Changes Addiction and Treatment Blog
Our addiction and treatment blog is here to help you navigate the space between addiction and recovery
The Evolution Of Addiction Treatment
You should know that addiction treatment has advanced significantly in the last few decades as you struggle with your problem. The way we approach this difficult problem has changed dramatically because of developments in neuroscience, technology, and psychotherapy....
Understanding Codependency in Addiction: An Essential Guide for Families
How Does Codependency Affect Addiction? Codependency in addiction is a complex and multifaceted psychological construct, often viewed as a form of 'relationship addiction'. Codependency is excessive emotional reliance on a partner, especially an addict, perpetuating...
5 Trusted Recommendations: Detox from Drinking
Alcohol addiction is a serious issue that without a detox from drinking can have significant impacts on a person's health and life. Medical detoxification is a crucial step in the recovery process, providing a safe and controlled way to eliminate alcohol from the...
Quality Addiction Treatment: The Cost of Skimping.
A journalist recently asked me some questions about addiction, its costs and what constitutes quality care. Below is the Q&A. Can you talk about quality addiction treatment costs in South Africa, what medical aid pays and the issue of co-payments? Can you explain...
Addiction Recovery: Transforming Self-Talk
In addiction recovery, we find that every aspect of our lives comes under scrutiny. From our daily routines to our innermost beliefs about ourselves. As a family member watching a loved one go through this transformation, understanding the power of words, especially...
Alcohol Rehab: 12-Step Power
Understanding 12-Step Treatment The 12-Step Treatment approach is most commonly associated with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), a fellowship founded in 1935 by two alcoholics who helped each other stay sober. The principles of 12-Step Treatment involve acknowledging...
Unraveling Co-occurring Disorders in Opiate Addiction Recovery
Often people trying to find recovery from opiate addiction, find themselves grappling with other mental health challenges. These Co-occurring Disorders in Opiate Addiction Recovery are not mere coincidences but are part of the complex web of factors that contribute to...
Realistic Expectations in Around Rehabs and Addiction Treatment
Setting realistic addiction treatment expectations is a crucial part of the initial treatment phase. As an addiction counsellor with 25 years experience, I've seen how essential this is, and I want to share some insights to help you and your loved ones navigate this...
4 Stages of an Alcohol Treatment Centre Programme
Here are the four stages of an alcohol treatment centre programme: 1) Treatment Initiation 2) Early Abstinence 3) Maintaining Abstinence 4) Advanced Recovery. Few alcoholics' recoveries are this direct. We move back and forth between the four stages, some alcoholics...
6 Dysfunctional Family Roles in Addiction
It's common for family members to unknowingly adopt one of six dysfunctional family roles in addiction that can perpetuate the disease and impede the treatment process delaying or stopping the recovery journey. A respected specialist in the field of addictions and...
The 12 Patterns of Denial: #12 The Democratic Disease State
People with addiction or substance abuse problems use different forms of denial to keep themselves in the addictive cycle. One such denial strategy is called the democratic disease state. Denial can be a dysfunctional protection mechanism which you may use to protect...
The 12 Patterns of Denial – Manipulation in Addiction
People with addiction or substance abuse problems use different forms of denial to keep themselves in the addictive cycle, for example manipulation in addiction. Denial can be a dysfunctional protection mechanism which you may use to protect yourself from having to...