If you, or somebody you know, is struggling to cope with drug addiction, you don’t have to try and soldier on alone. At Help4Addiction, we’re here to provide support, tailored advice, and recommendations for drug rehab services and treatment centers in your local area. We offer a free helpline, and we have an extensive network of contacts throughout the UK. If you don’t know where to turn, or you’re worried about a loved one, we are just a phone call away.
Drug addiction: what exactly is it?
Not everyone who takes drugs is a drug addict. An addiction occurs when you have a compulsive urge to do something, in this case to take drugs, despite the fact that you know that there are negative implications and risks involved. If you’re addicted to drugs, you’ll continue to abuse substances even though you’re aware that they may harm your health, damage relationships with others, affect your mental wellbeing, destroy your career prospects and land you in debt. The urge to take drugs is often too strong to contend with. Often, people dabble in drugs, and a casual habit starts to become something a lot more serious. For many, taking drugs is a form of escapism or a coping mechanism. When you take drugs on a regular basis, your body becomes accustomed to the substances you’re putting into it, and this means that you need more drugs or stronger drugs to achieve the same feeling. We often have a perception of drug addicts, in most cases due to the media and films or music videos we may have seen, but in reality, addiction can affect anyone.
Identifying the signs of drug addiction
Taking drugs from time to time, whether they are legal (prescription drugs) or illegal, does not constitute an addiction. One of the most difficult, but most crucial steps somebody who is addicted to drugs can take is to realise and accept that they have a problem. Many people might assume that they could stop abusing drugs if they wanted to, but in truth, drugs are controlling their lives and they have lost the ability to manage a habit. If you’re worried about how often you take drugs, or you have concerns about a friend or relative, here are some common signs of drug addiction:
- Increasing your drug intake to achieve the same effects
- Becoming withdrawn and spending less time with friends and family
- Lying about your drug taking habits
- Getting into debt or stealing to fund drugs
- Continuing to use drugs even if you’re anxious or scared about the consequences
- Thinking about drugs all the time and planning your days around the next hit
- Losing interest in hobbies
- Hiding drugs from friends and family
- Changes in your sleep habits
Drug addiction treatment
There are various options available for people who are seeking drug addiction treatment in the UK. Drug rehab is widely regarded as the best option, as professional treatment boasts much better results than trying to give up on your own.
Drug addiction is incredibly dangerous, and the sooner you seek help, the better. Often, one of the most challenging things you can do is accept that you no longer have control of your drug taking and that you need help to overcome addiction. Once you reach this point, you’ll find that there is a huge amount of help out there. At Help4Addiction, we work closely with drug rehab clinics all over the UK, and we can recommend treatment centres in your local area.
What is drug rehab and how long do drug rehab programs last?
If you’ve never struggled with addiction before or had somebody close to you experience drug addiction, you may only have an idea of what drug rehab is like based on movies, TV shows and celebrity stories in the press. Drug rehab is a form of treatment that focuses on enabling those who have a drug addiction to adapt to life without drugs at the same time as addressing issues that contributed to drug taking in the first place. Drug addiction treatment involves a combination of therapies, which is implemented according to the needs of the individual. Under the umbrella term of drug rehab, there are multiple treatment options that include:
Inpatient drug rehab
Also known as residential drug rehab, inpatient drug rehab involves staying in a rehab centre and undergoing treatment provided by a team of specialists. When you go to a rehab clinic, you’ll stay for a period of time, usually at least 28 days, and you’ll be provided with a programme, which will be adjusted and customised to suit your individual requirements. Residential rehab is often incredibly successful because it enables clients to undergo treatment under supervision and it gives people a chance to get away from the stresses and strains of normal life. At drug rehab clinics, you can focus entirely on getting better without worrying about work, keeping in touch with friends, or running a household, all of which can be distractions.
Residential rehab also gives you access to professional help around the clock. If you ever need to talk to somebody, or you’re struggling with withdrawal symptoms, there will always be a team of people on hand to help you. This can be of great comfort to individuals undergoing therapy and those closest to them.
