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Hooked on drugs since she was 13, Elaine cured her addiction by kicking and punching to upbeat music.
The 25-year-old, who declined to reveal her real name, has finally waved goodbye to drugs after six years in and out of rehabilitation centres.
A kick-boxing course helped to boost her self-confidence and physical health, which facilitated her path to recovery.
Elaine was among 127 people who attended an eight-week aerobic kick-boxing course during their drug treatment. The classes, held from late 2013 to early this year by North District Hospital in Sheung Shui, were part of a programme funded by the Beat Drugs Fund to promote the benefits of aerobic exercises for drug addicts receiving treatment in the New Territories.
Erica So Yuen-ching, a physiotherapist at the hospital who also taught in the kick-boxing class, said participants were less likely to suffer depression and anxiety. While a depression index above 18 indicates someone prone to moderate depression, the average index of the participants dropped from 23.6 to 12.4.
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Category(s):Addictions, Drug Addiction
Source material from South China Morning Post