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Rehab

What is the definition of Rehab?

Rehab is the term used to refer to a specialised programme which helps people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol recover from their addiction. Treatment is also becoming common for those suffering from mental illness, depression and anxiety. Rehab is short for rehabilitation and these rehab-in-luton-bedfordshire Rehabprogrammes have been designed to work through a person’s particular issues surrounding their addiction, withdraw from the substances they are addicted to and provide them with new mechanisms and skills to cope without it.

Most rehabilitation programmes will go through four main stages

  1. During your initial assessment a professional will determine the type of treatment that will work best for you. They will take a full personal history to enable them to understand not only your current level of dependency but some of the reasons why you might have become addicted in the first place. People often use drugs or alcohol to escape from life circumstances that they don’t know how to deal with. Once this initial assessment has been done, they will be able to recommend a suitable plan of treatment which will be tailored to your particular circumstances.
  1. The second stage of the rehab process will be detox.This is when you have to withdraw from using the drugs or alcohol to which you have become addicted. During this stage you are likely to suffer from withdrawal symptoms and detox is best managed under medical supervision, as some of these symptoms can become life threatening.
  1. After you have gone through detox, the next stage in your rehabilitation will be counselling and psychotherapy. This can be both group and individual therapy to identify the particular issues and negative patterns of behaviour which surrounded your addiction. This will help you to address them and replace them with new strategies to create lasting change.
  1. Once you have completed your in-patient stay, a programme of ongoing support will be created for you. This will include joining a local support group as well as regular visits to the rehab centre to make sure you are still on track. Rehab does not finish once you leave the rehab centre. It is a lifelong process if you are going to avoid relapse.

You can read our what is rehab page for a more in depth look.

How many people go to rehab each year?

Alcohol abuse is a huge problem in the UK with around 38% of men and 29% of women in the UK believed to be regularly drinking over the government agreed safe limits. The latest figures show that there were 288,843 adults (18 and over) in alcohol and drug treatment in 2015-6. Of these, 144,908 people were treated for alcohol dependency.

How long does rehab take?

How long rehab takes will depend on your level of dependency. In-patient rehab stays can start from just one week, but the rehab is not just about the stay in the centre. It is the whole process and is ongoing. Although you might be sober, you need to implement the skills you have learned for the rest of your life to ensure lasting success. Learn more

What happens in rehab?

The day to day structure of activities will vary from one rehab centre to another and this is something you can ask about when you are choosing a suitable centre. The rehabilitation process will generally follow quite a rigid timetable of activities to keep the patients occupied, which can help with breaking the addiction.

When you first arrive, you will be given a daily timetable which you will be expected to keep to. This will include group educational talks, some individual and group counselling sessions and sessions when family members are invited to attend to understand how they can help you. In addition you will be encouraged to undertake some daily exercise, eat healthy food and get involved in daily leisure activities.

Most rehab centres will also expect you to share a room, as this will ensure that you are not left to your own devices. You and your roommate can also offer each other emotional support through the process and people often find that lasting friendships are made in rehab as you go together on your journey to recovery. Learn more

How to choose the right rehab for you?

Once you have come to the decision that you need to go in to rehab, it can seem confusing as there are so many choices to make. How do you know which is going to be the best option for you?quality-care-comission Rehab

There are a number of things that you should take in to consideration when choosing a rehab centre.

  1. Professional standards: does the centre have the necessary accreditations and suitably qualified specialist staff? What is the ratio of staff to patients? All treatment centres in the UK should be fully registered and inspected by the Quality Care Commission or Health Improvement Scotland.
  2. Type of treatment they offer: there are many different types of treatment available and it will be important to find one that sits well with you from a psychological point of view. The treatment you sign up for has to feel right and you have to believe that it could work for you. Make sure you understand exactly what the programme involves.
  3. Testimonials and statistics: does the centre provide any testimonials from previous patients who you can actually talk to? Are there any statistics on their success rate?
  4. What is the after-care support like?

Make sure that once you have been discharged, you will not be left to manage alone. If they do not have the support in place, do they refer you to other organisations?

How to much does rehab cost?

The cost of rehab varies depending on a number of factors including time spent, location as well as the addiction you need support for. You find more detailed information on the costs of rehab in the UK page.

What happens after rehab?

The whole purpose of the rehab programme is to prepare you for move back home and to provide you with the necessary coping skills to adapt to your new way of life without alcohol. This can be a challenging time because whilst in the rehab centre you have not been able to access alcohol and you have been kept busy. You have also been away from the stresses of relationships, work and other life challenges which may have led you to drink in the first place.

Returning Home

Once you return home you will have access to alcohol and you will have less support around you, so it will be essential that you adhere to the plan that will have been developed for you by your counsellors, in order to avoid relapse. This will include trying to change certain patterns of behaviour which led you to addiction in the first place.

