Social worker Violet Madosi, who has 11 years of professional experience, including seven years at Wedge Gardens Treatment Centre, believes that spirituality has a vital place in the process of addiction recovery and assisting in reintegrating patients into a community.
Addiction affects the body, mind and emotional state, and according to Madosi, spirituality is a vital factor that needs to be aligned with traditional treatment tools based on the psychological, physical and social needs of an addict.
“The importance of spirituality in recovery is that it emphasises the highest capacity of human beings to create meaning and purpose in their lives. Being involved in active addiction makes an addict lose hope and struggle to find a way out. This disconnection causes a failure to live in harmony with universal laws and principles, and causes the addict to lose some important life lessons and values,” said Madosi.
At Wedge Gardens, a Rand Aid Association-run treatment centre in Whitney Gardens, a holistic approach to addiction recovery enables addicts to resume their places in society and lessens the chance of a relapse. Such an approach requires a balance between physical, emotional, social and spiritual aspects of the recovering addict’s life.
The Wedge Gardens team believes that being part of a religious community can provide a network of individuals to support a recovering addict, and help increase his or her sense of belonging. In addition, the centre believes a person is less likely to use illicit substances if they are prohibited by a spiritual group. Meditation and a sense of connection with a higher power may also assist in the process of self-discovery, and provide emotional strength.
According to Madosi, “In the spiritual dimension, one needs to engage in self-discovery and self-knowledge. This will assist the addict to rediscover important values which have previously formed part of his or her life. Spirituality is a significant source of healing and a large amount of people find spirituality to be an important source of meaning and sustenance.”
Details: 011 430 0320; Click here to view their facebook page; @WedgeGardens
