Why people mix them up Families often phone me with the same question dressed up in different accents, is detox the same thing as rehab, and if not, why does everyone talk about it like it is the finish line. A UK family asked me to explain the difference between alcohol detoxification, primary care treatment, […]
The Most Denied Addiction Alcohol is the one addiction South Africans defend long after the consequences are written across their lives. People dismiss blackouts, joke about binge-drinking, minimise weekday habits, and normalise behaviours that would cause panic if they involved any other substance. Alcohol is protected by culture, woven into celebrations, stitched into social rituals, […]
Why Antabuse Provokes Such Intense Reactions Antabuse is one of the most polarising medications in the field of alcohol addiction treatment because it challenges the deeply held belief that sobriety should be maintained through willpower alone. Its very design forces an uncomfortable but necessary confrontation with the biological realities of addiction. On one side are […]
Most Addicts Aren’t “Just Addicts”, They’re Mentally Unwell Too When families talk about addiction, they focus almost entirely on the drinking or the drugs. They fixate on the chaos, the lies, the emotional exhaustion, the broken promises, the stolen money, the sleepless nights and the fear of what will happen next. What almost nobody […]
Denial Is Not Lying Denial gets spoken about like it is a personality flaw, like the person is simply stubborn or dishonest. In reality denial is often a protective reflex, a way the mind shields itself from a truth that feels unbearable. When someone is drinking or using heavily, there is a constant collision between […]
The Myth of “Choice” Society loves to argue that addiction is simply a matter of poor choices stacked on top of one another. It is an appealing idea because it gives people a false sense of security, if addiction is the result of “bad decisions,” then those who consider themselves disciplined or sensible can convince […]
The Real Fight is Getting Someone to Admit They Need Help People love the neat version of this conversation, alcoholism is a disease, treatment exists, support is out there, and if someone really wants it they can get better. That story sounds comforting because it suggests the solution is simply information and motivation. The reality […]
Drug abuse is more correctly referred to by the medical profession as substance abuse but for the ordinary person drug abuse gives a clearer picture for many of the common drugs. Drug abuse occurs when drugs are used for pleasure in an addictive way. What starts off as an experiment soon becomes and addiction and […]
Drug Rehab centres are places which provide drug addiction treatment. Drug Rehab centres provide care and support to enable a former drug addict to return to a healthy life after a period of illness. Drug rehab centres will usually provide both the medical and psychological care needed to treat drug addiction. Residents must be drug and […]
