Rallying for recovery
VORNA VALLEY - The second annual 12-Step Recovery Rally will take place at the Calvary Methodist Church on 22 August.
Speakers from a variety of different 12-Step programmes will address both addicts and non-addicts. The cost is R50 and includes lunch and refreshments throughout the day’s proceedings. Great entertainment will also be provided by musicians and DJs, accompanied by jumping castles and activities for the kids.
The rally is organised by a panel of individuals from different 12-Step fellowships who come together voluntarily. Their purpose is to bring people from different fellowships together so that they can learn from one another.
Gibson, a member of the organisational panel who can only be identified by his first name, believes that this forum will provide the public with the knowledge and understanding to deal with the disease of addiction. “Addiction is growing at an alarming rate in South Africa. It is important that members of the public understand that this is a disease.”
He believes that the rally can provide hope for the hopeless by showing people that there is help out there for suffering addicts.
“By listening to the speakers people will be able to identify problems, both in themselves and others, and find solutions,” he said.
Among the problems is cross-addiction. This is when addicts enter recovery and abstain from the addictive behaviour that brought them into a 12-Step fellowship, only to replace the original addiction with new addictive behaviour. “People relapse on other substances and they eventually fall back to using their substance of choice,” said Gibson.
Fellowships that deal with sex, drugs, alcohol and food addiction, among other aspects of addiction, will be represented at the rally. Representatives will be manning their stations and selling literature to attendees.
For more information, send an e-mail to 12steprally@gmail.com
Location: Calvary Methodist Church, Corner 7th and Harry Galaun roads, Vorna Valley, Midrand.
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