Outpatient rehab
Inpatient rehab is generally considered the best option for anyone who is battling an addiction to drugs. However, residential treatment is not always a viable option. Some people feel that they cannot take the time out to go away due to work or family commitments. In this case, outpatient rehab treatment may be recommended. With this option, you attend a drug rehab centre as an outpatient, meaning that you don’t stay over. In most cases, you’ll attend pre-booked sessions and appointments, but you will also have access to professional advice and help if you need it. Although outpatient drug rehab can work for some, it can be more difficult to adapt to a drug-free life when you’re at home or living with friends or family members. Often, getting away from familiar environments and routines makes it easier to quit drugs and conquer an addiction.
Drug rehab treatments
Drug rehab encapsulates a range of different treatments, which are selected based on the needs of the individual. Some people may have very different treatment plans to others. In the vast majority of cases, drug addiction treatment involves three critical phases. These include:
Detoxing and coping with withdrawal symptoms
When your body becomes reliant on drugs, or it adapts to processing drugs on a daily basis, taking drugs away suddenly results in withdrawal symptoms. The first stage of drug rehabilitation treatment involves removing drugs from the equation. This is known as drug detoxing. If you were to try and tackle drug addiction at home without the help of professionals, you would find it incredibly tough to cope with withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can be severe, and they are often very unpleasant. For many, the only way to numb the pain and stop the suffering is to take drugs again. In residential rehab, the process is carefully managed, and a specialist team of medical professionals will oversee detoxing and provide remedies and treatments, including medication, to control and alleviate withdrawal symptoms. Examples of withdrawal symptoms include:
- Nausea and sickness
- Sweating
- Hallucination
- Heavy, rapid breathing
- Seizures and shaking
Therapy
Once your withdrawal symptoms are under control, and you’ve stopped taking drugs, the focus of drug rehab treatment turns to preventing further problems in the future and encouraging you to build up strength and confidence. Addiction doesn’t just happen, and often, there are causes or life events that contribute to losing control of drug taking. The aim of therapy is to identify potential triggers and gain an understanding of what caused you to take drugs in the first place. Therapy also helps you to adjust your mindset and adopt new ways of thinking, which will encourage you to find alternative ways of managing stress or coping with sadness or despair in the future. Rehab centres offer an array of therapies, including counselling, group and one-to-one sessions and cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT. Some people respond better to specific types of therapy than others, and your care team will try various methods to see which benefits you most. Therapy is often a long-term treatment option. When people leave rehab, it can be very difficult to adjust to life outside the walls of a treatment centre, and therapy can help to make the transition easier and provide the individual with reassurance that they still have access to the people who have been there to support them on the journey so far. Most people undergo treatment for months, years, or even decades.
After rehab
Unfortunately, drug addiction cannot be cured overnight, and most people require help for a long period of time. After intensive rehab treatment, support isn’t just cut off. After rehab, most people will continue to see a therapist, and many are actively encouraged to join groups that take place every week or a couple of times a month. Building friendships and being around people who know what you’ve been going through can be amazingly helpful and reassuring in the outside world.
12-step drug rehab
If you’ve ever researched drug rehab or looked into treatment options, you may have heard of the 12-step therapy program. This process was pioneered by Alcoholics Anonymous in the US, and it is now used by a large proportion of drug rehab centres in the UK. The main focus of the 12-step programme is interaction with others and group support. The principal points include recognising and admitting that you have an addiction, realising that there is a way forward, looking at the past to identify triggers or causes, making amends for mistakes in the past, learning to accept new ways of behaving, and supporting and assisting others who are in the same boat. The 12-step programme encourages individuals to recognise their own role in the situation, and to take responsibility, not just for the past, but also for the present, and the future. Group support is crucial, but people undertaking this programme may also benefit from one-to-one counselling and therapies based on exercise, music, and art.
What are the causes of drug addiction?
