Addiction is a baffling disease. There are a myriad of theories on whether it is hereditary or developed over time. The nature vs nurture goes on and on. But for those suffering with the consequences of addiction, the most important question is not why someone is an addict but how they can get help for their problem once they have reached rock bottom.
Just as there are many theories on addiction and how it develops, there are as many addiction treatment programmes, each focusing on ways to help addicts reintegrate themselves back into a life free from drugs and alcohol. One way of approaching recovery, is to take a three-pronged approach that includes detox, therapy and finding a new way to live.
Detox: Physical Recovery
While not all addicts who enter addiction treatment programmes need to go through the physical detox process, those who do need to, should be monitored and assisted by professionals. Every drug takes a different time to leave the body and produces different withdrawal effects. At Crossroads Recovery Centres, we provide a safe space for addicts to detox, administering medication where necessary and according to the addict’s specific history with drugs and alcohol as well as their physical condition.
Therapy: Emotional Recovery
Recovering from drug and alcohol addiction goes far beyond the physical aspect of the disease. When the drugs and alcohol have left the addict’s body, the real work begins. One of the hallmarks of effective addiction treatment programmes is a comprehensive and well-facilitated therapeutic process. Therapy should include one-on-one sessions with a counsellor as well as group therapy sessions where recovering addicts and alcoholics can hear from and relate to their peers. Therapy involves helping the addict to come to terms with his/her past, become present to their current reality and to begin looking positively towards their future.
Finding a New Way to Live: Spiritual Recovery
It is of the utmost important that addiction treatment programmes make provision for life after rehab. For the addict/alcoholic, facing life without drugs or alcohol can be daunting. That’s where the fellowships of Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous come in. These 12-step fellowships host a number of meetings throughout South Africa, where addicts and alcoholics can share, grow and start becoming functioning, well-rounded members of society. Access to these fellowships is 100% free – no membership fees or dues are ever imposed on any member. To familiarise addicts and alcoholics with the 12-step programme, Crossroads Recovery Centres ensures that during their programme, they are taken to meetings and introduced to members of NA and AA who are ready and willing to assist.
These aspects of the rehabilitation process are not exhaustive. Our programme is comprehensive and based on years of experience and collective expertise in the field. If you or a loved one is in need of treatment from drug or alcohol addiction,contact us for a free consultation and we’ll support you in your recovery journey.
