Alcohol and Drug Treatment

Our experienced addictions clinicians work in a variety of settings: Private rehab centers, local authority and NHS commissioned services, GP shared care clinics, private hospitals, and prisons. These diverse environments help us provide effective alcohol and drug treatment for individuals in need. These approaches are integral to successful alcohol and drug treatment outcomes.

You can call and speak to a clinician, without charge, at any time of the day or night. Whomever is free will answer your call, via an app. As our clinicians work in a variety of settings, there is always someone able to answer the phone (or reply to an email). We do not charge for advice or for making a referral. Our commitment to providing free information extends to all aspects of getting alcohol and drug treatment.

The role of a clinician is to assess, diagnose, draw up a treatment plan and prescribe medication for someone seeking treatment for addiction. Our clinicians, because they work in a variety of settings, are used to all aspects of alcohol and drug treatment including addiction to:

• Heroin
• Alcohol
• Benzodiazepines
• Ketamine
• GHB/GBL
• Cocaine
• Crack
• Amphetamines
• Tramadol
• Codeine
• MDMA
• Pain killers
• Pregabalin
• Sleeping pills
• Spice
• Cannabis

They can also advise you on behavioral addictions such as:

• Gambling
• Porn
• Shopping
• Food
• Social Media

What Type of Help is Available?

Residential rehab is usually the starting point for addiction treatment as it combines detox with rehab. There are those who can be treated at home/in an outpatient setting, on a case-by-case basis. While we can arrange a detox at home, this can often cost far more than residential treatment and the long-term outcomes for treatment at home are never as long-term as residential treatment. The programs for alcohol and drug treatment are tailored to individual needs.

In a rehab center, you will be seen by a clinician who will go through the pre-admission referral, work with you on a treatment plan and prescribe medication (if necessary). This clinician will monitor you while you are in rehab as, on occasion, adjustments are needed to treatment plans.

All rehab centers are centered around a group therapy model. While there are different models (12 STEP, SMART, STRENGTH, eclectic) it really doesn’t matter which one you use. The most important thing is that you get into recovery from any alcohol or drug issue, with proper treatment support.

In rehab, there are also weekly individual therapy sessions: Any more than one a week is counterproductive. Therapy is hard work and can be very tiring. Some clients choose to continue with the therapist when they get home (for an additional fee).

An essential element of the therapy program is learning techniques to prevent relapse. Sadly, some people do relapse. The important thing is knowing how to steer yourself out of it at the earliest juncture, an aspect thoroughly covered in alcohol and drug treatments.

Why Do People Get Addicted to Drugs/Alcohol?

No one chooses to become an addict: It is not a choice. Sometimes it is unresolved trauma from childhood, untreated mental health conditions or being prescribed medication for pain and developing a tolerance (and addiction) to it.

Drugs and alcohol work on receptors in the brain, just as prescribed medications do. They act to open or close (or partially open or close) chemical channels. After a time, the brain becomes tolerant to the drug/alcohol and if you stop using suddenly (or reduce your use too quickly) the brain goes into a state of flux. Chemical signals will be out of sync hence withdrawal symptoms, which properly managed alcohol and drug treatment can alleviate.

Detox has absolutely nothing to do with clearing toxins from the body. It is about your brain chemistry re-adjusting. While for those with a cocaine addiction this can be done without medication (or a short-term course of adjunctive medication) for others a detox is absolutely essential.

Someone with a serious alcohol addiction, for example, must receive a medically assisted detox in a rehab center. Untreated alcohol withdrawal can be fatal. So can severe heroin withdrawal: Contrary to popular misconception. Medical professionals emphasize the importance of supervised treatment for both alcohol and drugs in such cases.

How Can Find Me a Rehab Help?

Our clinicians will give you advice. They are not there to sell you anything. We won’t accept payment for our advice or to make a referral for you. For those who want treatment at home, we can arrange this which is a chargeable service. If you want to find a rehab centre and need advice and a referral, this is a free service.

When you call, a clinician will ask you for some basic information so that they can guide you towards a treatment center that can provide low-cost treatment at a location that is convenient to you. High-end centers are available but, in the addictions sector, chakra reading, green tea and yoga with goats will not provide any additional benefits and you will pay a lot more for it.

A medically supervised detox (if you need it), group therapy, individual therapy sessions and relapse prevention is the mainstay of treatment: It always has been and always will be. All centers also provide, at least, a year’s aftercare. For anyone considering alcohol and drug treatment, this comprehensive support is crucial.

What About Confidentiality?

We are registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) and take medical confidentiality extremely seriously. Unless you give us your expressed permission we cannot discuss you with anyone else. While our clinicians always advise you involve your GP, we understand why, for some people, this might not be appropriate. Unless you direct us to, we will never contact your GP. We only signpost to centres registered with the Care Quality Commission

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