client doesn't know what's their trauma. And when you recognize your trauma, everything goes smoothly, much, much easier.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 28:25
I've done a little bit of research into trauma, and I know that it wasn't really recognized a few decades ago. It's only it's only been, I don't know, is it last 10, sort of 15 years that it's sort of become more mainstream and spoken about as something that many people go through. Is that right?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 28:44
Yes, yes. And anyone can have trauma because sometimes something happened with me didn't cause any impact, but can be a trauma for you. A dog can bite you and be a trauma for you. A dog can bite me and I'll be playing, smiling, you know what I mean? Yeah. And you have many people with like big traumas, and the most important is to know that you can change the situation.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 29:16
Just linking back to your own trauma, so you didn't recognize that you had a trauma around that, but you internalized that trauma emotionally.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 29:25
Is that right? Exactly. I didn't have idea. What's funny was like a year ago, one of my lectures, I had to do my family genogram. It's like a kind of like a family tree of your family. And then when I finished, I realized that my trauma was the fact I didn't accept myself as a gay man. Yeah, that's pretty, pretty big.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 29:50
What a beautiful realization. Exactly.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 29:53
And for me, it was just like, why? I don't even quit drinking when I moved to Australia. I was like, I'm super happy. I don't take anything. Why? And then when I did this Family Tree, I realized I don't need anything. I don't have nothing to hide anymore. I'm just happy to be here. Pure human emotion.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 30:15
Exactly. Human joy. Exactly. You no longer needed anything to numb you or try and give you a high. You actually, yeah, could, can find that joy yourself.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 30:29
And so good, like wake up early. It's funny, I come, I had like jet lag when I moved and I mean, I tell my friends I've been jet lag forever because I go to bed like 8 in the night and I wake up at 5 every day. But I wake up with so much energy, like, to live the day. And then I go to the gym, go to work, you know what I mean, to live my life. Because I lost so many things during my addiction during that 17 years. And I just want to live my best now.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 31:02
You're focused on the now, aren't you? Exactly. And the future. Exactly. I can see that. It's, uh, you actually live and breathe that. You're not staying stuck in your past. You accept it, you've let it go. Definitely. I mean, 17 years is a long time, and it is, you know, you could have spent 2 hours telling me all about those 17 years, and yet that's not the focus, is it? Exactly. Now, you obviously work with a lot of people who have addictions and traumas. Uh, if there's someone listening to this now who can relate to any part of your story, maybe they're going through anything similar to the things you've mentioned, what piece of advice would you give them?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 31:46
My advice, it is, there are many, many options for you to stop. Just look for something. AA, NA, group therapy, so many free services. Australia is a country where we are so lucky because there's so many free programs. To stop your addiction and just look for help because it's not worth the money you spend, the energy, the relationships that you break. It's not worth at all. And life sober is so good. What a great statement.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 32:24
What, uh, my last question for you, Luiz, is what's your overarching purpose for your life today? Yeah, your reason for being. Why are you here?
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 32:35
To be honest, to help others is my passion. I always loved people. I, I realized that I really want to help because it brings me joy helping people. This is why I decided to do this Master's in Counseling, because there are so many people struggling and life is so beautiful and it's so easy to overcome your problem. Just look for help.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 33:01
And, and what I love about that is, uh, that first of all, there is a lot of help here, like you said. Second of all, people want to help. And thirdly, as humans, when we help each other, we feel good. Definitely. You don't have to do it for a living like you do, but we all need to help and we all need to be helped. We can't, we can't live alone. Exactly. We need people. We need people. You are a living, breathing testament to that, Louis, and I want to thank you for your energy, your joy, your love, and your story. Um, thank you for coming. Thank you for sharing very much.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 33:42
I love this opportunity. Thanks so much.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 33:46
You have a fabulous day. Thank you.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 33:48
You too. Bye-bye.
Aveline Clark (Host) · 33:54
We hope you've enjoyed this episode of Kintsugi Heroes. Please like and share the show to your friends so we can get this out to even more people. If you have a story you'd like to share with us, please reach out using the contact details below. And join us next week for our next hero's story. Until then, keep being you, and remember that we are all heroes in our own unique way.
Luiz Ferriera (Guest) · 34:22
Only when it's broken. Only when it's broken. When it hits you in the middle of the night and the truth burns so bright. Only when it's broken. Only when it's broken. Take pride in those cries, it's only for tonight. And then you rise. Only when you're broken. Only when you're broken. Only when you're broken.
Subscribe
Spotify
Apple