What is the Admission Process for Rehabilitation Centres?
18 March, 2020Articles, News
The choice to enter treatment
for alcoholism or addiction is often a choice that goes beyond the addict or
alcoholic. Ultimately, the addict or alcoholic must be willing enough to enter
treatment, but more often than not it requires family and friends to get
involved and offer support. The professionals who work at rehabilitation centres like Crossroads Recovery Centres, are familiar with the intricacies of this
process and are trained to handle each case on an individual basis.
The admission process for
rehabilitation centres differs from case to case, depending on the
circumstances under which the addict or alcoholic is admitted to treatment. On
occasion, the family or friends of addicts and alcoholics can arrange for a
staged intervention with a counsellor from a treatment centre or a member of a
12-step fellowship. Interventions are designed to confront the addict or
alcoholic with the reality of their disease, the consequences of their
behaviour and in some cases, it serves as a way to deliver an ultimatum or a
moment of clarity where they are presented with the important choice to enter
treatment.
Rehabilitation centres are
places for recovery from addiction. Their programmes are structured in a way
that gradually introduces the addict back into society after a period of
physical, emotional and spiritual healing. Usually, the admission process
begins with an extensive questionnaire and a medical examination to determine
the addict’s physical condition and get an idea of where they are in their
detox process. Depending on the findings of this examination, they may be
admitted to a detox programme within the relevant facility or integrated into
the recovery community at the treatment centre, where they will attend group
and individual therapy sessions.
As part of the admission
process, often, addicts will be asked to hand in their phone to the treatment
team for safekeeping while they are encouraged to concentrate on recovery for
an appropriate amount of time. Visiting times and frequencies will be agreed
upon with family and friends, according to the admission rules of the relevant
treatment centre. Rehabilitation centres each have their own set of rules that
apply to the treatment programme – these rules will be stated upfront as part
of the admission process.
If you or a loved one is in search of help for substance abuse, know
that help is readily available. Contact us for a free consultation and we’ll support
you in your journey.
No Obligation Addiction Assessment
Book a No Obligation Confidential Assessment at your nearest Treatment Centre Today.
The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
According to some of the leading sex rehabilitation facilities, sex addiction is best described as an overwhelming and uncontrollable obsession and compulsion to act out sexually. Although sex addiction is not yet diagnosed as a psychological disorder, it is a condition that affects millions of people around the world. It is characterised by a persistent pattern of failure to control one’s sexual impulses and urges, resulting in repetitive sexual behaviour. In the recovery community, sex addiction is often referred to as a process addiction because it involves a compulsive behaviour rather than an addiction to a substance like drugs or alcohol.
Is There a Cure for Sex
Addiction?
Sex addiction is one manifestation of the disease of addiction, and it is the opinion of many sex rehab facilities that addiction is a chronic condition that cannot be cured per se. The destructive behaviour can be arrested and recovery is then possible. Recovery therefore is a long-term, lifelong process that is made possible by taking consistent action to seek physical, emotional and spiritual healing. Ultimately, sex addicts can enjoy healthy intimate relationships, but it takes hard work, dedication and a great deal of faith to find a new way of life, free from the bondage of addiction.
Sex Rehab Facilities: The
Recovery Process
Sex addiction, like substance
abuse, is treated using a multi-pronged approach. This approach includes group
therapy, individual counselling, life skills workshops, therapeutic activities
and often, the introduction to a 12-step fellowship like Sex Addicts Anonymous
(SAA), of which there are a number of groups throughout South Africa and the
rest of the world. It is not a process to be feared. Rather, it is a process
that demonstrates that freedom from addiction is possible. Building a strong
support network is essential to the recovery process – it is the beginning of
building healthy relationships, both romantic and otherwise. Sex rehab
facilities provide addicts with the tools and techniques that can help the
addict to change their behaviour and learn new, positive coping skills to deal
with life’s challenges without turning to sex as an escape or acting
compulsively on one’s sexual urges. Like with any addiction, recovery is a
process that addicts embark on one day at a time – every day is a new
opportunity to change and grow.
