Going to rehab in the UK? Prepare yourself by reading our guide to rehab clinics.
Making the decision to go to rehab is a big step. It means you have conquered that first hurdle towards getting help for an addiction or health problem: admitting something is wrong.
In this guide, you will find out what happens when you check into a rehab clinic, in the hopes of preparing you and eliminating some of the anxiety you may be feeling.
What is Rehab?
Rehab clinics are a place to help you overcome your addiction, whether it be alcohol, drugs (either illicit or prescribed medication), gambling, love, and sex addiction, eating, or any other addiction which you feel has taken over your life[i]. Rehabs offer you a safe and confidential place to start to address the issues in your life which have become unmanageable, maybe destructive, and aid you back on to a road of recovery.
How does rehab work?
Rehab works in a variety of different ways. A residential rehab, for example, removes you from access to drugs or alcohol, gets you eating a healthy balanced diet, and encourages you to exercise through the pain of withdrawal[ii].
Rehab clinics give you a place to work through the reasons you turn to drugs or drink in the first place. Understanding why you resorted to such extreme measures can help you keep away from those temptations and crutches in future. To do this, your rehab clinic well fill your days with structure and instil healthy habits that keep you sober in future.
What Conditions can you go to Rehab for?
There is no true limit on the conditions that can send a person to rehab. However, we have listed some of the common conditions that mate send you to rehab, below.
- Addiction to alcohol
- Addiction to drugs – narcotic, prescription, or otherwise.
- Eating disorders
- Mental health problems
- Personality disorders
- Psychological addictions, for example to gambling or sex.
What are the Different Types of Rehab?
There are different styles of treatment offered in rehab, such as 12 Step, person centred, holistic and ‘Therapeutic Community’, or a combination.
The 12 Steps
The 12 Step approach to dealing with addiction is offered worldwide and has shown to be a popular choice for many. It follows a set of principles in guiding people towards achieving abstinence. Depending on whether you are seeking help for alcohol addiction, drug addiction, gambling addiction, there will be a 12 Step meeting for you, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)[iii], Narcotics Anonymous (NA)[iv], Cocaine Anonymous (CA)[v], Gamblers Anonymous (GA)[vi]. Other meetings are also available to support people through sex addiction, eating disorders as well as help for families and children of people in addiction.
Outpatient Rehab
Outpatient rehab is generally used as secondary treatment, after the person has completed a rehab course. If you are in heroin addiction withdrawal, you may receive outpatient treatment to administer your daily doses of methadone. However, for the most part, serious rehab as completed as an inpatient.
Inpatient Rehab
There are lots of different types of inpatient rehab treatment. One of these is fulltime residential rehab, which can be completed with NHS assistance for a budget price. More likely, you will receive residential rehab treatment as a private patient or face lengthy waiting times. Other types of inpatient treatment include luxury rehab and quasi residential rehab.
Types of Rehab Therapies to Expect
When you move from detox and to rehab during your recovery from drugs or alcohol, you can expect to be offered several different treatments and therapies. Some examples of the therapies used in rehab include the following.
Group Therapy
Whilst in rehab you will be involved in group work and one to one counselling. Most rehabs will offer a variety of groups and provide a holistic approach. There is a great sense of community and people soon find that they feel understood, connected, and realise that they are not alone in their addiction. Group therapy has proven to work in clinical trials[vii].
One-on-One Counselling
One to one counselling will provide a chance for you to explore issues that may assist you towards recovery and a life without drugs and alcohol, or your specific addiction. Counsellors may be trained in variety of styles and skills to suit your needs, such as, Person Centred, Humanistic, CBT, motivational interviewing, psychoanalytical, solution focused. Again, studies have shown talking therapies are effective for addiction treatments[viii].
Person-Centred Talking Therapies
Person Centred counselling or psychotherapy works in a humanistic way to support and guide you to make choices and decisions and works at your pace. It helps you to connect to your self-worth and inner values and is often the core style of a lot of counselling. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is another talking therapy that can help with a wide range of physical and emotional health conditions.
The Structure of a Rehab Treatment Plan
Each rehab centre has one thing in common: the structure. Those that need rehab help need structure to each day so that they have the best chance of instilling new healthy habits.
If you are physically dependant on drugs or alcohol you will be assessed, most times by a nurse or experienced counsellor and will be seen by a doctor before you are allowed to enrol in rehab. You will receive a comprehensive assessment and have a treatment plan, which will be tailored to your specific needs.
The structure will always include therapy sessions, abstinence from substance abuse, workshops, and relapse prevention techniques.
The Structure of a Day in Rehab
When you go to rehab you are likely to be sharing a room. A roommate will help tackle the isolation. Your day will start with a healthy breakfast served early in the morning. A balanced diet is necessary after potentially years on drink or drugs since it can cause you to become malnourished[ix]. After breakfast you will be encouraged to enter the common space, ready to begin the day’s work.
You will be given daily counselling sessions, particularly spending a portion of each day with your group. You will have a nutritious lunch which will be followed by a choice of educational sessions [sometimes called workshops], or time spent in family sessions.
