TESTIMONIALS

In this facility, I’ve learned how to love me for who I am and managed to get rid of my insecurities. Thanks to the team and every staff member of Rustenburg Addiction Care Centre. I will forever remember you guys for your fantastic job. I shall make sure not to put it to waste.

Siviwe J – North West Province

I want to take this opportunity to give my gratitude for the whole Rustenburg team! When I came in 6 weeks ago I never ever would have thought I could change in 6 weeks. But I’ve done so much more then that! Words can’t describe how blessed I feel. To my counsellor, I want to thank you in particular! You made me realise and learn so much!

Hugs, Roel – The Netherlands

Dear Everyone,

Thank you for saving my life!

I’m learning to breathe again. You have been an absolute star.

I will try not to be impulsive 😉 and embrace the next stage

Love,

Laura – U.K.

My first treatment for addiction; After the usual apprehension of a newbie, once I started submitting to the process, I truly found great value in every aspect of Rustenburg’s services – venue, staff, recovery assistants, counsellors and peers.

Thank you all – I have a new chance at life on life’s terms.

Best regards,

Mike – Western Cape

I absolutely believe my Higher Power had me in Rustenburg @ this time for a specific reason. Everyone of the staff members has played a pivitol role in the making of me. I will forever have you all in a special place in my heart.

May God as I understand him always be with you & your families.

Thank You’s Always

Anonymous – Botswana

Dear Staff, Counselling Team, and everyone who made my stay here feel so welcome.

Today I can leave a changed man, and I thank each and everyone.

Warm regards, Love

E. – Western Cape

Bonjour ma Rustenburg famille,

Thank you so much for putting me through a tough time that turn into a good time. So much love.

I’m coming out of rehab a better man and cannot wait to go through a brilliant recovery.

You gave me hope, confidence and now can be really happy.

Love, Anonymous

Dear staff,

I want to thank you all for ‘catching’ me.

I wasn’t the easiest, but thanks to your help, I have grown in these weeks.

I am seeing the changes in myself, especially in the last 2 weeks.

I am thanking you all.

Saffet

Thank you to everyone who participated in my treatment. I’ve learned a lot about my disease. How it affected me and my loved ones. Thanks for the tools supplied. I can endure that they’ll be in good use. Overall thanks and lots of love,

Sipho – Northern Cape

May 2019

Dear Staff Members,

A big thank you to you all for making my stay at Rustenburg lots easier.

Lots of love and take care.

Anonymous – Spain

Hi dear family,

I want to thank you all for taking such good care of me.

I felt save her. I will never forget this journey.

I came here imprisonet, but I leaf here free.

Thank you with all my heart,

Elisa – Netherlands

June 2019

My name is Lois and I am 28 years old. I was born in Scharwoude in a very loving family. I lived with my dear parents and my three year older sister. At primary school I had many girlfriends and in group seven I moved to a village next to Hoorn. Group eight therefore I had to do at a new primary school, that was intense because I had to make new girlfriends.

After that I went to secondary school and in the second class I got a boyfriend, he blowed a lot and I also started smoking at the age of 13/14 years. I stayed a number of times, got to argue more and more with my parents and I started to blow every day. I had to leave school so I never finished high school. My parents forced me to end up with my friend at the time because he had a bad influence on me.

Then I started at the MBO for a training in the direction of tourism, which I liked, so I could easily finish it. Meanwhile, I also had a new friend where, as soon as I turned 18, I immediately went to live together. Blowing was still a daily ritual and my parents or friends had no idea.

During this period I completed my MBO and my HBO in Tourism more than enough and unfortunately the relationship with this boyfriend came to an end because he had deceived me with another girl with whom he immediately started a relationship. I was devastated, my heart was broken and I had never felt so bad. I went home again and after a few months I had my own apartment in Amsterdam, which I shared with two fellow students. Here I started going out four and five times a week and drinking a lot, but I did not see the problem at the time. The fact that I never knew how I got home, I took for granted and I stopped by the next day just as much to drink during a party. I also still blowed daily at this stage of my life.

When I lived in this house in Amsterdam I am a boy (I call him in this story Yannick, he was not really called) and I started a relationship with that. At least, that’s what I thought, but he told me after a year that he actually had a relationship with another girl from day one. After about six months I moved to Curaçao because I was going to work there for half a year after I got my HBO diploma, in the end I was there for more than 2 years. I kept in touch with Yannick, via Whatsapp or via Skype.

On Curaçao I quickly came into contact with people who also used hard drugs such as cocaine, I never had anything to do with that. Until I was very drunk once and took my first line, I liked it so much that I was on daily use within half a year and on my own used many grams of coke to keep functioning normally. I was financially on the ground, my parents had to call monthly or they could transfer money and for this I used all sorts of excuses and lies so they did the same.

After living in Curaçao for almost two years, I moved back to the Netherlands. I thought that if I came back to the Netherlands I would stop using cocaine. I went to work as a member of a cheese shop when I returned. Here I am finally fired for stealing money from the safe. Fortunately, no declaration was made and I only had to pay back the amount. Yannick was still in my life and he was my dealer by now. No one in my area knew about my drug use and I kept isolating myself more and more. I soon had my own apartment in the city center of Amsterdam, where I lived alone so I did not have anyone who checked me.

At one point I could no longer pay my rent and I even had to sell my television to get some more drugs. I phoned a friend in panic and then went to my parents, I confessed that I use drugs and have no money at all. My parents were shocked and the next day I went to the doctor with them, they referred me to GGZ Intervention and I started an ambulatory trajectory . 1 time a week a conversation with my psychologist and once a week participation in group therapy. After 2 times I said that the group is nothing for me and I managed to convince my psychologist that things were going well with me, while I was still in heavy use.

Yannick was still in my life and continued to give me drugs, even though I could not pay it immediately. Because of this, I only worked further in debt, I lived back home and could never explain to my parents why I did not have money for certain things. My file at GGZ Intervention was closed, because it all went well with me, so I let everyone believe. Less than a week later I realized that I really did not want this life anymore. I was dead unhappy and wanted to end my life rather than having to tell everyone that I was (still) heavily on the drugs. Then I phoned the crisis service and ended up at GGZ Intervention again and a week later I was admitted to the DETOX and then a clinical admission.in a rehab clinic in South Africa .

I wanted this myself, I was tired of my old life. And that is why it has worked for me this time. I only did it for myself and for no one else.

During the recording I had a lot of intense sessions with my counselor and I started to see that Yannick was in direct contact with my addiction and that I also had to break contact with him. I was very dependent on him and I wanted to be able to stand on my own feet and most importantly; being happy with myself. The recording has made me realize that I can do it with the 12-step programgetting started and often enough to go to meetings I can say today that I have been clean for almost 9 months. I follow all the suggestions that have been made to me to stay in recovery. My life today is so valuable to me; my sister and I have very good contact again and I can even watch out for her little one, which a year ago absolutely could not have done. My parents also have confidence in me and see that I can enjoy the little things in life again. I still live with my parents and that’s fine. Because I am safe there and now I can finally save for a private palace.