If you or a loved one is in search of help for sex addiction, know that help is readily available. Contact us for a free consultation and we’ll support you in your journey.
The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
Have you often wondered how you going to cope with a drunk mother or high spouse over a special gathering, or how can you help them not be drunk or high?
This is an all to common occurrence in people who have a significant other in active addiction or alcoholism, and you may find yourself deeply affected by these experiences, leaving you feeling frustrated and filled with despair as you repeatedly try to stop or help your addict or alcoholic, when it is actually the addict or alcoholic that should be feeling this despair.
These common acts of love to protect your addict or alcoholic may cause more harm than help.
Blaming Yourself
It is typical behaviour for your addict or alcoholic to blame their drinking or using on circumstances or others around them -often the one’s closest to them. You may tend to believe that if only you change certain things their behaviour will change.
Honestly the addict or alcoholic will drink or use no matter what you say or do, and it is not your fault. Once they become dependent, nothing is going to get between them and their substance of choice. This is often a difficult truth to face and a lot of time and energy is spent trying to avoid this reality.
Taking It Personally
Another typical behaviour of an addict or alcoholic is to promise that they will never drink or use substances again, and in no time they are back to drinking or using and lying and manipulating and you find yourself thinking “If they really loved me they would not be doing this.”
The truth is that your alcoholic or addicts brain chemistry has changed, to the point that they are unable to make healthy choices, and are unable to control their own decision-making. However, you are so wrought with the destruction to your relationship that it difficult to not take it personally when you are unable to understand the change in your loved one.
Try To Control It
Attempting to control your addicts or alcoholics drinking and abuse of substances to the point that you would go to any lengths to get them to stop, leaves you feeling lonely and frustrated as you keep telling yourself “surely there is something I can do.”
The reality is that not even the alcoholic or addict can control their drinking or using and the same applies to you – you cannot control their behaviour nor can you control the consequences of their behaviour.
Stopping / Avoiding The Crisis
Loving an addict or alcoholic is very difficult. It is very difficult to let a crisis happen or play out. Often when the addict or alcoholic reaches the point of getting into trouble with the law or losing a job, the best thing to do is nothing. This may feel to be an impossible action to take -it may feel as if it is going against everything you believe in.
The reality is that by allowing the crises to happen, this may be a way for your addict or alcoholic to get to a point of wanting to change.
Trying To Cure It
Alcoholism or addiction is a primary, chronic
and progressive disease that can be fatal.
If you love someone who suffers from the disease of addiction, they will need professional treatment to get healthy again.
Again, this is no different from any other
disease.
Alcoholics and addicts go through stages before they are ready to make a change or face the reality that they need help, and anything you do to try change this or make them quit will be met with resistance.
Covering It Up
Sometimes the addict or alcoholic does not want anyone to know the extent of their drinking or substance abuse as then others may want to intervene. Often, you are trying to “help” your addict or alcoholic by covering up or making excuses for their behaviour because you also feel embarrassed or you may be trying to save your addict or alcoholic.
The truth is that you are enabling your addict or alcoholic to continue their behaviour and the best way to deal with this is to be open and honest regarding your addict or alcoholics actions.
Accepting Unacceptable Behaviour
This often starts off with a minor event that would be easy to “brush off”, however, little by little this behaviour gets worse and you slowly begin to accept more and more unacceptable behaviour.
Before you know it, you are unable to uphold any boundaries. You feel manipulated and confused as well as frustrated and lost. You will try anything for this behaviour to change, except uphold your boundaries or walk away from unacceptable behaviour which is often what your addict or alcoholic needs in order to become willing to seek help and change.
Having Unreasonable Expectations
When dealing with your addict or alcoholic, often what seems reasonable to you may appear completely unreasonable to your addict or alcoholic. The alcoholic or addict will frequently promise you or themselves that they are done and will not touch the substance again, and you believe that this is true.
This is a very unreasonable expectation; it is
not possible to expect them to be honest with you, if they can not be honest
with themselves.
There will be times when you have felt confused because your addict or alcoholic has been able to be honest or been able to meet commitments in other areas of their life- why are they not able to apply the same with their drinking and substance use? Remember you are dealing with a disease.
