THE Director of Turning Point Rehabilitation Centre, Joanna Joseph, has made an appeal to family members and society at large to utilize the services of the centre for loved ones caught in the grip of substance abuse and addiction. This appeal comes on the heels of an upscale in serious accidents and violent crimes on the island.
Joseph said: “When you listen to some of the news reports you realize that people focus on a lot of the social aspects of those incidents: the crime, even suicides, violence, domestic as well as other types of violence and the increase in the number of thefts and all those things. We don’t always question what is the role of drug use, not just illicit drugs, not just marijuana and crack and those that we know are illegal but also the role of alcohol.”
The Director of Turning Point noted that the role of substance abuse particularly alcohol should not be ruled out as a factor in the escalation of crime and violence the island is experiencing.
She said: “Anytime somebody is using a drug that is going to affect how they think you must be concerned. When it is being used on a regular basis it will definitely have an effect on the person’s thinking, on their ability to use good judgment, on their ability to control their behaviour especially with alcohol which is known to be a disinhibitor, meaning that alcohol frees up our anxieties. So things that we would not normally do, we feel free to do them with alcohol use.”
Turning Point offers a comprehensive programme that is designed to help their clients recover from drug dependence or addiction and return to productive living. The Director added that this year Turning Point is making a deliberate early appeal to individuals to recognize the signs of substance abuse and addiction and come to Turning Point for professional help in a confidential and safe environment.
Joseph said: “ It can be dangerous for persons to try to quit drug abuse on their own. The risk of having blood pressure increasing to the point of danger and other sort of adverse effects from stopping alcohol is very high and it is very important that person who are addicted to alcohol seek medical help if they want to stop.”
Clients who visit Turning Point for the first time go through a period of assessment to determine the level and type of treatment required from whence a treatment and rehabilitation programme is recommended around their needs as either part of an outpatient or residential programme.