Driving a wedge between addicts and their addiction
JOBURG - The University of the Witwatersrand and addiction treatment centre, Wedge Gardens Treatment Centre, are offering individual occupational therapy to its patients.
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Elfie du Toit, a full-time occupational therapist at the rehab, together with the final year students, provide both individual and group interventions for clients.
The goal of occupational therapy is to make sure an individual is as functional as possible to engage fully in their lives. Head of Rand Aid Association at the treatment centre, Adel Grobbelaar, said, “Occupational therapists believe in using meaningful activities as a therapeutic tool to treat their client’s condition.”
Intervention aims to treat clients through a process of interviews and comprehensive assessments to promote rejuvenated, healthy lifestyles and provide learning opportunities to obtain skills for daily living. Insight sessions which assist the client in understanding their substance addiction are also held, and clients are taught the coping skills needed to master their addiction.
Those with substance abuse problems usually neglect different aspects in their life, and both group and individual treatment assists clients to develop insight into their
addiction and change the negative behaviour related to it.
Occupational therapists endeavour to develop a range of skills which the client needs by holistically treating the individual in order to meet the demands placed on them within their personal context, she concluded.
Details: 011 430 0320; Wedge Gardens Treatment Centre
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