How Fast Can I Access Drug and Alcohol Rehab?

Fast Access to Rehab is available, throughout the UK. It can be crucial for many individuals seeking help.Whatever the addiction, be it a substance or a behaviour (or both) help is available to those who need it.

Private rehab does not need to be expensive. There are effective, low cost options available.

Addiction does not manifest itself overnight. It can take years, in some cases, to take root.

The right treatment is paramount. Making an informed choice is essential. Rushing into the first rehab you can find is rarely a good idea.

Fast Access To Rehab: What Rehab Do I need?

A centre that is registered with the Care Quality Commission!

Centres are required to be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). It is essential that you check the CQC website, for yourself, before you make a commitment to treatment.

Very stringent checks are made into the centre before registration is granted. Centres are then inspected, at irregular intervals and the inspection reports are available on the internet.

Centres are legally required to advertise their CQC rating on their website.

Always check a centres registration on the CQC website for yourself.

All rehabs, the world over, provide four essential elements of treatment: Detox, therapy, relapse prevention and aftercare.

Detox

While not everyone needs a medically supervised detox using medication, even being in a therapeutic environment away from the substances you were dependent on is essential. If you are seeking treatment for a behavioural addiction then this is equally as important.

If you are seeking treatment for alcohol addiction and/or benzodiazepine addiction then a detox is a pre-requisite. Not only will your brain not respond to therapy if you are still using, suddenly stopping or reducing too quickly can be extremely dangerous. Sadly, it can be fatal.

There are other drugs that can not also be stopped without a detox though the medical treatment is not to prescribe a substitute but instead other medication to keep the person safe while they withdraw.

Ignore what you seen on television and in films, going cold turkey is not only incredibly dangerous, but can be fatal.

Even if you were able to make it through the withdrawals (and with alcohol that would include seizures that can result in coma and death) you would be an exception to the rule if you did not succumb to the cravings.

When you stop taking drugs/alcohol your tolerance levels drops. This means that if you give in to the cravings you will take an amount you think you need to settle yourself. This is where accidental overdose occurs. Rarely do people get medical treatment in time.

Therapy

Addiction is not a choice.

No one wakes up one morning and decides to become an addict. Something, somewhere along the lines has gone wrong.

Therapy is there to find out what has gone wrong and help the person to work through painful memories and challenge negative thoughts.

Very often, someone caught up in the madness of addiction, feels hopeless. Addiction, though incredibly destructive, are also a safety net. Breaking through these thoughts and reframing them can be liberating.

Therapy is hard work. Rehab is not a holiday park or a spa retreat. There will be laughter, tears, moments of joy and people there to lift your spirits.

Group Therapy

Every rehab centre, the world over, uses a group therapy model. Why? Because it works! 12 STEP/SMART/eclectic. It really doesn’t matter.

Worrying about what model is used is time wasted. You do not need to have a faith to follow a 12 step programme.

Nearly every centre offers a weekly session of individual therapy.

Many centres provide adjunctive therapies such as family therapy, CBT and motivational enhancement therapy. These are evidence based and can make a really positive impact on your recovery.

Relapse Prevention

Trying to fix something without the correct tools is never going to work.

Relapse prevention is about having a set of psychological tools so that when stressful situations arise after you leave rehab, you know how to deal with them.

Relapse happens: FACT.

It doesn’t happen to everyone but if it does happen, with the right skills you are in a much better place to overcome it.

Addiction is a chronic illness. Like all chronic illnesses there will be periods of remission and periods of crisis. Addiction is no different.

Relapse does not need to be catastrophic. It is an opportunity to use your skills and remind you that sobriety is achievable but requires hard work.

Aftercare

When you leave rehab you will have a new sense of renewal. A sense of wanting to make up for lost time.

The stresses and strains of everyday life will still be there. While you now have an array of skills to deal with these in a different way than before, life can still be challenging.

Every centre provides a minimum of a years aftercare. Regular telephone check in and a weekly support group are always available.

If you find yourself struggling, there will be a number to call for support.

How Do I Find a Rehab?

Easy. Speak to an experienced addictions clinician who works in them. This is why we are here. We are not tied to any specific centre so our advice is wholly impartial.

We will be able to tell you what you need and more importantly: What you don’t.

Yoga with a miniature goat while drinking organic green tea from the Himalayas after having your shakra realigned is all very nice but you don’t need it and it won’t do anything for your recovery. It is unnecessary expenditure.

Fast Access To Rehab: Referral Agents

There are two ways to find a rehab centre. Speak, directly, with one or go through a referral agent.

Referral agents are salespeople. They are there simply to make money on commission. It is extremely unlikely they have ever been to visit a rehab centre let alone worked in one.

Most work from laptops in their kitchen. They will badger you, seven days a week, until you book. Even then, they will contact you a fortnight after you finish treatment and then at very regular intervals.

They will promise you the earth: Swimming pools, fully equipped gymnasiums, etc. Not only would these things be dangerous for people on a detox, the cost would have to be passed on to you.

Fast Access To Rehab: Avoid Making a Hasty Decision

Rehab is never an emergency treatment. You have time to look around and make an informed choice.

Often, out of well-meaning, family and loved ones want to get the person into treatment as soon as possible. This is understandable but heightens the risk of making the wrong choice of treatment centre.

Fast Access To Rehab :Admission Lead Times

After an initial telephone assessment with the rehab centre and they propose a treatment plan for you an admission can be arranged.

As to when they can accept you depends on their current occupancy and when a becomes free. Many do not admit at weekends or Fridays for safety reasons. Some do. Some that don’t may able to do so for an extra fee as they will use their on call clinician to admit you.

Fast Access To Rehab: Same Day Admission

This can, sometimes, be arranged.

An enquiry would need to be made early in the morning and the case straightforward.

Usually, same day admission is to be avoided but can be arranged, on a case to case , basis.

Speak to an Experienced Addictions Clinician For Free

You can speak to an experienced addictions clinician for free, impartial and confidential advice.

If you decide to move forward and want to book treatment we can provide a free treatment referral.

We are registered with the Information Commissoner’s Office.

Only legally registered centres are signposted to.

Recent Posts