Hope for addicts
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag), based in Sandton, hosted a webinar featuring talks from Narcotics Anonymous (NA), which seeks to help addicts stay clean, and Tough Love.
Civil society and support organisations welcome community members struggling with substance abuse, or the effects thereof, to seek help and find healing.
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag), based in Sandton, hosted a webinar featuring talks from Narcotics Anonymous (NA), which seeks to help addicts stay clean, and Tough Love, a NPO aimed at helping loved ones of those with addictions or family members being manipulated by abusers.
Sadag project manager Busisiwe Twala said Sadag established a 24/7 national substance abuse counselling helpline in 2008 to assist users. Sadag also offers training for support groups running in all nine provinces.
To reach the helpline, you can call 080 012 1314 or SMS 32312 or visit the Kemoja Substance Abuse Facebook page for more information.
Sandy of NA, who wished not to reveal her surname, said the only requirement for joining was to stop using.
“An addict, any addict, can stop using drugs, lose the desire to use, and find a new way to live,” she added.
The organisation follows a 12-step programme. She said online meetings have remained successful since lockdown, with 94 000 people serviced since the outbreak of Covid-19 and 2 218 meetings hosted since lockdown.
The organisation also conducts outreach work in prisons and Sandy said 96 per cent of NA members did not reoffend after conviction.
Community members were encouraged to refer addicts to meetings at NA. “Not everyone stays but they do come back.
“It has been amazing to see the fog lift from a person who has managed to stay clean for a week, make amends to family members, be honest again, learn to take care of their bodies and see them blossom.”
Sandy said some members were pushing 40 years clean thanks to the support of sponsors and others at NA.
Visit www.na.org.za for more information.
Counselling director at Tough Love, Zaheera Singh explained that the organisation helped to teach people how
to prevent themselves from being abused and manipulated, offering individual and group support.
Tough Love empowers members to set up boundaries with loved ones, learn how not to be co-dependent, and encourages self-love and acceptance.
Tough Love offers support through WhatsApp groups, face-to-face meetings and Zoom discussions.
They have a team of registered counsellors, life coaches and psychologists available to assist.
For more information, you can visit www.toughlove.org.za.
