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 […]
The 4 Stages of Addiction: A Clear Guide
Addiction doesn't happen overnight. It follows a progression that researchers, clinicians, and people in recovery describe in consistent stages. Understanding these stages helps families recognise where their loved one is, and helps individuals understand their own journey with clarity rather than shame. At Cherrywood House, […]
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 […]
RELATIONSHIPS AND MANAGING EXPECTATIONS IN EARLY RECOVERY.
So often we hear people saying “But why don’t they trust me? I’ve been clean for a few months now, I’ve done 3 months of rehab, surely, they should trust me already.” Firstly, I think we need to look at what a relationship looks like […]
Compliance VS Surrender
Some people believe that because they say the right things and do “what’s required” of them in treatment that they are working in the program. We find that these people never actually change their behaviour; nearing the end of their treatment they begin to act […]
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 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 […]
Enabling
Am I part of the problem? How to stop enabling addiction Part of the problem with enabling is that the behaviors feel so much like help. Learn to identify three (3) enabling behaviors here. Then, we invite your questions or messages about how to quit […]
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, […]
