There comes a time when a person battling drug or alcohol dependency says enough is enough. If you’ve reached this point, you are on the right track. It takes courage to finally pay attention to that inner voice constantly reminding you to seek professional help — that you don’t have to struggle on your own anymore.
In truth, there’s no better way to begin your journey to sobriety than committing to drug and alcohol rehabilitation. It’s natural to feel nervous about finding treatment, especially if you don’t know how to proceed or what to expect.
For this reason, we’ve put together this comprehensive guide to make your decision-making around rehab a little easier. From selecting the best facility to your pathways to the most impactful recovery journey, we’ve got you covered.
Choosing the right treatment centre
There are several rehabilitation centres across the UK, and narrowing down to one facility in a pool of options can be an overwhelming task. Luckily, you can consider these three key factors to help you single out a treatment centre that will give you the greatest recovery outcomes. They include:
The facility’s overall rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) oversees the quality of treatment services offered by rehab centres in the UK. Every year, CQC conducts inspections in these facilities and ranks them as follows: Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate.
When selecting a treatment centre, choose one rated as either outstanding or good. You can search for any rehab facility on the CQC website and access a detailed report on its overall rating.
Location matters
The location of a rehab centre is a crucial aspect, as it greatly influences your recovery. An ideal location is a remote area where you can enjoy the right kind of solitude and peace of mind as you work towards the new, sober you.
You will thrive more in a facility situated in the countryside, as it’s the perfect escape from the temptations and distractions that accompany the city environment.
The facility’s success rate
When you make the bold decision to seek treatment for substance dependence, you have to be certain that you are entering an effective rehab centre. Opt for a treatment facility with a reasonable success rate — between 60 to 80 per cent.
While some treatment centres don’t mention their success rates on their websites, others often quote a higher rate (90 per cent and above). In most cases, such high rates can be misleading because they focus on patients who have completed the treatment programme successfully, instead of those who have achieved long-term recovery after treatment.
How drug and alcohol rehab works
Once you’ve settled on your preferred treatment centre, help is within your reach. When you visit the facility’s website, you’ll come across their telephone number, email address, contact form or online chat. You can reach out to them through any of these means.
The admissions team will respond immediately and book you a free assessment session with the rehab’s addiction treatment specialists. This assessment is held over the phone or face-to-face, depending on your preference.
The assessment process
The main purpose of the assessment, which may take close to 40 minutes, is to give the addiction treatment medical team a better understanding of your substance use addiction, medical history, and current health status. They may also ask you for your General Practitioner’s (GP) contact in case they need more information or clarification.
The medical team will also take time to know you personally by finding out whether you’ve had any rehab experiences and what you hope to achieve in treatment.
Based on the information they’ve gathered, they will be able to ascertain the level of care you require and whether the facility’s treatment programs will address all your substance dependence issues.
There may be two potential outcomes from this assessment: One, the admissions process will be arranged as soon as possible. Or two, the team will have to refer you to another credible rehab facility with treatment programs that perfectly fit your situation.
The admissions process
The process starts with you filling out an admission form online. The facility’s in-house admissions team will guide you if you encounter any challenges. If you opt to visit the treatment centre, they will handle the paperwork to give you a smooth experience.
The next step will be discussing your payment options, including asking you a few questions about your insurance cover. The admissions team will make the process easier for you by liaising with your insurer on your behalf. Soon after, the team will finalise the payment arrangements and send you this information in writing.
They will also email you all the details regarding your admission, including which date you’ll be admitted, your expected time of arrival, what to carry, and what to expect upon arrival. At this point, feel free to ask any questions about your admission.
Detoxification process
Your treatment at the rehab centre will begin with drug or alcohol detoxification. This process involves safely flushing out the drug or alcohol toxins accumulated in your body because of continuous use.
Detox is a medically-assisted process as it’s facilitated by addiction treatment specialists who offer around-the-clock supervision. They will administer specific FDA-approved medications to make your withdrawal experience comfortable and less painful.Detox treatment ends once your body is in a medically stable condition. The medical team will then prepare to move you to therapy.
Therapy and programme timetable
Therapy is the key to long-term recovery from substance use addiction. While detoxification is highly effective in helping you overcome physical dependence on drugs or alcohol, it will not address the most challenging side of addiction — psychological dependence. Therapy will, though.
You will go through therapy with the guidance of a qualified therapist who will help you work on the underlying thought patterns and behaviours driving you to substance abuse. To ensure you maintain a structured routine as you undergo therapy, the therapist will develop a personalised timetable showing the different therapies you’ll go through and what time each session will run.