Later in the afternoon you will be expected to take part in at least one exercise class. Exercise is a useful tool in combatting addiction and cravings. You will then be served a wholesome evening meal and be allowed time for leisure activities in the evening. These may or may not be structurally guided by the centre.
To add further structure to your day, you will be given a daily timetable which sets out every aspect of your treatment.
How Much Does Rehab Cost in the UK?
In the UK, you have several price points in rehab clinic to choose from. You can opt for a NHS assisted budget rehab clinic, which should set you back from £1400 per week. If you choose a private residential rehab clinic instead, you can expect the price to rise. Mid-range private residential rehab clinics cost between £3000 and £6500, while a luxury rehab clinic can cost anything over £7000.
Facilities and Amenities Provided
Your residential rehab clinic should provide you with things to do in your free time. It shouldn’t all be about hard work.
A well-equipped rehab rec room will include things like a pool table, perhaps a dart board, maybe a pinball machine, and even a ping pong table. There might be an outdoor space where you could play basketball or football. For obvious reasons, there won’t be any games you can gamble on.
Your rehab clinic will have either a laundry room or a laundry service. It may have a garden. It could have any number of other facilities that make your stay easier to bear.
Does Rehab include detox?
Rehab doesn’t always include detox so it’s important that to ask any potential rehab clinic you want to attend how they deal with detoxification. Some rehab clinics have detox centres included on the premises. some rehab clinics will require you to detox elsewhere. it may be that you must detox in hospital and be discharged to your rehab clinic.
How long does Rehab Last?
A rehab programme can last if you need it too. If you can afford the cost of rehab, then you can stay if you like. Some people stay in luxury rehab clinics for months at a time. Some people go to rehab for as little as seven days and manage to make a full recovery.
Although rehab takes different lengths of time for different people, you can discuss your individual needs with your rehab clinic during your assessment appointment. This will give you a good insight into how long they think you will need to spend in rehab. We recommend that you listen to their advice.
How does Rehab end?
Rehab finishes when you come to the end of your specified treatment plan, which will be discussed between you and your medical professional at the onset of treatment. Typically, rehab clinics work in weekly blocks. You may have one week of rehab plus detox, a fortnight of rehab plus detox, 28 days of rehab plus detox, or even three full months as an outpatient.
When rehab comes to an end, you will be armed with enough therapy techniques to help you succeed at sobriety in the normal world. If you feel you need more time, you should discuss this with the clinic. When it is time to leave, you will receive all the information you need regarding secondary treatment, and they will leave you in the best possible frame of mind to avoid relapse.
What’s Secondary Treatment for Addiction?
Secondary treatment for addiction is used to mediate the time it takes for you to finish rehab and return home. It usually involves telephone support, group therapies, and perhaps online help. It can last for anything up to 12 months and can include help depending upon how luxurious your rehab clinic was.
Things to do before you go to rehab… a Checklist
Before you leave to go to rehab, there are things you can do to make life easier on yourself when you come back. Here is a short checklist of things to do to prepare to go to rehab in the UK:
- Call your loved ones and tell them where you will be. It’s going to get in the way of your recovery if you see yourself reported missing on the 6 o’ clock news.
- Call your work and ask for the time off. They should be understanding.
- If you have any responsibilities to children, people you care for, pets, or even elderly neighbours, make sure you mention you will be unavailable for a while so they can make other arrangements.
- Go through a period of acceptance. The friend group that led you to drug abuse are not true friends. Accepting this before you leave for rehab can help you stay away from them when you return.
- Tidy up your apartment. Silly things like leaving the milk in the fridge can make the return home seem bleak. Think about you in the future, and how nice it will be to come home to a tidy house.
Once all the above is taken care of, start packing and be ready for the next chapter of your life.
What should you take with you to rehab?
When going to rehab you ought to pack light. Take some clothing, some magazines or books, and a list of your loved ones contact details. You will be able to use the laundry service or the washing machines in your rehab clinic. You will be able to take your mobile phone so to take a charger, although you will be encouraged to keep it on silent throughout the day.
Free Addiction Consultation
Help4Addiction provide a completely free consultation, with no obligations for you to join a rehab program if you don’t want to. If you’d like to know more, simply complete the free consultation form at the top of the page and one of our specialists will get back to you. It never hurts to talk through your options, whether you are ready to quit or not.
Where to find a Rehab Clinic near you?
There are so many differences between what each rehab centre offers, that choosing the right one for you is an important decision. Getting the right rehab centre for you could help to ensure your lasting success at sobriety.
If you would like to talk to someone about making an informed decision, call us today on 0203 955 7700 for free, confidential advice.
[i] https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/rehab
[ii] https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-exercise-help-conquer-addiction-2018122615641
[iii] https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/about-aa/the-12-steps-of-aa
[iv] https://ukna.org/
[v] https://ca.org/
[vi] https://www.gamblersanonymous.org.uk/
[vii] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6289265/
[viii] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5714654/
[ix] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6463805/
Frequently Asked Questions
Are detox and rehab the same thing?
Do I have to go to rehab for an addiction?
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