The importance of a support group for people affected by substance abuse in the northern areas was emphasised at the launch of Choose Life in Bloemendal.
The support group is a collaboration between the founder of nonprofit organisation Choices, Deon Arnolds, and the Christelik-Maatskaplike Raad PE (CMR-PE).
Arnolds said the Choose Life support group was for people suffering from substance abuse in Bloemendal and the surrounding community.
It was launched last week.
“Here, people will gather to share and support each other through their experiences surrounding substance abuse.
“It will allow people to share personal experiences and feelings, coping strategies, or first-hand information about diseases or treatments.”
He said support group meetings would be facilitated by qualified social workers and experienced voluntary substance abuse counsellors.
Awareness and referral programmes will also be part of these meetings.
CMR-PE programme manager Annemarie Millard said Choose Life was going to change lives.
“Thank you to everyone who worked together to make the support group a success. It is all about networking in the community to make a difference.
“Loretta Adams from CMR-PE is very involved in the community.
“She and Deon and other role players put their heads together and realised children and their parents needed a support group like this and put shoulder to the wheel to make it a reality.”
Nationwide Treatment Centre director Zarina Ghulam and Ernest Malgas Treatment Centre head Hendrik Jacobs attended the launch and shared their experiences.
Ghulam said the abuse of substances happened even if parents believed their children would not use drugs.
“I found that children as young as six would smoke marijuana. I’m not thumbsucking. I have experienced it.”
Jacobs said at the Ernest Malgas Treatment Centre they referred to the help they gave as saving lives.
“We are working on a multidisciplinary approach. We look at everything about a child holistically.
“The criteria to be admitted is to be between 13 and 17.
“Our policy states that we will consider a younger child after an assessment is done.
“Separation anxiety among children is real. Some of them cry for three weeks after admission.”
He said that one of the biggest rewards of the job was when the children turned their lives around.
The support group will meet every Wednesday at 9am and every Thursday at 5.30pm at the United Congregational Church Chatty in Lawrence Erasmus Drive in Bloemendal.
HeraldLIVE
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