Over the weekend of August 7, 2021, the construction of the Addiction Rehabilitation Center located in the Rulon neighborhood in Tonsupa was completed. The bamboo structure, windows, doors, roofs, and other facilities are the same as those used in the Covid-19 Respiratory Care Center in Atacames.
Previously, the group of patients attended their workshops, talks, and meetings in deplorable conditions, without any comfort or dignity. They worked in the shade of a tree, and the dining area was located outside. The office-consultation room operated in a tent provided by the Government of China after the earthquake.
Bamboo Reutilization
Once again, Caemba demonstrates the versatility of bamboo as a material not only for construction but for various types of construction. Previously, this material served as the structure for the Atacames Covid-19 Respiratory Care Center. Raíz Ecuador – Caemba Foundation decided to close this site due to high operating costs and the significant responsibility involved in operating a center of this nature.
The patients are already using the new infrastructure of the Tonsupa Rehabilitation Center.
DINING AREA:
Using leftover materials from the old Covid-19 Center, a dining area was also constructed for the patients who visit this center.
The origin of all addiction is trauma
According to an interview conducted by the BBC with Dr. Gabor Maté, an addiction expert and successful author known for his work in mental health for substance-abusing patients in Vancouver’s downtown eastside, the most concentrated drug-use area in North America, «All addiction is rooted in trauma; if we know how to recognize what trauma is,» says Maté.
In 2018, Dr. Maté was awarded the Order of Canada, the country’s highest civilian honor, for his work.
Here are five insights from Dr. Maté on how we have failed to understand the problem.
1. We’re Not Addressing the Real Cause
Addiction is always rooted in trauma and childhood adversity, which doesn’t mean that all traumatized individuals will become addicts, but it does mean that every addict has been traumatized.
Treating addiction requires a lot of compassion, a lot of help, a lot of understanding, and not severe consequences, punitive measures, or ostracism.
You would think that with the absolute failure of most treatment modalities, we would have already awakened and asked ourselves, «Do we really understand the disorder?»
But that doesn’t often happen in the medical world.
We’re not looking at its real nature as a response to human suffering.
2. Addiction is Not a Choice
Addiction is not a choice someone makes; it is a response to emotional pain.
3.Addiction is Not Genetic
There may be genetic predispositions, but a predisposition is not the same as predetermination. It doesn’t mean you are genetically programmed to be an addict.
4.Addiction is Pervasive
When you look at this society at almost every level, I see so many addictions, so many compulsions, and not only that, I also see an entire economy based on feeding those addictions.
5.You Can Be Addicted to (Practically Anything)… Even Classical Music
In my opinion, addiction manifests in any behavior that a person finds temporarily pleasurable or relieving and therefore feels anxiety about, but suffers negative consequences as a result of it and does not give it up, or cannot give it up, despite those negative consequences.
This can include drugs, tobacco, alcoholic substances of all kinds.
It can also be linked to sex, gambling, shopping, work, political power, online gaming… virtually any activity that can be addictive, depending on your relationship to it.
