WHERE CAN I FIND HELP FOR SUBSTANCE
ABUSE? If you do not have the financial resources
for private treatment, go to your nearest
Social Development
District Office. The social worker there
will do a screening with you to gauge the
severity of the substance-abuse problem, and
an assessment with you and your family to
decide on an appropriate intervention.
Depending on the outcome of the screening
and assessment, you may be referred to a
support group, outpatient treatment or
inpatient treatment.It is generally a
good idea to take your family with to your
screening and assessment as the social
worker will probably want to speak to them
and may want to refer them to support groups
as well.
If you have a medical aid and the
financial resources for private treatment,
you can access a range of private
psychiatrists and psychologists through any
of the private treatment centres in the
province. Make sure that the treatment
centre you approach is registered
with the provincial Department of
Social Development to ensure that certain
minimum standards in terms of treatment and
centre management are met.
WHAT TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR
SUBSTANCE ABUSE? There are three broad treatment options for
substance abuse, depending on the
seriousness of the problem. They are support
groups, outpatient treatment and inpatient
treatment.
WHAT IS A SUPPORT GROUP? Support groups are when clusters of people
get together on a regular basis to share the
problems they face in trying to break free
of a drug or alcohol habit and to encourage
each other to stay free of
dependence-causing substances. It is a
voluntary treatment.
Support groups are suitable for people
who fall into the "risky use" category of
substance abuse, in other words, they use
substances more than is normal, but their
usage is not yet a serious problem in their
lives.
Support groups
Alcoholics Anonymous
Al-Anon
Alcoholics Victorious
Christelike Afhanklikheidsbediening (CAB)
Christelike Afhanklikheidsdiens (CAD)
Toughlove
Narcotics Anonymous
WHAT IS OUTPATIENT TREATMENT? With outpatient treatment, you don't have to
stay overnight at the facility in order to
receive treatment. It usually takes the form
of individual, group and/or family
counselling, and can be short-term or
long-term.
Outpatient treatment is suitable for
people whose substance use is affecting them
emotionally, physically, socially or
spiritually.
NGO-run outpatient centres
Cape Town Drug Counselling Centre (CTDCC),
Observatory and Mitchell's Plain
SANCA (WC), all areas
WHAT IS INPATIENT TREATMENT? This is when the person being treated is
admitted to the treatment facility. An
admission can last anywhere from two to five
weeks (short-term) to more than nine weeks
(long-term).
Inpatient treatment usually takes the
form of individual, group and/or family
counselling, together with supportive
medical help if needed. The length of
inpatient treatment at private facilities
varies, ranging anywhere from two to 20
weeks. The length of inpatient treatment at
public and subsidised treatment centres are
between five and seven weeks.
Inpatient treatment is suitable for
people who are dependent on a substance, or
nearing a state of dependency.
State-owned or subsidised
inpatient treatment centres
Kensington Treatment Centre,
Maitland
De Novo, Kraaifontein
Hesketh King, Stellenbosch
Ramot, Parow
Stikland Hospital, Bellville
Toevlug, Worcester
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