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By: Samane Jnr Marks
A calm and quiet CTDCC front view on a Tuesday afternoon, 18 Oct 2022 in observatory on 1 Roman Road Cape Town South Africa (Image supplied/SJM)
The Cape Town Drug Counselling centre (CTDCC) is a home of transformation to many men and females of great stature across the province. It Is a destination for one to acquire significant knowledge on the framework surrounding treatment and rehabilitation on substance users, when visiting Cape Town, South Africa.
About 40 kilometres from the Central business district, on 1 Roman Road, on the eastern side of a bustling Surb (Observatory). It creates a magnificent and breath-taking city side precinct. An important institution is located there at the Roman Road, patients refer to it as a "refuge closer to home than you think." It has helped many people rediscover their true selves and turn change into power.
The (CTDCC) is a beloved and often used term for a significant institution. Since its very first opening to serve the community in 1985, it has been running for more than 20 years. It has for years been a swift responder to emergency instances of assisting drug users in and around the area. As the time passed, it evolved into many locations in the Western Cape region, including the Mitchells Plain, and Atlantis brunch.
A newly painted welcoming CTDCC emblem on the seating area wall of the Observatory brunch photo captured on the 18th of Oct 2022 (image supplied/SJM)
The drug counselling center working with the city, is firmly opposed to the spread of substance misuse. The partnership is prepared to enlighten on the sad truths and shadowy corners that exist in different neighbourhoods, and amongst the school youth who are heavily affected by drug abuse.
This multi-award-winning organization has taken pride in several distinctions over the years, including the fact that it is the only outpatient rehabilitation facility in South Africa. It is the only with an adolescent group and the only outpatient center with an analytical evaluation system.
The staff extends a kind greeting and is kind enough to give tea and coffee.
One of the long serving receptions Vivienne Ewers explained that “the CTDCC has been a home for years to those with substance use disorders that are shunned by society and are forced to turn to crime to sustain their access to drugs. if we agree that most people who develop substance use disorders suffer with mental illnesses or have psychosocial problems then we can help.”
Drug abuse is still a major problem in the Western Cape. It affects people of all ages and socioeconomic statuses and frequently leads to serious crimes. The extensive use of all these drugs, including cocaine, tik, marijuana, khat, and sweets Small or heavy doses of heroin do cause drug addiction, which in turn creates visible signs of misuse.
Grant Jardine, the main director of the CTDCC observatory, believes that if we come together, we have a real chance to alter the lives of those who are abusing drugs. “We can overturn substance users’ lives from tribulations of nervous behaviour, restlessness, high energy anxiety, loss of control lack of appetite aggression and psychotic behaviourism. Additionally, including the horrific unusual displays of affection and decline in personal cleanliness. “
Even though persons with drug issues might not choose to take different medication combinations, the drug.stop@capetown. research. have proven that there are just 3 main drug types. Hallucinogens, depressants, and stimulants are all considered "uppers."
These include substances like cigarettes, ephedrine (often present in decongestants and asthma medications), appetite suppressants, cocaine, crack, and ecstasy.
Early effects of some medicines, including these, include boosting your central nervous system and temporarily upsetting imbalance of your body and mind.
Therefore, "downers" are depressants, the most common ones are alcohol and inhalants. Sleeping medications, narcotics, and painkillers are a few of the depressants that often quiet the users' systems and give them greater control.
As opposed to hallucinogens like dagga and magic mushroom. Due to the pleasure, they inspire and the fact that users regularly experience false imagination of sights, sounds, and smell. According to a 2020 report by the prisoner’s aid association just under half of all male prisoners in Cape Town consumed alcohol or drugs at the time of, or prior to committing their most recent crime.
A set-up of the adolescence’s classroom with an instructor elaborating the procedural plans of the treatment and recovery steps (Image supplied / SJM)
What illicit substance is most popular in Cape Town? Grant J, the center's main director with more than 20 years of expertise, added, "Methamphetamine, often known as tik, is a white like crystallized powder with pieces that resemble huge rocks."
He went on to explain how the results of a recent research by the Western Cape Medical Research Council (MRC) shown that Cape Town has one of the highest rates of methamphetamine use globally.
He provided further information on his first involvement in the effort to alter drug laws a few years ago. He said, "I realised how uneducated I was about the entire issue of drug usage, addiction, and the relationships between drug use.
The process of educating myself I realised complex the drug issue is but the more I investigated it the more I realised that it was in fact a straightforward multi-factorial issue that could be easily understood when only few underlying fundamental realities were appreciated.”
The abuse of illicit drugs can have many negative effects on one’s life. It unquestionably places one’s life at the risk of a very heavy overdose, which could result to death due to lack of knowledge on what went into manufacturing such illicit drugs. They’re mixed with harmful substances such as ammonia and Rattex, the exchanging of syringes exposes one’s life under risk of contracting diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
Olwethu Matolengwe one the CTDCC social workers alluded on the danger’s drugs contain and the deadlier. She firmly ironed out on how different and more deadly tik is.
“That crystal like white powder affects utmostly your daily physical activities, it decreases your appetite, scabs of open sores and inability to sleep. It germinates psychotic behavioural patterns. Kids normally have problems realising the effects that drugs have on their lives. The biggest problems that we face are Dagga, Tik and Heroin.”
Recovering from such drugs can be difficult and quite challenging but it’s not impossible. Drugs affect every single resident community and business around the province. South Africans, specifically those residing in the Western Cape, are all too aware of the large numbers of substance users in our communities.
A family support chart with structural steps of recovery and treatment information of the experience drugs users goes through in the process of finding their true selves at the CTDCC Observatory (image supplied/SJM)
Counsellors, social workers, and clinical managers offer several professional and skilled services such as providing suitable treatment plans. To motivate yourself to commit to a six-week program, talk to a counsellor as part of your build-up plan.
Each week, clients at the drug counselling center attend groups, lectures, and individual sessions. If they have time, they can also choose to participate in other services like aromatherapy. The program includes the family in some of its parts.
The program is well set out, and the lectures follow a clear progression that enables addicts to understand the psychology of what they will face in recovery. The usual cost of care at an outpatient facility is fairly low R100 per week. You get a green card once you've scheduled an appointment.
It has all your appointment times on it. Should a patient face financial difficulty, the center tabulates a solution so that the patient may still be able to attend.
The outpatient treatment has been proven to be more effective. It enables the person to learn how to cope with recovery in their normal environment. Including dealing with emotions in the family, and high-risk triggering drug-use situations.
The bigger tragedy of drug and alcohol abuse is the toll it takes on lives and the issues that show even before a person becomes addicted. The Observatory brunch offers a variety of easily accessible services from neighbourhood support organizations that is also made available online.
For contact information, send an email to CTDCC@gmail.com.org.za. The Observatory brunch's phone number is 021 448 8026, and its WhatsApp number is 073 755 1913 or 063 087 2435.
The Atlantis rehab center has also been rather interesting. Directly responding to the cries of the people is a branch's top priority. Their WhatsApp contacts are, and their phone numbers are (021 571 7180), (063 247 2918). You may simply reach Mitchell’s brunch Plain at (021 397 0103), and their WhatsApp platform numbers are (073 875 0548).
The services offered there are of a similar nature. The Cape Town Drug Counselling Center have highlighted community service excellence for years, while also encouraging greater investment in smaller and larger local and national care facilities.
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