If you come out of rehab and feel trepidation about how you are going to cope, this is probably a good thing, because it means that you understand your journey is not over. People who come out of rehab feeling as though they have conquered their addiction are more likely to relapse because they will just fall back in to their old ways. If you know you need to continually work towards maintaining your sobriety, you are more likely to achieve lasting success.

Having Support

The most important factor in your likely success will be having the right support around you, to help you through the difficult times. Having friends and family, support groups and counsellors around you who you can call on when you are struggling will help you to avoid falling back in to the same routines. Setting up a strong support network will mean that you do not have to rely solely on yourself, but can draw from several different sources of support.

If you do have slip ups, the best thing you can do is examine the reasons and learn from it. Take it as a positive and move forward, trying to avoid the same mistakes again.

As well as creating a support network around you, a useful resource for post rehab is http://theonlinerehab.co.uk/ which provides a unique online Recovery Support Programme which can be used to support you once your recovery is well underway and can be a useful tool to help you adapt to being at home again.

For free independent and confidential advice on choosing the best solution for your alcohol addiction call us today on 0203 955 7700.

 

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Detoxification (detox) is the medical intervention required for someone who is physically dependent to drugs or alcohol. If required, medical detoxification would be the first step taken in residential rehab. Detox is used to prevent uncomfortable and dangerous (even fatal) withdrawals symptoms resulting in suddenly becoming abstinent from alcohol/certain drugs.

The goal of a medical detox is to aid in the physical healing required following long term addiction and rid the body of all together of substance whilst providing a cushion for unpleasant symptoms of withdrawals. Detox is not considered the whole treatment for drug/alcohol addiction and it is always recommended that a comprehensive rehabilitation program is used along side to help maintain long term abstinence.

Medication is often required for alcohol detox. If you are dependent on alcohol and experiencing withdrawal symptoms it is vitally important to seek medical advice prior to stopping. There is a long list of medications used when treating alcohol addiction and the exact medication given to an individual will depend on their needs/medical history. Some of these include;

  • Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
  • Lorazepam (Ativan)
  • Diazapam (vailium)


Librium and Valium are the most commonly used detox medication in the UK. All medication used to help with alcohol detox have been proven to help reduce the effects of withdrawal symptoms.

There are also a number of drugs recombined by the NHS to help treat alcohol misuse. Some of these include:

  • Naltrexone
  • Disulfiram (Antabuse)
  • Nalmefene
  • Acamprosate (campral)

Medication is always required for heroin detox. For someone suffering from heroin addiction, the thought of detoxification (detox) can be exceptionally daunting. Withdrawal symptoms from opiates, such as heroin, can be severe and include pain, vomiting, nausea and shaking.

There are different ways that heroin detox can be carried out, most usually either ‘maintenance therapy’ or ‘full medical detox’.

Attempting to switch from heroin to a heroin substitute, usually on a controlled prescription, is known as Maintenance therapy. Subsites used are most often methadone or buprenorphine.

A full medical detox from heroin will always be carried out in a residential rehab setting and will allow the individual to switch form heroin to a substitute and slowly withdraw completing treatment free of all substances. Someone using a heroin substitute can choose to have a full medical detox at any time, however detoxing substances such a methadone can often add to the length of detox required. Drugs most commonly used to fully detox from heroin are, Subutex, Suboxone and Methadone. Much like alcohol, the exact drugs used will be dependent on the individuals needs/medical history.

Once detoxed from heroin the risk of overdose is much higher following relapse due to tolerance following withdrawal.

The length of treatment in a residential rehab depends on a number of elements. Some substances require longer periods of detox than others.

Private paying patients will also often choose a length of stay that suites their therapeutic and financial needs. As a rule, a full treatment program in a rehab is considered to be 28 days (often referred to as a month), however, treatment is offered in several different ways and lengths starting at 7 days.

Treating alcohol addiction will always require a minimum of 7-10 days, this would be considered the detoxification (detox) faze. The length required for treating drug addiction can vary drastically depending on the substance being used. Detox for Heroin addiction is generally around 14 days minimum, with more time required if substances such a methadone are being used. Treating prescription drug addiction can often take the longest. The time required for treating gambling addiction, eating disorders and sex addiction will be based on the individuals needs.

Rehab programs can be as long as an individual requires but primary treatment is normally caped at 12 weeks, with the offering for further secondary and tertiary treatment thereafter.

*based on average rehab stays, everyone will vary dependant on needs and medical requirement/history.

There is no need for your employer to know that you are seeking help for trauma and addiction unless you choose to involve them with the process. All employers should have a policy that explains what you do if you cannot come to work due to illness – illness to include treating alcohol addiction/treating drug addiction.

If your work absence extends over 7 days your employer is likely to require an official statement of fitness to work which would be obtained from your GP. This would need to supply evidence of your illness as well as any adjustments required for returning to work, fazed return or reduced hours, but does not need to specify in detail the reason why you have been absent.

