‘Addiction a family disease’

The Gauteng Department of Social Development said society must build stronger families to fight substance abuse and other related ills affecting the youth in particular.

This was said during a conference in Boksburg recently.

According to Signe Rotberga, Regional Programme Director at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) families do not to discuss drug-related issues, which remains a concern.

“Our youths fall through the cracks and continue to do drugs because they lack strong family support. Parenting skills are essential, especially in increasing a bond between the parent and child. Most families fail to monitor and to be involved in the lives of their children,” she said.

Rotberga also emphasised that stronger and involved parenting skills support a child’s recovery and adjustment beyond their own individual resilience when attempting to stop abusing substances.

“Harsh, inconsistent and reactive parenting precipitates undesirable outcomes in later life, such as drug addiction, low school attainment, delinquency, and poor mental health among victims,” said Rotberga.

According to the South African National Council on Alcoholic and Drug Dependence (SANCA), addiction is a family disease, which means it affects the family holistically and each member individually.

Thuliswa Nkabinde-Khawe, Gauteng MEC for Social Development, said building stronger families remains one of the critical elements in combating drug abuse. She also said having healthy and happy relationships with one’s relatives is critical.

“Families are the basic core of society, children are born into them and some of the most important developing years of their lives are spent growing up with families. Through this conference and engagement, we remain optimistic that government and its key stakeholders will reflect on the importance which the international community attaches to families as basic units of society, as well as its concern regarding their situation around the world,” she said.