Substance Abuse & Addiction in South Africa

What is Addiction?

Addiction (also called substance use disorder) means you compulsively use alcohol or drugs despite serious negative consequences. You might want to stop, you might try to stop, but you can't. The substance controls you.

Addiction affects your brain, your body, your relationships, your job, and your future. It doesn't discriminate—it affects people of all ages, races, and economic backgrounds in South Africa.

Common Signs of Addiction

Substance Abuse in the South African Context

South Africa has one of the highest rates of substance abuse in the world. Understanding the local context is important for finding the right solution.

Alcohol: South Africa's Most Pervasive Drug

Alcohol is the most widely abused substance in South Africa. According to research from the University of the Witwatersrand, alcohol abuse is "alarmingly clear" across all demographics. South Africans have one of the highest rates of binge drinking in the world. Alcohol is cheap, legal, and socially acceptable—which makes it even more dangerous.

Alcohol abuse contributes to domestic violence, car accidents, crime, and health problems like liver disease and heart disease. Many people with alcohol addiction also experience depression and anxiety.

Tik (Methamphetamine): The Cape Town Epidemic

Tik (crystal methamphetamine) exploded in Cape Town in the early 2000s and has devastated communities, especially in the Cape Flats. Known locally as "tik," the drug was virtually unknown before 2003. By 2008, Cape Town was battling an addiction crisis.

Tik is cheap, highly addictive, and extremely destructive. It causes paranoia, aggression, psychosis, and severe physical deterioration. Users often engage in risky sexual behavior, leading to HIV transmission. Tik addiction is particularly common among young people and the working-class Coloured community.

Cannabis (Dagga)

Cannabis is widely used in South Africa. While it's less physically harmful than alcohol or tik, it can still lead to psychological dependence, especially when used to escape emotional pain or trauma.

Other Drugs

Other substances commonly abused in South Africa include heroin (especially in Johannesburg and Durban), cocaine, prescription painkillers (opioids), and benzodiazepines (sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication).

What Causes Addiction?

Mainstream addiction treatment says addiction is a brain disease caused by chemical changes in the brain. But this doesn't explain why some people become addicted and others don't. It also doesn't explain why addiction treatment has such high relapse rates.

Dianetics offers a different explanation: Addiction is an attempt to escape pain.

According to Dianetics, traumatic memories stored in the reactive mind cause emotional and physical pain. Drugs and alcohol temporarily numb this pain, which is why people keep using them. The addiction isn't the problem—it's a symptom. The real problem is the unresolved trauma.

This explains why addiction often starts after a traumatic event (abuse, loss, violence). It also explains why traditional treatment has such high relapse rates—because it's not addressing the underlying trauma.

Traditional Addiction Treatment in South Africa

1. Inpatient Rehab

Inpatient rehab programs typically last 30-90 days. You live at the facility and participate in group therapy, individual counseling, and 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

Do they work? Rehab can help some people get sober in the short term. But relapse rates are extremely high—40-60% of people relapse within the first year. Why? Because rehab teaches coping strategies but doesn't address the root cause of the addiction. For a detailed comparison of traditional therapy approaches, see our Dianetics vs. Therapy guide.

Cost: varies based on individual needs per month. Many people need multiple rounds of treatment, multiplying the cost.

2. Outpatient Programs

Outpatient programs allow you to live at home while attending therapy sessions several times per week.

Do they work? Outpatient programs have even higher relapse rates than inpatient rehab because you're still exposed to the same environment and triggers that led to your addiction.

3. Medication-Assisted Treatment

For opioid addiction, doctors prescribe methadone or buprenorphine (Suboxone). For alcohol addiction, they prescribe naltrexone or disulfiram (Antabuse).

Do they work? These medications can reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. But you're still dependent on a substance—you've just replaced one drug with another. And they don't address the underlying trauma driving the addiction. For a comprehensive comparison of medication versus alternative approaches, see our Dianetics vs. Medication guide.

4. 12-Step Programs (AA/NA)

Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are free support groups based on the 12-step model. You attend meetings, work the steps, and rely on a higher power.

Do they work? 12-step programs help some people stay sober through community support and accountability. But they teach you that you're powerless over your addiction and that you'll always be an addict. This is a life sentence. Dianetics offers a different approach: you can address the root cause and many people experience lasting freedom from addiction.

Dianetics: A Different Approach to Addiction

Dianetics doesn't view addiction as a disease. It views addiction as a symptom of unresolved trauma. By addressing the traumatic memories stored in the reactive mind, you can reduce the pain that's driving the addiction.

Through a process called auditing, you locate the traumatic memories that are causing your emotional pain. As you examine these memories, their power over you diminishes. The pain goes away. And when the pain is gone, the compulsion to use substances disappears.

Breaking Free from Addiction

If you're struggling with addiction, you don't have to accept a life sentence. You don't have to believe you're powerless. You don't have to keep relapsing.

Addiction is not who you are. It's a symptom of pain you haven't been able to face. Dianetics offers a way to face that pain, process it, and be free.

Next Steps

If you're ready to address the root cause of your addiction, Dianetics offers a real solution.

Begin your recovery journey. Order Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health for R400 with free delivery. Learn how to identify and resolve the painful experiences driving your addiction.

For specialized addiction support, professional Dianetics auditing provides one-on-one guidance toward lasting recovery.

Written by

Tony Peacock

Humanitarian & Mental Health Research Advocate

Published: 2024 • Updated: November 2025

Tony is an Australian who moved to South Africa and made it his home. At 25, he overcame drug and alcohol addiction through Dianetics after trying alternative healing approaches. He served as Church staff in Australia for 12 years before moving to SA in 2022. As a humanitarian and philanthropist, he has made significant contributions to mental health infrastructure across Southern Africa. His mission: help the able become more able using technology that makes people causative.