WHERE TO GET HELP

Of course, it’s recovery month! Every year in September, we celebrate the gains made by those in recovery from substance use, just as we celebrate improvements made by those who are managing other health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma and heart disease.

Each September, Recovery Month works to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and community members across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible.

The recovery journey is not a walk in the park, it is a journey filled with ups and downs, emotional turmoil and at times self-doubt. However, with the right help and resources, the road to recovery is very possible. Because people who are on the road to recovery are unique individuals with specific needs, strengths, goals, behaviours and expectations, this makes it possible to have many pathways to recovery.

Recovery is a very personal journey and can sometimes involve a redefinition of identity. Individuals in recovery may choose to take the pharmacological or psychosocial treatment and sometimes they may choose not to involve neither treatment nor involvement with mutual aid groups.

Recovery can be viewed as selfdirected and empowering. This is because the pathways to recovery may involve one or more periods when activities are directed or guided to a substantial degree by others. However, it should be noted that recovery is a selfdirected process. The person in recovery is an agent of recovery and has the authority to exercise choices and make decisions based on his or her recovery goals. The process of recovery leads to individuals reaching their highest level of autonomy.

Recovery can be beneficial to the person who is on the road to recovery and their loved ones. There are shortterm gains and long-term benefits of the journey of recovery. The short-term benefits are the things we can do today that help us feel better immediately e.g. waking up in the morning and reading for a few minutes in our meditation book, and feeling lifted. We can go to a meeting and feel refreshed, talk to a friend and feel comforted, or practice a new recovery behaviour, such as dealing with our feelings or doing something good for ourselves, and feel relieved.

There are other benefits from recovery, which we won’t see immediately. Over the years, we can be able to see tremendous rewards. We can watch ourselves grow beautiful as we shed shame, guilt, resentments, self-hatred, and other negative buildups from our past and eventually leading to a good quality mental health. We can watch the quality of our relationships improve with family, friends, and spouses. We find ourselves growing steadily and gradually in our capacity to be intimate and close, to give and receive. We can watch ourselves grow in our careers, in our ability to be creative, powerful, productive people, using our gifts and talents in a way that feels good and benefits others.

If you are on the road to recovery, know someone who is on the road to recovery or thinking about starting your recovery, it is vital that you acquaint yourself with organisations that provide comprehensive and well-rounded services that will help you on your journey. Fortunately, in Botswana, we have non-governmental organisations that offer comprehensive, free and confidential services both to citizens of Botswana and to non-citizens who are on the recovery journey. Some of these organisations are: BOSASNET, Men & Boys For Gender Equality and BOCHAIP and Botswana Council of Churches, to name a few.

In addition to that, Botswana has social workers and psychologists stationed in clinics, hospitals and health posts that are able to offer counselling to the community like Princess Marina Referral Hospital and Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital. People on the road to recovery should know that it is not only vital, but also it’s okay for them to seek support. An important thing for them to note is that, as BOSASNET, we acknowledge their feelings and experiences and we are here for them.

BOSASNET offers counselling services to people experiencing problems with substance use, depression, anxiety, and stress and anger management. If you think that you might have a problem mentioned above, or if you have a friend or family member who does, we encourage you to seek help. For some, it can mean the difference between life and death. You can find BOSASNET on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok or call us on 3959119 or 72659891 for more information.