CAT, also known as Methcathinone, is a stimulant drug that speeds up the messages travelling between the brain and the rest of the body.

According to Karen Griessel, a social worker at SANCA Wedge Gardens, CAT is synthetically created in laboratories from chemicals and comes in different forms, including white powder, crystals, capsules and pills.

“However, the addictive psychoactive substance is most commonly snorted,” says Griessel.

“CAT has various effects, including making one happy and energetic, alert, anxious and paranoid. It also causes insomnia, hallucinations and psychosis, to name a few,” she adds.

Withdrawal from CAT takes place within two days and can continue for weeks. Users can experience cravings, depression, irritability, being overemotional, having a blocked nose and headaches.

“Unfortunately, the long-term effects of using CAT include permanent brain damage, psychosis, mood irregularities, behavioural and cognitive impairment even delusions and hallucinations,” says Griessel.

SANCA Wedge Gardens’ Full Circle Recovery Programme for males with substance abuse disorder is a holistic, systematic, problem-solving and reality therapy approach that makes use of professional counsellors, including a clinical psychologist, social workers, medical practitioners, nursing practitioners and a spiritual therapist.

The Full Circle Recovery Programme includes detoxification, in-house treatment, family sessions, family accommodation, a halfway house, aftercare services and outreach programmes.

If you or someone you care about is suffering from an addiction to CAT, contact SANCA Wedge Gardens at 011 430 0320 or 010 534 6596. For more information about the treatment programme, visit www.wedgegardens.co.za.