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Mentor takes along patients for therapeutic walks

Ekurhuleni News came across Witpoort Rehabilitation centre (Brakpan) patients taking a walk with their mentor in Kwa-Thema. The mentor explained the reason behind the walk and how addicts should deal with the challenges they face while they are in the process of recovering, he even explained about addiction symptoms.

The mentor asked Ekurhuleni News not to reveal or mention anyone for protection of identity reasons. An addiction is a biopsychosocial disorder characterized by repeated use of drugs, or repetitive engagement in health/character deteriorating behaviour such as gambling and drinking, despite causing harm to self and others. We all addicted to something, some people are addicted to Coca-Cola so everything that we use regularly we are addicted to it. However the mentor said. “We always take each and every group for a walk; we don’t want them to feel like prisoners, because they spend most of the time indoors. It’s a part of detoxing and it shows them that there’s still live out there and they do have an opportunity to be part of it when they come out of the rehabilitation centre. We are not only taking a walk we also play soccer three times a week, it actually helps them a lot and we always make sure that we talk to them in a positive manner to show them that we care and we do believe that they deserve a second chance and they will make it.”

Cleansing your body is the most difficult stage as an addict, you will find some patients asking to return home because it’s difficult for them to live without a certain drug, detoxing it’s not only about taking medication, it also helps to incorporate an exercising schedule so that you mind can always be active. Most patients have their own reasons why they ended up using drugs, the environment contributes, peer pressure and the difficulties that they face at home and the absenteeism of parents in their lives. We all need some guidance as we grow up, because without it we end up taking wrong decisions without realising it.

Most of our patients are secretive they don’t share the pain that they have or things that they come across because they feel ashamed, so the mentor is doing his best to be close to them and show them some love so that they can share and get some help. They never lose patients in their walking journeys because the mentor believes they all know what they want and no one pushed them to come to the centre they’ll volunteered.

One of the patients added by saying: “We do appreciate the love and kindness that we get from our mentor; we take him as our father and brother because we find it easy to share with him. We respect him because he know how to disciplined he is, so we appreciate everything because even this walk helps us a lot.

The mentor will like to encourage parents to be patient and believe in rehabilitated addicts when they return home, because calling them by demoralising names will make them to relapse. Therefor they need special attention because it shows that they don’t like what they have become and they are willing to change. If you want to join the team or the rehab centre, you can go to the nearest SANCA you don’t have to pay any application fee.

By Vusumuzi Makwakwa

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