Support group extends an healing hand to addicts
They address any nature of addiction, including, drugs, alcohol, gambling, smoking, sex, pornography, prescription drugs, self-harm and eating disorders.
Are you or a loved one having a problem with an addiction of some sort? Well, look no further, because there’s a support group in Boksburg offering assistance free of charge.
With the support of Thrive Church in Parkdene, Heal Ministries are reaching out to people who are battling with addictions in Boksburg.
Established in 2005, Healing and Educating Addicted Lives (Heal) support group aims to reconcile family relationships.
Heal Ministries founder Graham Moore, who has recovered from addiction, said addiction doesn’t care about anyone; all it does is destroy an individual.
He has been clean for the past 16 years.
“In 2003 I went to rehab for my crack-cocaine addiction. Through my life experiences, I decided to open these support groups to help other recovering addicts and their families,” Moore said.
Heal Ministries have 17 branches across Gauteng in areas such Kempton Park, Daveyton, Edenvale, Benoni, and Alberton. They also have four branches in Mossel Bay, Pretoria, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal.
Moore, who is a qualified counsellor, said at these support groups he and other facilitators speak about their life experiences.
“We don’t provide professional counselling as we are a support structure, but if we identify someone who needs professional help we refer them to relevant organisations.
“During the meetings we cover topics such as co-dependency, the 12-step programme, self-help, how to set boundaries, and how to identify an addiction,” Moore said.
Since 2018, the Boksburg branch has been holding their support group at the Thrive Church every Thursday at 7pm.
Meetings are held weekly for both the supporters and the recovering addicts.
“In the supporters group, family members share their hurt and pain and some of their struggles of living with someone who is addicted.
“We firmly believe that while the recovering addict is getting treatment, the family need to find their own healing and recovery and in the process become educated in how to help the recovering addict maintain their recovery,” Moore said.
“Since we started conducting the support group, we have received enormous support from Pastor Byron Chicken and his wife, Candice, who opened their doors for us.”
Judi Moore, Heal support group facilitator, said some of the causes of addiction that they have identified include peer pressure, a crisis in a person’s life, curiosity, abuse and addiction to prescription drugs.
Some of the symptoms of addiction that Moore described include an inability to stop using the substance, anger, social symptoms, financial difficulties, withdrawal symptoms and insomnia.
Recovering addict Stephen Mayhew from Benoni advised anyone who suffers from addictions to attend the support groups because they have helped him rebuild his life.
For more information contact Graham Moore on 082 448 3351 or Stephen Mayhew on 063 374 7988. You can also visit their website at www.healministries.com
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