Treatment Options for Drug and Alcohol Rehab

The evolution of drug and alcohol rehab has come a long way over the last several decades. Gone are the days when the experienced therapist will assume the same approach to recovery will work for every client. Today's therapists and clinics are more likely to use bespoke treatments customised for each individual client.

This new approach gives clinicians a lot of options for individual treatment. What works for one person may not necessarily work so well for another. In every case, therapists can choose from among the many treatment options their clinic offers. This new, customised approach is shown to achieve far better results than the old way of doing things. Having said that, let us talk about some of the different treatment options available.

Detox Options : The detox process is intended to facilitate recovery by interrupting the addiction routine. By separating the individual from his or her substances of choice, detox allows the body to naturally cleanse itself on its way to restoring the natural balance of chemicals in the brain. Here are some of the options:

Medicated - Medicated detox involves using various prescription drugs to help reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms and prevent possible complications. Almost all detox programmes these days involve prescription medication.

Non-Medicated - This type of detox is also known as 'cold turkey'. It is available when the recovering addict requests it or when dealing with a specific kind of addiction for which there are no prescription medications available.

Outpatient - Outpatient detox involves the recovering addict visiting a clinic or hospital on a daily basis to receive a medical evaluation and prescription medication.

Inpatient - Inpatient detox takes place at a hospital or private clinic. During the process, the recovering addict stays at the facility where he or she can be constantly monitored and evaluated.

Home - When an individual could benefit from outpatient detox but has no means to get to a clinic, home detox is an option. Under this option, a registered nurse visits the home rather than the patient going to the clinic.

Rehab Options : The part of drug and alcohol recovery dealing with the mind and emotions is what we know as psychotherapeutic rehab. Unfortunately, there are far too many treatment options for us to list them all here. Here are just a few of the more commonly use treatments among private alcohol and drug rehab clinics:

CBT - Cognitive behavioural therapy is a counselling therapy designed to help the recovering addict identify what it is that encourages him or her to use addictive substances. It also teaches them coping strategies and retrains their brain to look at addictive substances appropriately.

Group Therapy - Group therapy was developed decades ago under the assumption that individuals would do better in a counselling environment if they could share common experiences. Group therapy has shown to be very successful for many addicts.

12-Step Work - The 12-step programme developed in the 1930s by Alcoholics Anonymous has been highly successful over more than 80 years of use. It combines group therapy and individual responsibility along with the accountability a support group affords.

We could go on listing countless other treatment options like art therapy, music therapy, and so on. The point is that private clinics have many options to choose from. The wide range of treatments available in the modern era makes it possible for rehab clinics to help just about anyone that comes through their doors.

Paying for Private Rehab

Private rehab centers all over the UK are working hard every day to assist addicts and their families in getting their lives back on track. Unfortunately, the treatment these offer cannot be provided free without compromising the quality of care. Thus, the cost of private care leaves many individuals without the treatment they need.

On a more positive note, there are rehab centres that are affordable to average, middle-class families throughout Britain. There are also luxury clinics as well, but one does not need to be a millionaire in order to get good, quality treatment at a private clinic. One only needs to be willing to get help and to search out every possible method of payment.

So how do you pay for private rehab? Here are the top five ways it is done:

1. Private Health Insurance

Our typical perception of a drug addict or alcoholic is someone with very little income, perhaps no home, and certainly no way to adequately support him or herself. And while that picture is accurate for some addicts, it is not accurate for all of them. There is no shortage of individuals who would be classified as middle class workers holding down regular jobs while still struggling with drug and alcohol problems. For them, the first place to turn is private health insurance.

Most private health insurance plans in the UK cover rehab, either in part or in full. Individuals need to check their own policies for details. As for the rehab centres, these accept most forms of private health insurance without question.

2. Savings Accounts

A reasonable price for a 12-week residential rehab stay at a budget-minded clinic would be several thousand pounds. Some addicts and their family members can get that amount together by withdrawing from savings accounts. Doing so may not be the best way to spend your savings, but it beats the alternative of allowing an addictive situation to continue.

3. Credit Card Accounts

An active credit card account is another option for paying for private rehab. Major cards like MasterCard and Visa are typically accepted by private clinics without a problem. The major drawback to this form of payment is the high interest consumers pay on the debt they accrue. Again, it is better than the alternative of allowing addiction to continue.

