What is recovery? Recovery is the process of re-covering all the things that are lost in active addiction. The tangible recovery is moving to a place of re-covering the finances, re-connecting and healing the damaged relationships and re-establishing a new professional reputation. The deeper re-covering is making choices that are in align with one’s values, thus restoring integrity.

Admission to an alcohol and drug rehab is a difficult and painful process, and often a very confusing one, as it stirs both negative and positive emotions. The experience is usually accompanied by shame, guilt and fear, but also relief.

Addicts attending a drug rehab in South Africa will often participate in group activities as well as individual therapy addiction counselling. Clients participating in drug rehabilitation are important to one another, as much can be learnt from the group interaction within a rehab.

Co-dependency is a serious addiction requiring specialised relationship counselling. Co-dependency is twofold. Firstly, it is the natural, behavioural reaction that is appropriated by one person in a relationship when the other person is involved in some kind of addictive behaviour.

It is quite common for two addicts or alcoholics to find themselves struggling with relationship addiction because co-dependency accompanied by a drug or alcohol addiction is extremely consuming to those involved.

Gambling addiction is an obsessive and compulsive behaviour which involves a person being addicted to gambling. Whether the gambling involves betting on horse racing, casino black jack tables or slot machines, the sufferer falls victim to compulsively seeking the ‘high’ gained from gambling.

Self-harm addiction, also known as self-mutilation, usually refers to the act of cutting and burning oneself and is an addiction that is widely misunderstood. Many often believe that a self-harmer is attempting to commit suicide due to the serious nature of the wounds and cuts inflicted.

During the festive season, the world has a tendency to ignore moderation and celebrate with extremity. Whilst this is not a reason for recovering addicts to panic and become pessimistic and resentful towards their clean life and inability to join in with drinking and drugging, a sensible attitude coupled with a thoughtful and careful approach to the celebrations will help an addict in a Twelve Step help group survive the silly season clean and sober.