Treatment of Addiction

Bloemendal Clinic treats both process and substance abuse disorders.

For example, a process may be gambling, shopping, love, pornography and gaming. Substance abuse is seen as alcohol, prescribed medication and illegal drugs.

It is important to note that clients are treated as a whole. The focus is not only on the substance abuse, but on the individual as well.  Psychologically what challenges they have faced, current challenges and potential future emotional triggers that may be contributing factors to the abuse.

In addition to the psychological impact is the use of the principals of the Minnesota model. This part of the treatment is done via psycho-educational lectures, group therapy and individual sessions.

The aim is to systematically deconstruct the denial of the client around their substance/process abuse and assisting the client to develop a different perspective.

In this sense it is a form of cognitive restructuring to start acknowledging and facing the real reality of the using and taking responsibility for how the “using” has affected the client’s life and the lives of significant others of the client.

This process is of utter importance to help the client in making an appropriate decision to stop using or acting out on the behavioural processes.