WATCH: Diversity High learners advised on dangers of substance abuse
SANCA Central Rand Rosettenville representatives, Aphumelele Zinja and Hlobisile Gumede, educated learners on addiction stages and the importance of making informed choices.
Delegates from SANCA Central Rand Rosettenville talked to the learners from Diversity High School about substance abuse on February 24.
They were led by Aphumelele Zinja and Hlobisile Gumede.
Hlobisile mentioned mistakes, choices and stages of addiction. She said making a mistake is not a mistake, but not learning from a mistake is a choice.
“It is okay to make a mistake once, but the moment you go back and do it again, it means you wanted to do it and do not care about the consequences.
@southern.courier Delegates from SANCA Central Rand Rosettenville, led by Aphumelele Zinja and Hlobisile Gumede, spoke to learners about the dangers of addiction and the importance of making the right choices.
“This goes for smoking and drinking alcohol. This means if you did not want it, as maybe friends influenced you, and then you come to us for help and say you made a mistake that will be understandable. This is unlike going back and doing it all over again,” she said.
She mentioned the stages of addiction, with the first one being abstinence.
“As you are all at school, you must abstain from drinking and smoking. The second one is experimentation. Sometimes, your friends or family influence you, or socially, when you want to find out how it feels to be high or drunk. This stage is dangerous because you don’t know the outcome. It can be a change in your mood or your behaviour because you are not familiar with the results.
“The next stage is when you are now an occasional user of a substance. You wanted maybe to fit in a group or friends. You know the results when you smoke or drink and will take that sip or puff occasionally. Your use of substances is now escalating from one puff to wanting the whole joint.
“You graduated to regular use; smoking weed, crystal meth, and drinking alcohol. It can be three or four times a week. When you are in that zone, remember it affects your health and behaviour at school, and it will change you from a well-behaved learner to something else. You start to bunk classes and your social life changes drastically.
“Then before you know you will be in a stage of abuse. At this stage, you are abusing the substance and it affects your life immensely. You are now no longer socially accommodative. Your work at school is lacking.
“From there, you become fully addicted; you cannot cope without the drug. Before you go to school, during break or after school, you need a drug, be it weed or alcohol.
@southern.courier SANCA Central Rand Rosettenville representatives, Aphumelele Zinja and Hlobisile Gumede, educated learners on addiction stages and the importance of making informed choices.
“You choose drugs over your life, your parents and school. Stealing will be inevitable. So you see, using drugs is dangerous,” explained Hlobisile.
She also said at school, learners need to work towards their dreams, not involving themselves with drugs.
“It is not worth it. Remember, you can still get help at any stage of addiction. SANCA is here for you. Speak to your teachers and get help. “However, if you have not started, please do not start; drugs are dangerous. Make the right choices,” noted Hlobisile.
For more information, visit SANCA Central Rand Rosettenville, 11 Ruby Street, Rosettenville, or contact them on WhatsApp at 063 418 2956 or call 011 836 2460.