If you are absent from work for 7 days of less, for example entering rehab for a detoxification (detox) on a Saturday for 7-10 days taking a full week away from work, you can self-certify your illness by letting your employer work you will not be attending work for that period of time. Exactly how an individual would do this would be dependent on a specific companies’ policies on taking sick leave.

Any time longer than 7 days it is likely an employer will require a note from the individuals GP certifying their sickness and a fit note on return. Most companies have a clearly outlined policy on sickness and receiving sick pay so the exact requirement can vary. A rehab will always be willing to advise on time off work.

How much does rehab cost is a very frequently asked question. The cost of treatment can range from £1,000 per week upwards depending on the place, with luxury rehab being the most expensive.

There are free options available on the NHS but the waitlist of those looking for free treatment is longer than that for privately paying patients. Some private health insurance policies will cover treatment in some rehabs around the country.

Choosing the right rehab centre will often be based on priced but it is important to follow guidance on the most suitable treatment centre for an individual’s needs which our expert team of advisers are on hand to offer.

There are certainly pro’s for both treatment near by and traveling for treatment with one of the most asked question being should I get rehab near me? There are rehabs all over the UK and around the world that all offer expert programs, let’s look at how to choose a rehab.

Local treatment

Being close to home gives certainly has benefits. Visitors are normally permitted in rehab following the first 7 days stay, therefore if an individual is in treatment for a length of time longer than that being local will make it easier for loved ones to visit.

Most rehab centres will also provide a full aftercare plan for someone following treatment, this will include ongoing aftercare in the specific treatment centre. Living close by can make it easy to take full advantage of ongoing aftercare. There can also often be the option for ongoing care with an individual therapist, again being close by will allow that treatment to be carried out face to face.

Some individuals wish to be local but are willing to look broader, for instance the greater city of residence (London, Manchester, Liverpool, etc)

Treatment Away

Getting treatment away from home can be very appealing to some. Being out of the local area makes it a lot harder to just walk out of treatment as resources locally are unknown. Some also take comfort in knowing that they are not near home and focus more on treatment.

As the price for treatment can vary so much from one residential treatment centre to another, private paying patients often would rather travel to keep the cost down. Those using private health insurance may also have to travel to find a treatment centre covered in their policy.

When opting for treatment away from home this can be anywhere in the UK and also abroad. Aftercare can still be carried out and very successful using tools such as The Online Rehab.

There is no right or wrong when choosing where to go to residential rehab, but our expert advisors are always on hand to help provide information on all possible options.

Whilst millions of people in the UK have taken recreational drugs (amphetamine, cannabis, cocaine, crack, crystal meth, GHB, heron, ketamine, methadone, and prescription drugs) and drank alcohol not all become ‘addicted’. Most recent reports show that 279,793 individuals were in contact with drug and alcohol misuse services in the last year with over half of that being from opiate addiction and a quarter for alcohol.

There are several risk factors invoiced in addiction and those using drugs and alcohol socially, simply take the risk. These risks are as follows;

Tolerance – basically, if a substance is used repeatedly an individual’s tolerance to it will build. This will result in more of the same substance being required to get the same effect. In the long run this can easily lead to addiction and physical dependencies.

Environmental risks – these can include influences such a peer pressure and stress as well as physical or mental abuse of an individual (particularly as a child). Overall, those who live with frequent pressures and stress are more likely to reach for a substance to cope and are therefore at higher risk of becoming addicted.

Drug type – it is very well known that certain drugs are simply more addictive than others. Using substances such as heroin increases the risk of becoming addicted for need to ‘chase’ a high as well as physical dependency.

Drug administration – how a drug is administered can affect its addictive qualities. A drug injected rather than smoked or snorted will release a quicker and more intense high thus making it psychologically (and in many cases physically) more addictive.

Biological factors – it is now widely reported that being an addict is not only psychological but also biological. This includes your genetic makeup, mental health, sex and age. It is also reported to be 8 times more likely for the child of an addict to become an addict themselves.

Its believed that addiction is approximately half genetics and therefore some are 50% more likely to become addicted than others.

How do you help a loved one trapped in addiction?

The first step is to help and encourage the individual to become willing to accept help. They do not need to be shouting this off the rooftops, but they do need to be willing to go into treatment. There are ways to help someone become willing to get treatment for alcohol or treatment for drugs.

Set boundaries – set boundaries and stick to them. Once you have laid them out follow through with whatever consequences you have set however hard it is.

Stop finances – if you are financially supporting someone stopping these finances can be the quickest way for the addict needing to ask for help. With no money to acquire a substance an addict’s options become very limited.

Intervention – getting together with other family members/friends/colleagues and staging an intervention is often very successful in the fist stage of acceptance and gaining an admission to residential rehab.

You can’t make them quit, this can lead to dangerous withdrawal. Boundaries are very important in helping someone become willing to get help. Unfortunately you cannot do someone’s recovery for them and without self-motivation it is very hard to make it work.

The next step is to call our highly trained advisers 0203 955 7700.

There is a huge range of rehab options available and where to start can be completely over whelming so let us help.