Twin Rivers
Treatments
Registered with the South African Department of Social Development
under the Prevention of Treatment for Substance Abuse Act 2008
Registration No: 15/10/3/4/2-16/2024
OUR TREATMENTS
Treating alcoholism is no less challenging than addressing any other addiction and its widely misunderstood that detoxification from alcohol abuse can be fatal if not medically supervised in a hospital setting. For some strange reason, people generally refer to heroin and cocaine as problem drugs but NOT alcohol! One of the aspects of alcoholism that makes it a challenge to treat is the fact that alcohol is ‘everywhere’, on the TV, in your local supermarket, even at your local garage making alcohol the most accessible drug in the world.
The staff at Twin Rivers fully appreciate the power of advertising and that the stigma attached to alcohol is overshadowed by the stigma of methamphetamine or heroin. Within many social groups, it is accepted that alcohol is consumed and there are no limits, unlike Dubai for example on how much you buy. The stereotypical alcohol who sits in a park drinking from a brown paper bag accounts for possibly 5% of alcohols. Many alcoholics hide behind corporate culture and fine wines, long lunches and ‘business meetings. Agreed, these examples are not so prolific as 20-30 years ago but has definitely not gone away! Many alcoholics work from home and there is no shortage of alcoholics in high powered positions including within the government.
Twin Rivers Rehab’s staff fully appreciate the intense addictive nature of cocaine or crack-cocaine! Twin Rivers number of inquiries for cocaine addiction treatment has increased over the past five years from clients experiencing poor health, a sense of desperation and suicidal. Twin Rivers has managed to assist clients in repairing some of the emotional and spiritual damage created by cocaine addiction. Most cocaine users are depressed and present as having a Dual Diagnosis. It is the therapists task to determine whether the clients drug use was impacted by an undiagnosed or known depression or whether the drug use has created the depressive state?
Twin Rivers incorporates education and support around codependency as it is realistically a big relapse dynamic. How so? Once an addict gains some insight into their addiction then, quite naturally their codependent self rises to the surface.
Codependency underpins all addiction as addiction is a sign and symptom of something greater and that is our desperate need for ‘connection’ which becomes stronger once the fog of active addiction starts to clear. As our ‘substance’ is not longer available we start to seek alternative ways of ‘filling the void’ and toxic codependent relationships become the number one offender.
There’s a good chance that an undiagnosed depression, for example could lead to a client taking drugs to alleviate the depression or a client could become addicted to prescription pills and could become depressed or suicidal. A client suffering with a Dual Diagnosis can feel lonely and misunderstood causing psychological pressure for the client most days impacting their ability to work and build meaningful relationships with family, colleagues and friends who simply don’t understand the dynamics of the situation.
Many clients’ lives affected by Dual Diagnosis can be greatly improved with a combination of psychological assessments,a medication review, group support and psychotherapy.
Gambling Addiction, like prescription pill addiction, is shrouded in DENIAL all over the world. Back in the day, gambling involved taking your own life into your hands as you were always at risk of being shot, even just for winning or allegedly cheating.
Today gambling is a silent destroyer of lives that is increasing in power and strength daily due to gambling access on computers and cell phones. Governing agencies surrounding this addiction are virtually non-existent and those that do exist are really for show in an attempt to appease the general public.
Problem gamblers gamble on a regular basis but may still hold down a job and generally function quite well. Despite the negative consequences though, the gambler continues to gamble.
Pathological Gambling is now classified as a psychiatric disorder as the signs and symptoms are much the same as any other addiction. The Gambler cannot, or will not see the damage their gambling is causing and will, at virtually any cost continue to gamble regardless.
Twin Rivers staff understand the unique psychology that comes with heroin addiction. It is a completely different lifestyle compared to many other substance addictions in that the morphine based opiod requires regular ‘topping up’ which promotes criminal activity in order to meet the high cost of a daily habit.
At Twin Rivers we respect that heroin addicts can be highly anti-social, demanding and high maintenance, even grandiose but that’s alright as we appreciate that underneath this attitude and behaviour lies insecurity, a deep rooted unhappiness and usually self-loathing.
At Twin Rivers we assist the client in addressing not only the addiction but the shameful behaviour that comes with it so as the client can start to feel a sense of hope and positive self-worth.