4. Family Donations

Family members of addicts are often distressed by the knowledge that there is little they can do to help, despite an overwhelming desire to do so. Although a struggling addict may have to go to great lengths to convince family members his or her desire to get well is genuine, family members can be persuaded to pool their limited resources together in order to fund rehab. The danger here is accepting donations from family members only to turn around and fail in recovery. They may never help again.

5. Charity Grants

The last method of paying for private rehab is through charitable grants. There are charities that offer rehab programmes using their own facilities and volunteer workers, but there are others that offer grants to pay for rehab at a private clinic. Some of these charities are religiously based; others are funded from a combination of corporate and government money.

There are enough ways to pay for private rehab treatment to at least investigate the possibilities. If you or someone you love is currently struggling with an alcohol or drug problem, consider getting in touch with a rehab referral service as soon as possible. They will be able to help you determine the best course of action for your circumstances.

Three Ways Drug Rehab and Detox Differ

The issues of drug abuse and addiction are something that touch more families in the UK than many of us know. Unfortunately, the UK has seen a significant rise in drug and alcohol use that has left us scrambling to provide the care people need to overcome addiction issues. Two of the options we offer are detox and rehab. Yet despite what you may think, the two options are different.

In the simplest terms, detox is a standalone treatment option designed to break the physical addiction to a specific substance. In most cases, it can be accomplished in about seven days. Rehab is different in that it deals with the body and the mind. Rehab does include detox as part of an overall programme, but the psychotherapeutic treatments involved go above and beyond physical addiction.

Here are three ways drug rehab and detox is decidedly different:

1. Short-Term Versus Long-Term

The detox process is a very short-term strategy meant to deal with physical addiction. Because it can be completed in about a week, some drug abusers and addicts prefer to go that route in order to minimise the disruption of treatment. They can schedule a week off from work, attend detox, and get back to work the following week.

Rehab is a long-term strategy that requires a greater time commitment. The average programme offered by drug rehab clinics in Europe takes between 4 and 12 weeks to complete. After that, recovering drug abusers will spend anywhere from three to 12 months receiving aftercare support services.

Despite the time commitment involved, comprehensive drug rehab usually achieves better results than detox alone. Complete rehab deals with the individual as a whole person – body, mind, and spirit – rather than just as a physical creature.

2. Long-Term Goals

The differences in long-term goals are significant between the two therapies. Where detox is concerned, no clear long-term goal exists because the point is to simply get the user to stop taking drugs. However, detox does nothing to prevent relapse in the future. That is why so many drug addicts in the UK go through detox numerous times without an actual life change.

The long-term goal of rehab is one of preventing relapse by teaching the drug user how to live life to its fullest without using drugs. A rehab clinic that is successfully doing its job does not ever want to see a client a second time – unless it is because the recovering drug addict has returned to help others.

3. Sources of Treatment

Anyone in need of drug detox in the UK can access it free of charge from the NHS. Detox can be accessed on an inpatient, outpatient, or home basis, depending on individual circumstances. However, the NHS does not offer comprehensive drug rehab programmes of its own.

Drug rehab is provided by private clinics, drug and alcohol charities, and local support group organisations. The NHS can refer individuals to these other programmes, and they often do following the completion of detox. The best source of comprehensive drug rehab is a private clinics specialising in such programmes.

It is true that some people can fully recover from drug abuse and addiction by just attending detox. Nevertheless, they are the exception, not the rule. Most chronic addicts need a comprehensive rehab programme provided by a qualified organisation. That is often the only way to fully recover.

How Alcohol Rehab Could Change Your Life

Trevor and Blake were lifelong friends who grew up together on the same Liverpool street in the early 1970s. They played together as children, they went to the same schools, they even attended university together and dated two girls who were also friends. Well into their 20s, their lives were remarkably similar. Then things changed. Today the two men are on decidedly different paths because of one single factor: alcohol.

The university years were a time of heavy drinking for Trevor and Blake. Binging on weekends was as common as going to classes during the week. By the time the two men graduated, both were alcohol abusers in desperate need of help. Blake got the help he needed by going to rehab; Trevor continued to deny he had a problem until, at age 39, he was diagnosed with liver disease.

Unfortunately, alcohol abuse and dependence can cause significant damage to the body that cannot be reversed. Trevor will be dealing with the complications of liver disease for the rest of his life, which, quite possibly, could be cut short due to his refusal to attend alcohol rehab.

