Heroin withdrawal is one of the most physically intense experiences a person in early recovery faces. For many people, fear of withdrawal is the biggest barrier to seeking help. Understanding exactly what happens - and when - can make the difference between taking that first […]
Cocaine Addiction: Signs, Effects, and Treatment Options in South Africa
Cocaine use is a significant issue in South Africa, with Cape Town among the cities with the highest cocaine usage rates nationally. Despite its widespread presence in social and professional circles, cocaine is a powerful and genuinely addictive substance - one whose health and psychological […]
Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms and Timeline: What to Expect
Alcohol withdrawal is one of the few withdrawal syndromes that can be directly life-threatening. Unlike heroin or other drug withdrawal - which are profoundly uncomfortable but rarely fatal - severe alcohol withdrawal can cause seizures, delirium, and death. This is not said to frighten, but […]
Surviving the Silly Season
As we fast approach the holiday season and Christmas time, many people in recovery start to feel the anxiety. They have a lot of spare time, they have to attend family reunions where alcohol is usually involved, and financial pressure rears its head. These are […]
Recovery isn’t just about stopping the using
Many people come into treatment and think this is recovery, if I could just stop using/drinking/acting out my life would be fine, it would go back to “normal”. Here’s the thing, what’s normal? Is normal that life you had before you started using/drinking? Is normal […]
Recovery Actions have Expiry Dates
Many people come through our treatment centre and believe that the work they put in here is enough and that the work they put in here is going to carry them for the rest of their lives. This is a dangerous myth and one that […]
Do and Dont’s for Early Recovery
In Early Recovery this is probably the single most important piece of advice for someone who continues to struggle with drug or alcohol addiction. The reason such a person is struggling is because they are dealing with a problem all by themselves, and they are […]
Conflict Styles and Consequences
Here’s the dilemma; chemically problematic men and women don’t do well in ‘relationships’. An extremely high percentage of people who try to get clean and sober but then repeatedly find themselves relapsing, relapse because of relationship breakdowns and the subsequently overwhelming feelings of hurt, loss, […]
Forgiveness-Letting go of grudges and bitterness
When someone you care about hurts you, you can hold on to anger, resentment and thoughts of revenge — or embrace forgiveness and move forward. By Mayo Clinic staff Nearly everyone has been hurt by the actions or words of another. Perhaps your mother criticized […]
10 ways to stay sober during the holidays
Who said The Holidays were all fun and games? We’re guessing it wasn’t someone in recovery struggling to remain free from their drugs of addiction. Family, food, presents, work, community events, and in some cases, travel can all add up to a huge amount of […]