Enabling
Frequently, the belief that you are helping your addict or alcoholic, is something that enables them to continue along their destructive path. You are forgetting that you are dealing with a progressive disease.
Helping your addict or alcoholic, for instance, who has passed out in the garden, you help them into bed. This action has not allowed your addict or alcoholic to face their own consequences – waking up outside, coming in to face the family.
Not letting them feel the pain of their actions, is not helping your addict or alcoholic and again, it is very challenging for you to not fall into the role of enabling the addict or alcoholic in your life, as this may seem like such a loveless act on your behalf.
Loving an addict or alcoholic in active addiction is exhausting and devastating. Relationships are filled with manipulation, guilt and destruction. Trying to avoid or change these painful events is a natural reaction which is only enabling your addict and alcoholic and serves little help in getting your addict or alcoholic to a place where they want to change.
Doing all these things in the hope that your addict or alcoholics insanity, guilt trips, lying and manipulation will stop- will not happen as long as there is no reason for your addict or alcoholic to seek help and change.
Remember, when addiction has taken hold of your
loved one, the person you love disappears. That person is still in there
somewhere, but that is not the person you are dealing with now. Addiction is a
disease that not only affects the addict but the family as well.
Your loved one is in the grip of this disease and like any other disease, they need professional help in order to change.
As powerless as your addict or alcoholic is, is as powerless as what you are and the only chance of change is for your addict or alcoholic to see and feel their reality.
No Obligation Addiction Assessment
Book a No Obligation Confidential Assessment at your nearest Treatment Centre Today.
The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
“Cat” as we know it in South Africa, takes the form of an off-white powder that is more commonly injested nasally. The active ingredient in cat is a synthetic compound that mimics the natural chemicals in the khat plant. Cat as we encounter it in South Africa is an amphetamine. This article rather deals with the plant, khat.
“Kat,”or “khat,” falls into the stimulant class of drugs. It is derived from the leaves of a shrub that grows wildly in parts of East Africa. The chewing of the plant is part of an East African tradition that dates back thousands of years. It is most commonly chewed as dry leaves but in other parts of the world, it is smoked in the same way that marijuana is smoked. It can also be snorted or in rare cases, injected. Khat is often mistaken for marijuana as it is similar in appearance. Khat leaves are green or greenish-brown and are often packed together in a bundle that’s wrapped in banana leaves. The leaves of the plant are sometimes used to make tea, although the effects of drinking khat-infused tea are less potent.
What Effect Does Khat Use Have on the Body?
Side effects of khat-use include elevated blood pressure, elevated heart rate, increased respiration and dilated pupils. This is because as a stimulant, the drug produces a sense of euphoria and hyper-awareness. Users may become more talkative, alert and confident. The drug has a profound effect on the central nervous system as well as the gastro-intestinal-, cardiovascular-, respiratory-, endocrine- and genito-urinary systems.
Khat Drug Overdose Symptoms:
Although it is possible to overdose on khat, it is not an occurrence that happens often, and currently, it is not a topic that is well understood in the medical community. Khat drug overdose symptoms – also known as Khat toxicity – includes delusions, appetite loss and respiratory problems. Some of the most common drug overdose symptoms are liver damage and heart problems because of the pressure that the use of stimulants place on the body and specifically, the central nervous system. Furthermore, evidence shows that people who are predisposed to mental health issues like depression and anxiety can be negatively affected by the abuse of this drug. In East Africa, chewing khat has been linked to the development of oral cancer as well as other related forms of cancer like lung cancer and stomach cancer. The majority of khat abusers report that lethargy, depression and nightmares are common side effects of withdrawal. There are also important mental and emotional side effects to consider as one of the overdose symptoms. Dependence on the drug is both physical and mental. Users may become increasingly withdrawn from the world around them and aggressive when they come down from the high that the plant produces. The long terms effects should not be underestimated.
If you or a loved one is in search of help for substance abuse, know that help is readily available. Contact us for a free consultation and we’ll support you in your journey.
The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."