One of the most significant elements of drug rehab treatment is identifying potential causes, which can then be addressed by highly-trained therapists. Addiction occurs as a result of a psychological process, which involves something negative providing positive effects. You take drugs, which are potentially very damaging for your health, and they make you feel relaxed, high, happy, or confident. You get used to those positive effects, and you want more drugs, and a cycle is established. Once you’re in this cycle, it’s difficult to break it, and this is why drug rehab is so important. Every person who has an addiction to drugs may have a different story, but common causes of drug addiction include:
- Loss and bereavement
- Trauma and stress related to life events, such as divorce or financial worries
- Other addictions
- Genetics: if you have history of drug addiction in your family, this could increase your risk of developing an addiction
Dual diagnosis
Often, drug addiction is linked to existing mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety. If an individual does have symptoms of a psychological condition, a dual diagnosis may be confirmed. Dual diagnosis drug rehab is specially designed to tackle both the signs and symptoms of addiction and the mental health condition. It’s incredibly important to seek professional help for addiction and mental health problems because there are certain treatments, for example, some forms of medication, that could make symptoms of underlying illnesses worse.
Self-help tips
If you’re finding it tough to come to terms with the reality of drug addiction, here are some self-help tips that might make taking that first step easier:
- Admit that you’re struggling and that you’ve lost control of your drug taking habits
- Confide in somebody you trust, for example, a close friend or a relative
- Try and be honest with those who are expressing concern about your wellbeing
- Understand that you are not alone
- Try and minimise exposure to temptations, for example, change your routine and stop seeing people who you meet up with to take drugs
- Be prepared for a long, hard journey, but know that there is a positive future out there for you
What kinds of drug rehab facilities are available?
Treatment for drug addiction is available through the NHS, but this usually relates to medication and talking therapies, rather than rehab. In the vast majority of cases, patients are encouraged to seek treatment at private drug rehab facilities. There are private drug rehab centres all over the UK, and most provide intensive, residential treatment programmes. There are luxury drug rehab centers on offer, as well as those that are more affordable. If you don’t know where to turn, and you need advice about finding a drug rehab center in your local area, we are here to help. We work closely with treatment facilities all over the country, and we can provide recommendations and advice based on your individual needs and also your treatment preferences. All you have do is call us, and we’ll chat to you and give you more information about centres that offer the services you’re searching for.
How much does rehab cost and is drug rehab covered by insurance?
For many people, cost is a major concern. While the NHS does provide free treatment for drug addiction, this doesn’t usually include rehab programmes. If you want to go to a rehab clinic, you’ll usually have to pay for private care. The cost of drug rehab treatment varies according to the clinic you choose, and the treatment programme you follow. Typically, you can expect to pay around £1,000 per week for residential rehab, but prices for luxury rehab can be ten times the amount. If cost is an issue, we can offer you advice based on your budget. Some private insurance policies cover drug and alcohol rehab treatment. If you have private health insurance, check the details of your plan.
What should I look for in a drug rehab clinic?
While it can be reassuring to know that there are lots of options open to you when you reach out for help for drug addiction, being faced with a raft of choices can be confusing. When looking for a rehab centre, read reviews and testimonials, take a look around different facilities, and look at results and success rates. It’s always a good idea to prioritise centres that provide a comprehensive aftercare service and to explore the range of services on offer. Practical considerations including location and cost may also play a role in the decision-making process. At Help4Addiction, we understand that being given a list of treatment centres can be daunting, and we can help you narrow down the options based on your requirements and our experience of working with teams and facilities around the UK.
If you’re ready to reach out and find out more about drug rehab in the UK, why not give us a call? Our helpline is free of charge, and we are here to offer support and give you tailored drug rehab recommendations based on your location and the kinds of services you’re looking for. Professional help is just a phone call away. Contact us now on 0203 955 7700.
Now that you have taken the first step to embark on the road to recovery, we now need to look at what options are available:
The Magic Bullet
When selecting a rehab, it is vitally important to remember everyone’s needs are different. What will work for your friend, may not necessarily work for you.
Help 4 Addiction will undergo a thorough assessment to ensure we match you to a treatment centre that best fits your needs. Drug addiction treatment needs to be customised to your unique problems, requirements and situation. Finding a program that feels RIGHT is essential.
The drugs are not the problem, they are the solution.
Addiction affects every area of your life including relationships with family or loved ones, work, health, and much more. The success of treatment will depend on if the reasons for taking the drugs in the first place have been addressed.
Aftercare
Addiction treatment for drugs or alcohol is by far not a quick and easy process. The longer you have been in addiction, the longer you should consider staying in Treatment. It can generally vary from 2 weeks to 3 months. Having a thorough aftercare plan in place for when you leave the treatment Center is crucial to someone’s recovery.
