Our Information Center
Our Healthcare Information Center
TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION
WHAT CONDITIONS ARE TREATED?
While treatment centres are often frequented by those with drug and alcohol dependencies due to the presence of medical detoxification, rehabilitation is much more than that; all individuals with mental illnesses, other addictions and maladjusted behaviour do benefit from the level of support that treatment and rehabilitation programs offer. Whether you are in crisis or just need someone to talk to in a new supportive environment, we would love to welcome you in.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT MY INITIAL ASSESSMENT?
Taking a holistic approach, we will take time to get to know you – the person behind the disease or addiction. Exploring your history, medical record, and mental health concerns, we will build a clear picture of who you are before we delve into your behavioural patterns/ habits. It’s an opportunity to set yourself free from the unclarity and inconsistencies by opening up in a relaxed, judgement-free environment. Our professionals will guide you on which program is most suitable, out-patient or In-patient.
WHY CHOOSE IN-PATIENT OR OUT-PATIENT CARE?
Residential or In-patient care is a circuit-breaker, removing you from triggering environments, providing you with intensive, round-the-clock support in a therapeutic setting, and starting you off on a patient-focused treatment plan. It acts as a turning point if you need one, and offers a lot of opportunities for introspection and re- strategising free of outside influences as well as environment re-engineering to suit continued recovery post-residential care. It will also give you a chance to experience your life with controlled symptoms and a mind free of intoxication that will motivate you to work at recovery. It is important to note that the period of residential care varies from Short to long-term.
Out-patient Care,
On the other hand, will enable you to start on your healing journey even when you can’t step away from your existing routine (Education, career, occupation and other responsibilities). It is most suited to conditions that can be managed at home. It is important to note that some conditions, especially where preservation of life is the primary goal, may be best suited for in-patient care even when routine has to be disrupted.
DUAL DIAGNOSIS
Whereas mental disorders and substance/alcohol use disorders can occur alone, research indicates that more often than not, persons with severe mental illness may also have a co-occurring substance/Alcohol use disorder and vice versa. At Safe Places, we assess and treat for co-occurring disorders so that a person gets wholesome care and recovery. We want to be that support, talking you through the lows, by your side through the highs, and guiding you towards your next chapter – healthy, happy, and ready to be the person you want to be.
MENTAL DISORDERS/ MENTAL ILLNESS
ADDICTION
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF ADDICTION?
Whilst every journey towards addiction looks different – each presenting unique obstacles and turning points – some risk factors increase the likelihood of an individual descending into uncontrolled use of substances/alcohol or addictive behaviours. For example, external factors such as peer pressure and experimentation, childhood neglect, all forms of abuse, conflict, stress, unemployment, and exposure to drugs and other vices predispose an individual to addiction, on top of the genetic factors that were found to account for 40 to 60% of a person’s addiction vulnerability.
- Substances
- Alcohol Addiction
- Drug Addiction
- Prescription drug addiction
- Cocaine addiction
- Opioid addiction (Heroin, Fentanyl, Morphine, Codeine, etc.)
- Cannabis addiction(Weed/Marijuana)
- Nicotine /tobacco addiction
- Prescription drugs( pain killers and sedatives)
- Benzodiazepines
- Meth and Ecstasy
2. Behaviours
- Gambling
- Internet Addiction
- Shopping
- Sex addiction (Pornography, Masturbation etc.)
- Videogame addiction
- Food addiction
- Risky behaviour addiction
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR ADDICTION?
For most people in active addiction, we advocate for residential/In-patient care for its advantages of a combination of medical detoxification, intensive psycho-therapy, both individual and group, a period of abstinence from the substance or enabling environment to the addiction and family support during and after treatment. Intensive out-patient care may also be used in consideration of prevailing conditions. The overall goal of the treatment is to cleanse the body through detoxification, dealing with the root cause of the addiction through one-to-one individual therapy, breaking the patterns that are addiction, having an objective assessment of one’s life, psycho-education about the addiction, identifying the triggers and prevention of relapse through individual and group therapy.
HOW CAN I HELP A LOVED ONE IN ADDICTION?
Watching a loved one fall into the clutches of addiction can be traumatic, guilt and anxiety-inducing. Addiction is said to be a family disease because it affects the sufferer alongside their family members. It may cause conflict in the family and ill health among some, hence the questions of how you can help them arise. We encourage relatives of individuals suffering from addiction to follow our three points – educate yourself about their addiction, avoid neglecting your own needs and seek specialist help. They’ll thank you eventually.
ALCOHOL ADDICTION (Substance, Alcohol and Other Addictions)
HOW DO I KNOW IF IT’S BECOME AN ADDICTION?