Rehab Your Best Option

The stories of Trevor and Blake are a perfect illustration of how two very similar people can end up in two distinctly different places based on the decisions they make regarding alcohol. If you find yourself at a point in your life where regular abuse of alcohol is common, you might want to rethink how you view excessive drinking.

Alcohol rehab clinics exist to help people struggling with abuse and dependence problems overcome. Agreeing to seek help from such a clinic is a decision that could ultimately change your life, the same way it changed Blake's life. Rehab can help you get sober and then teach you how to live a full and rewarding life without alcohol.

Do not make the same mistake that Trevor made in refusing to seek help. Alcohol rehab is your best option for overcoming your problem. The professionals providing care in rehab know just what it takes to successfully recover, but they cannot provide that help until you are willing to participate.

What You Can Expect

The process of recovering from alcohol abuse and dependence is known as 'rehabilitation', or 'rehab', because it is a long and slow process that takes time to complete. It is very rare that someone can completely conquer an alcohol problem just by going through a seven-day detox programme. Most people require additional psychotherapeutic treatments that directly address the emotional, mental, and psychological aspects of substance abuse.

If you are willing to seek help for your drinking problem, you can expect a detox period followed by an extended period of counselling and support. You will probably receive one-on-one counselling, group counselling and other types of therapies that are best suited to your personality and circumstances. And of course, you will probably become part of a group support fellowship where you can be encouraged and supported by others.

When your rehab programme is complete, you will have all the tools you need to remain alcohol free for the rest of your life. That is the decision Blake made years ago, and it is a decision that changed his life for the better. Alcohol rehab can change your life as well. Please give serious consideration to attending rehab if you are struggling with alcohol abuse or dependence.

What Kinds of Therapies do Drug Rehab Clinics Use?

There is no denying that drug rehab clinics do very good work in helping a segment of society that so desperately needs help. Whether clinics are private, public or run by charities, these provide the services and therapies recovering addicts need to overcome their addictions. Yet one look at a group of clinics reveals something interesting: not all clinics use the same therapies.

What needs to be understood about drug addiction is that it is as individual as the clients undergoing rehab are. That is why drug rehab clinics using bespoke treatment plans for each individual seem to enjoy better success. There is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach to drug treatment that works every time.

Two Kinds of Detox

Although detox can take place in a variety of settings – i.e., inpatient, outpatient, or home – the two main types of detox are medicated and non-medicated. Medicated detox is supervised by a nurse or doctor, involving certain prescription medications designed to ease the symptoms of withdrawal and prevent medical complications. Medicated detox is not possible for every kind of addiction.

Non-medicated detox is what we commonly refer to as ‘cold turkey’. It tends to be faster and more thorough than its medicated counterpart is, but it is also a lot more uncomfortable. It is also medically supervised by drug drug rehab clinics.

The purpose of detox is to break the physical addiction to drugs or alcohol. This is accomplished by denying the recovering addict access to his or her substances of choice for period of about seven days. In that time, his or her body is able to rid itself of all of the chemicals it has been exposed to.

Multiple Rehab Therapies

When the recovering addict makes it to the rehab states, the clinic has a nearly limitless number of therapy options to choose from. This is where the real variety comes in. Rehab therapies include things like group counselling, individual counselling, life skills building, art and music therapy, exercise therapy, meditation and reflection, family support, etc.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one of the more successful counselling therapies used today. It is a coping therapy designed to help recovering addicts find new and effective ways to deal with addictive thoughts and desires. Drug rehab clinics that use CBT make it part of a larger programme aimed at teaching clients a new way of life.

Aftercare Therapies

The weeks and months following the completion of a residential rehab programme can be among the most difficult for recovering addicts. To help them deal with the pressures and avoid relapse, drug rehab clinics usually include 6 to 12 months of aftercare services. Aftercare therapies include things like group support fellowship, 12-step work, and one-on-one counselling.

As you can see, there are many different therapies that drug rehab clinics can implement to help recovering addicts overcome. The best clinics will use whatever treatments are best for a given individual, as determined by experienced clinicians, rather than depending on one way of doing things.

How to Arrange Drug Rehab Help for a Loved One in Need

It is often said by experts that drug addiction is a family disease. Perhaps you know exactly what that means. Perhaps one of your family members is struggling right now with illicit or prescription drugs, tearing apart your entire family in the process. You need help, and you need now.

