Latest news with #Sanca
The Citizen
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
SANCA Wedge Gardens uses hoodie art to empower clients in recovery
SANCA Wedge Gardens uses hoodie art to empower clients in recovery Clients at SANCA Wedge Gardens recently participated in an unconventional occupational therapy session that asked them not only to express themselves but also to colour their identities. Held in June, the exercise sparked creativity as clients unleashed their artistic sides. Led by occupational therapist Caryn Berman, the design-your-own-hoodie activity gave each participant a drawing of a hoodie with prompts such as 'a word to describe myself', 'something I love', and 'my dream holiday destination'. ALSO READ: SANCA's Kick Your Habit Challenge: Test your willpower this June After thoughtfully answering the questions, the real fun began, with clients colouring and decorating their hoodie designs to reflect their personalities, dreams and inner journeys. 'The men embraced this activity. It was amazing to see how creative they became once they started engaging with the exercise. Some answers were funny, some touching, but all were honest,' said Berman. The centre now showcases a colourful gallery of hoodies, each telling a unique story. ALSO READ: Sanca shows how to overcome substance abuse There are tributes to family, aspirations to become motivational speakers, dreams of visiting faraway places and reminders of the simple joys of life, from pizza and music to self-respect and helping others. Each hoodie offered a glimpse into a life in recovery, a life filled with challenges and hope. 'It would be wonderful to have these made into real hoodies one day. 'They are so much more than artwork; they're personal roadmaps that reflect courage and creativity,' said Berman. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
30-06-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Sanca's ABCs to kicking bad habits
Sanca Zululand shares the ABCs of 'kicking the habit', raising awareness about addiction, specifically to substances like alcohol and drugs. Their campaign ran from 23 June to 29 June, with the 26 June designated as International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Here are Sanca's ABCs to a healthier lifestyle: A – ACKNOWLEDGE changes needed in your life. B – Write down the BENEFITS of quitting the habit. C – Deflect from CRAVINGS to reward yourself. D – DREAM of a week when you have kicked this habit. E – Talk about your EMOTIONS instead of acting out on them. F – FORGIVE yourself and others. G – Set GOALS for what you want to achieve. H – Start living a HEALTHIER lifestyle. I – IDENTIFY triggers that could make you relapse. J – Monitor your progress through JOURNALLING. K -Improve your KNOWLEDGE about your habit. L -LIST 5 things you are grateful for before you start each day. M – Gather MOTIVATIONAL quotes to encourage you to keep going. N – Think of NEW and healthier ways to reward yourself. O – Be OPEN and honest with yourself and others about your habit. P – Get PROFESSIONAL help if needed. Q – QUIT bad habits by replacing them with healthier ones. R – Participate in RECREATIONAL activities to avoid triggers. S – Identify a SUPPORT system to be accountable to. T – TELL others about your choice to change. U – UBUNTU – do something good for someone else. V – VALUE what is really important to you. W – Continue WRITING in your journal and evaluate your plan to quit. X – X-RAY (analyse) your thoughts, feelings and how they are linked to your behaviour. Y – Believe YOU are worth it and that you can do it! Z – Develop ZERO tolerance for people, things and places that bring you down. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
eNCA
24-06-2025
- eNCA
Urgent calls for drug use prevention
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa continues to battle a drug crisis that's devastating families and fuelling crime. In Drug Awareness Week, we ask, what's driving this surge in substance abuse? What's being done to curb it? And are we winning or losing the fight? To unpack all this, eNCA is joined by Sanca national coordinator, Alexandrina Vermeulen, in studio; Motshabi Nkoane, a social work policy manager at the Department of Social Development, and writer Jesse Copelyn in London.
The Citizen
23-06-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
What will you give up? Sanca urges you to try a week without your go-to habit
What will you give up? Sanca urges you to try a week without your go-to habit Do you have what it takes to stop doing something you love for a week, or will your willpower crumble as quickly as stale bread? Find out from today to next Sunday, June 29, during the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence's (Sanca) Kick Your Habit campaign. Adél Grobbelaar, the head of the Sanca Wedge Gardens treatment centre in Johannesburg, says the campaign raises awareness about the challenges faced by people with substance use disorders. 'People often think someone should be able to stop using drugs or drinking too much just through willpower, without realising that addiction is a disease. It doesn't happen because you lack willpower or the strength to make good decisions – it's because you have a chronic brain disorder and your brain chemistry has changed,' says Grobbelaar, an expert in her field with over 40 years of experience. 'People with substance use disorders need support and intervention from society, not judgement. The Kick Your Habit campaign asks people to give up something they rely on in daily life. This helps them understand, even in a small way, what someone goes through during treatment.' It could be the chocolate bar you crave when things get tough, that fifth cup of coffee to stay alert, cigarettes, mindless scrolling on social media to escape your worries, a drink or two after work – or even biting your nails. Whatever your crutch, the Kick Your Habit campaign challenges you to give it up for one week. 'You know these habits aren't good for you, but you keep doing them because they bring comfort, relief or pleasure. Just like drugs, alcohol, codeine and other dangerous addictive substances, your habits trigger the brain's reward centre and make you feel good. 'Even 'harmless' substances like sugar or Coke, when misused, can lead to mild substance use disorders. Addiction is the most serious form of a substance use disorder,' Grobbelaar explains, 'and the more harmful the substance, the greater the negative impacts'. Many people don't realise that addictions aren't always linked to substances. Non-substance addictions can be just as damaging. These include bulimia, over-exercising to the point of harm, gambling, unsafe sex, overspending, excessive pornography use, or spending so much time online or gaming that your relationships and work suffer. Grobbelaar says the Kick Your Habit campaign helps people understand the tough choices involved in going to a rehabilitation treatment centre. 'If you take the challenge and give up something you depend on for a week, you'll get a real sense of how hard it is to stop a habit without help. 'And if you succeed, you'll feel a sense of achievement and greater control. You'll probably want to talk to someone about it for support and encouragement. Now, imagine how much more support people with substance use disorders need during treatment or after leaving rehab. 'This is what I want society to understand – the strength needed to recover, the tough journey through the detoxification process, the helping hands required to reintegrate into society and, most importantly, the root causes of substance use disorders that must be addressed for long-term recovery. 'Creating awareness about substance use disorders and the role society plays in tackling addiction is what makes campaigns like Kick Your Habit so important,' says Grobbelaar. So, what will you give up for a week? Whether you're young or old, a student, parent, office worker or retiree – Sanca challenges you to give up one habit you lean on. Share your journey with friends, family or on social media, and encourage others to join. You might be surprised by what you learn about yourself – and even more surprised by the empathy it builds for others. Are you ready to kick your habit? Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