Surprisingly, the tell-tale sign of alcohol dependency isn’t how much alcohol you are consuming. Instead, it largely centres on the mental implications, and how alcohol impacts your daily life. For example, suppose you find yourself experiencing moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms. If you’re unable to control the quantity and frequency of your drinking, or you’re beginning to prioritise alcohol over your health, responsibilities, or finances, we’d encourage you to seek support.
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS?
To achieve long-term sobriety, we recommend mid-term to long-term tailor-made programs. At Safe Places, we offer programs ranging from 30 days to 180 days of in-patient care that combine medical Detox with intensive psycho-therapy, alongside family and peer support systems and continued aftercare to help you recover. While therapy and counselling will help you build coping strategies, introduce positive behaviours, and reignite your self-worth, medications can target the physical symptoms, combatting cravings and even blocking the ‘feel-good sensation that alcohol brings.
SEX ADDICTION
It may be a daunting prospect, filled with guilt, shame, and an overwhelming sense of loss of control, but you deserve to take your life back. Creating a judgement-free zone, we’ll hit the brakes on destructive behaviours, take time to untangle risky actions, and get to the bottom of your dopamine search, led by our open-minded professional team.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS TO LOOK OUT FOR?
Unlike many addictions that reveal themselves in flashing lights, sex addiction remains notoriously difficult to self-identify. If you begin to experience excessive masturbation compulsions, feelings of intense guilt associated with sex, an increase in risky sexual acts, or obsessive sexual thoughts – often entailing fantasies – we’d encourage you to seek out the expert opinion of an addiction specialist, who can get to know your behaviours, and if necessary put you on the road to recovery.
CAN SEX ADDICTIONS INCLUDE PORNOGRAPHY?
It isn’t just sexual intercourse that can present itself as an addiction. From masturbation, pornography, and voyeurism, to seeking out the affection of a sex worker, any act that involves a sexual thrill can become an addiction.
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR SEX ADDICTIONS?
There is a multitude of therapies designed to support those struggling with sex addiction, depending on your triggers, dependency causes, and potential past trauma. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), designed to correct destructive thought patterns, remains the leading treatment, alongside eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), group therapy, and marriage counselling. Medication may be introduced if your addiction stems from a psychiatric diagnosis, such as anxiety.
GAMBLING
It’s a vicious cycle, where despite knowing the odds are stacked against you, you can’t seem to escape its grasp. Exchanging stable relationships with social isolation, and well-managed responsibilities with an unbreakable focus on your next bet, you deserve more than the stress, guilt, and anxiety associated with your gambling addiction. It is not uncommon to encounter a student who has gambled away their university tuition, a boda boda (Motorbike cyclists) gambling away their meagre assets, and persons in business their entire life savings.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF A GAMBLING ADDICTION?
Addiction looks slightly different to everybody, but if you are experiencing a loss of control, intense urges, a loss of interest in hobbies, neglected responsibilities, an increase in the amount of money spent, and a knock-on effect on relationships and your career, we’re inviting you to come for a non-obligatory consultation.
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR GAMBLING?
For most people, gambling addictions stem from the brain’s reward system, putting you on the hunt for higher amounts of dopamine. For that reason, therapy and counselling remain the most suitable treatment options, designed to shape your patterns of behaviour, introduce sustainable coping mechanisms, and help you access dopamine through healthier means.
CO-DEPENDENCY
WHAT IS CO-DEPENDENCY?
Involving the act of becoming wholly dependent on another person, where your needs become neglected, your emotions are reliant on their moods, you lose your sense of self, and your main priority remains their happiness, co-dependency often times is experienced by people with mental illness, addiction and their primary caregivers/family members, further evidence of the far-reaching effects of mental illness and addictions.
Perpetuating the trauma cycle, loved ones of those in active addiction and mental illness, from parents and siblings to friends and children, often see their lives flipped 180 degrees, thrusting them into a world of self-blame, guilt, and a feeling that their failure led to the person suffering from a mental illness or addiction. It’s a heart-wrenching dynamic to navigate, but it’s crucial to note that help is available.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF CO-DEPENDENCY?
While they often entail prioritising another person’s needs over your own, a set of traits make you more likely to experience co-dependent relationships, from a history of people-pleasing, low self-esteem, and a lack of boundaries to a tendency to fall into the ‘caretaking’ role.
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS?
To overcome co-dependency, it’s vital to explore self-worth issues, define what a healthy relationship looks like, and introduce boundary setting. Our comprehensive co-dependency treatment program, centred on counselling and therapy, will help you accept the notion that your well-being matters just as much as the sick or addicted individual in your life, while talking through your most difficult emotions. It’s an opportunity to set yourself free from guilt, build key coping strategies, and re-mould your behaviour patterns facilitated by a team of professionals who truly understand.