Drug rehab clinics help is available throughout the UK and through a number of sources:

- NHS – The NHS offers a range of services that include inpatient and outpatient detox, counselling referrals and medical therapies. The main advantage is that the services are free to UK residents. The disadvantage is that they are often oversubscribed, leading to significant waiting times.

- Drug Charities – An alternative to NHS services are the many drug charities scattered throughout Britain. These charities can offer anything from free detox and rehab to group support. A drug charity is a good option if you need more than the NHS provides but you cannot afford private treatment.

- Private Clinics – The most successful drug rehab programmes are provided by private clinics. Such clinics are located in rural or suburban environments in order to mitigate distractions. The relatively high success rate of private treatment makes it well worth the cost.

- Support Groups – A number of support groups have been birthed in the UK over the last four or five decades. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narconon are just two examples. Support groups provide a sense of fellowship and mutual accountability; two things that can go a long way in helping the drug addict recover.

- Private Counsellors – Lastly, there are private counsellors throughout the UK offering drug rehab help to individual clients. Having said that, you might have some difficulty finding a counsellor in your local area.

It is important for you to talk to some qualified people who can give you sound advice You need to know exactly what you are getting into before you make the choice for your loved one's treatment. Otherwise, the whole thing could backfire.

The intervention

We want to caution you that no matter how noble your intentions are, you cannot force you loved one to get well. This is a personal choice that only he or she can make. If that choice has not been made yet, you might be able to motivate your loved one through something known as an intervention.

An intervention is an opportunity for a group of loved ones to confront the drug addict to motivate him or her to do something for him or herself. Some counsellors recommend approaching the intervention from the angle of the physical and mental damage drugs are causing the individual. Others prefer to approach it based on how addictive behaviour is harming family members. It is up to you to decide how you want to proceed.

If you need to arrange drug rehab help for a loved one, call a rehab centre or referral agency right away. They can get you pointed in the right direction.

How Alcohol Rehab Centres Can Change Lives

A person who wants help in his or her struggle with alcohol abuse or dependence has three primary options. They can seek out a local support group, they can request a prescription medication from their GP, or they can take advantage of the services provided by alcohol rehab centres. Those with the most chronic problems are limited to the last option if they expect long-term recovery. Having said that, let us talk about how alcohol rehab centres can help change lives.

For starters, we need to define three different kinds of rehab centres:

1. Public - The public rehab centre is one offered by the NHS or a government-approved voluntary organisation. These do not exist in large numbers due to severely limited funding. Yet there are a couple of them out there, particularly in the Greater London area.

2. Charities - Alcohol rehab centers run by charities are also available in limited numbers. These charities can be religious or secular; they can be locally, regionally, nationally, or internationally based. The services these provide are directly tied to their rehab philosophy and their funding sources.

3. Private - Private alcohol rehab centres tend to be what we think of when we consider residential rehab. Private clinics are funded by charging clients for services rendered. These offer residential programmes that can last anywhere from four to 12 weeks, with up to 12 months of aftercare to follow.

Medically Supervised Detox

Any alcohol rehab centre with a good success rate offers medically supervised detox for those with dependency issues. Medically supervised detox involves prescription drugs and care from experienced professionals. It is an essential part of permanently overcoming an alcohol addiction.

There are times when outpatient or home detox is a better option for clients. Outpatient detox involves the client visiting a rehab facility on a daily basis where he or she can be medically examined and given medication to control alcohol cravings. As for home detox, it is usually a last resort option for those who need medical supervision but cannot travel to a rehab centre.

Rehabilitation Therapy

Once detox is complete, the recovering alcoholic moves into the therapeutic stage of rehab. This is what sets the alcohol rehab centre apart from standalone detox programmes. This is where a life is truly changed by addressing the underlying issues responsible for addictive behaviour.

Rehabilitation therapy seeks to get at the heart of those mental and emotional issues that drive addiction. They utilise a number of different therapies, including something known as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This therapy retrains the thinking so that the individual can come to terms with his or her issues and deal with them effectively. CBT is a highly successful therapy for alcohol recovery.

Alcohol rehab centres are changing lives by treating recovering alcoholics at every level. It is important that we support their efforts here in the UK. Without the services they provide, recovering alcoholics and their families will be left with limited options for effective treatment. That is simply unacceptable.