Aftercare and family support
Aftercare, also offered by your rehab provider, is an ongoing addiction recovery service aimed at helping you stay rooted in a substance-free lifestyle as you get back to the outside world. Aftercare begins as soon as you’re discharged from the treatment centre and is tailored to your needs.
Your individualised aftercare program may entail items such as:
- Regular appointments with your therapists to follow up on your progress
- Arrangements for your transition into a sober living home for some time, in case you are experiencing homelessness or have a home environment that isn’t ideal for your recovery
- Arrangements for your participation in the facility’s alumni recovery programmes
- We Setting up your support network and emergency contacts’ list
- Linking you up with community-based addiction recovery support groups
Family support is also part of your aftercare structure since family plays a vital role in your recovery. The rehab centre will offer your loved ones continued family guidance to help them understand the best ways to support your ongoing recovery.
The benefits of private residential treatment
While both free rehab and private residential treatment will get you started on the path towards substance addiction recovery, here are some reasons why committing to a residential treatment program is the better option:
- You won't have to wait for several weeks or even months to start residential treatment. The demand for free rehab services is high, making it difficult to enter treatment almost immediately.
- Easy access to private residential treatment means quickly transitioning to a secure environment. The more time you spend at home awaiting treatment, the more vulnerable you become to triggers within your home environment.
- Unlike free rehab, a private residential treatment program incorporates holistic treatment interventions to give you a wholesome recovery.
- With private residential treatment, you will receive the highest quality of detox treatment and care. In most free rehabs, detox is not medically-managed to the best standards. Your detox experience may be quite uncomfortable.
Alternative options to residential treatment
Aside from residential treatment, rehab facilities also offer other treatment options for alcohol and drug dependence. These alternatives are often ideal for individuals with a mild-to-moderate substance addiction that doesn’t require residential care.
Outpatient rehab treatment
Outpatient treatment allows you to carry on with your everyday life at home as you receive treatment. In this case, you will commute to the treatment centre during specific times to undergo detox and attend therapy. You can also access outpatient treatment through NHS rehab services.
Private counselling
Private counselling is also available as an outpatient service. You begin private counselling once you have recovered from detox. This type of treatment involves attending one-on-one counselling sessions with a licensed addiction counsellor in the rehab facility. The session may be once a week, or more, depending on your treatment needs. The counsellor will use different counselling techniques to help you break free from the problematic cycle of substance abuse.
Sober coaching
Sober coaching involves spending several hours a week with a well-trained sober coach recommended by your treatment facility. It also begins after you complete detox.
The coach will stay near your home for a specified period. They will be available on a daily basis to guide you in overcoming cravings and the negative emotions that may interfere with your abstinence journey.
In most cases, a sober coach is someone who has real-life experience with addiction recovery and is passionate about helping you change your relationship with alcohol and drugs.
Voluntary support groups for long-term recovery
The road to full recovery from substance dependence may be a long, bumpy path. However, find comfort knowing that it’s a road travelled by many — you are not alone.
While it’s perfectly okay if you don’t have all the answers on how to make it in a world full of stressors and triggers, others do — and you will find them through support groups.
The most popular, never-failing support groups are Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA).
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of individuals going through recovery from alcohol dependence and who share a common goal: to attain long-term sobriety from alcoholism. In AA meetings, you will learn from other people’s experiences, struggles and perspectives on alcoholism recovery and find the much-needed support as you pursue sobriety.
Think of AA as a safe space for you to stay motivated as you embark on a new way of living without alcohol in the picture. You can visit the AA website to find the AA meetings within your local area.
Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
This support group is made up of members recovering from or living in active drug use. The core purpose of this fellowship group is to help individuals achieve a drug-free lifestyle with each others’ support. NA is a safe place to turn to as you try to adjust to a clean life away from drugs.
You will find people who’ve gone through the same challenges you are experiencing in recovery, and they will be there to hold your hand. You can search and discover the NA meetings in your area through the NA website.
Drug and alcohol rehab: Rebuilding your life a day at a time
The thought of enrolling in rehab may feel scary, but knowing how to find a treatment centre that has your best interests and being familiar with what to expect during rehabilitation will make your decision-making process less stressful.
When you settle for a treatment centre or a treatment alternative that matches your needs, you will begin recovery on the right foot. Quality rehab experiences will repair the physical and psychological damages that drugs or alcohol have caused in your life.
Rehab will provide you with tried-and-true coping strategies to help you stay clean for a long period, change your outlook on the underlying issues causing the addiction, and make healthy choices in your encounters with powerful triggers. Rehabilitation may not be a smooth ride, but it gives you a chance to live the beautiful life you deserve.