Twin Rivers Rehab recognizes that Cannabis (Marijuana, weed, zol, ganja) is an extremely serious addiction that is not taken seriously at all by both smokers and dealers all over the world.
TIME and TIME again Twin Rivers hears hundreds of stories from our clients whose cocaine or heroin addiction was originally kick-started by experimenting with cannabis.
Unfortunately, there remains no shortage of people who still believe that the progression of addiction is a CHOICE.
Why would a heroin addict ‘choose’ a life of desperation, loneliness, Deep Vein Thrombosis and be at constant risk of overdose!
What is often over missed is the fact that smoking week generates a lot of PREOCCUPATION! In other words, how long will it be before I can have my next smoke! This preoccupation can be too much for some weed smokers and so they make excuses to go to the bathroom, for example for a quick puff. The probability of getting caught is fairly high as weed has a strong pungent smell which even becomes noticeable when a person smokes a cigarette as weed is still sitting in the lungs. As cocaine and cannabis become more difficult to use in the workplace that is why pills are becoming increasing more popular!
Because methamphetamine is relatively easy to manufacture ( most of the required chemicals can be bought from the local hardware store!), cheap to buy and is readily available means we now have an epidemic on our hands which is NOT going to improve anytime soon. The addiction is so intense that unfortunately more and more addicts are dying from this drug and not many addicts are making it to rehab.
Methamphetamine addiction typically occurs when a person begins to use the drug as a stimulant for its powerful enhancing effects on sex, mood, energy, alertness and ability to concentrate as well as for weight loss and appetite suppression.
Methamphetamine (also known as meth, tik, tuk, speed or crystal) is a synthetic, illegally-produced substance that is a powerful central nervous system stimulant.
Primarily, It is Twin Rivers responsibility to assist the recovery community at the rehab to hear and better understand the similarities between pornography and other addictions so as the addict in feeling more supported. Many of our clients report involvement or excessive use of pornography and so important relatedness will come to the surface in group therapy sessions.
Pornography Addicts Anonymous literature is used as part of the clients recovery journey plus individualised assignments based on other behavioural issues that perhaps trigger the need to use pornography. As with all other addictions, the pornography addict will have an opportunity to recognise the destructive patterns of behaviour as well as learn strategies and techniques that can positively impact negative thinking patterns that promote addictive behaviours ( Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). Pornography addicts will have an opportunity to address past events in life that may have contributed towards this addiction and explore any unresolved traumas that may still yield power over how the client thinks and behaves.
Recovery from pill addiction is specialized post detoxification which could take a few weeks. Twin Rivers staff recognise that the psychology attached to pill addiction is particularly strong as the client can remain obsessed with pills believing this is the only answer to their malady! We can assist the client in recognising important aspects of pill addiction such as:
*The number of pills consumed will have risen considerably
*The excessive lengths gone to in order to obtain more pills
*The probability that their addiction has increased to stronger pills
*The amount of time preoccupied with getting and taking pills
*The reality that any pills taken beyond the original prescription denotes pill addiction!
The core of sexual addiction treatment at Twin Rivers is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) during which the client can learn the triggers that ignite sexual impulses. These triggers can include such things as boredom or loneliness which can drive the sex addict to engage in sexual activity and feel temporarily connected which, like most addictions is a short-lived experience promoting the desire or need to repeat the behaviour time and time again.
Through individual and group therapy, a client with sexual addiction can start to learn about their ‘destructive patterns’ and become more aware of how their thinking and behaviour negatively impacts themselves and those around them. Medication may play a role in a client’s recovery process especially if the client suffers from depression or anxiety for example which may also trigger sexual behaviour.
Education surrounding the dangers of unprotected sex may also be useful for the client as well as taking a realistic look at how the addiction is affecting work and finances. An integral part of Twin Rivers weekly programme is exercise, which is extremely important for all clients with addiction and mental health disorders.
MEDICAL AID ADMISSIONS ACCEPTED
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Registered with the South African Department of Social Development under the Prevention of Treatment for Substance Abuse Act 2008
Registration No: 15/10/3/4/2-16/2024
95 Longships Drive
Plettenberg Bay, 6600
NEWS & ARTICLES
Dual Diagnosis: A Simple Guide
When someone is struggling with both a mental health disorder and a drug addiction at the same time, it’s called dual diagnosis (also known as co-occurring disorders). READ MORE
