For those in Hillingdon suffering from addiction or dependency, there are many treatment options available.
This article will discuss drug and rehab options in Hillingdon, exploring the treatments available, how to access them, what to expect when you gein treatment and what to do once you leave.
Beginning rehabilitative treatment can seem like a big step for many people, especially in the cases of those who may have no prior experience in this field.
However, choosing the right rehabilitation programme is not always the first step.
In some cases, it may be helpful to hold an intervention for the individual suffering from addiction.
This involves the presence of an interventionist or counsellor during mediated discussions between the individual and those around them who may be affected by their addiction.
Traditionally, interventions were viewed as very confrontational, as the individual is often ‘blamed’ for the behaviours exhibited during their addiction.
This can be extremely counter-productive, demotivating some people to continue or begin seeking rehabilitative care.
The standard form of intervention has a success rate of around 30%.
In more recent times, this has been increased to 70% through the CRAFT method (Community Reinforcement Approach to Family Training).
This type of intervention takes a far more invitational approach, building relationships between individuals as well as helping them to express and gain understanding from those around them on subjects such as triggers, cravings and suitable care.
Addiction is a complex disorder, having different effects on every individual and affecting their lives in countless ways.
For this reason, it may be hard for someone to ascertain whether they or someone they know may have an addiction.
However, there are some tools that are designed to help with this problem.
For example, the CAGE questionnaire was developed to assess whether or not someone may be addicted.
The acronym was developed to help psychiatrists and medical professionals work through the different areas in life that addiction impacts.
CAGE stands for Cutting down, Annoyance by criticism, Guilty feeling and Eye-openers.
Each of these areas are places where someone who has addiction may show abnormalities.
For example, becoming agitated when someone asks about their personal drug habits is common amongst those struggling with addiction.
This would fall under the ‘annoyance by criticism’ section of the questionnaire.
Although this method is not as official as some other more formal diagnosing methods, the CAGE questionnaire is a quick test that individuals can undertake to understand the extent of their addiction.
Addiction is not expressed in the same ways or with the same effects for every individual case.
Every individual has unique struggles and requirements when it comes to addiction, and this means that no type of care will be the same.
With this considered, then there is no straight answer for the cost of rehab in general.
However, there are some features of residential rehab that can be assessed to understand more about how the cost is broken down.
This biggest factor is the type of accommodation, the main differences of which are outlined below:
Please bear in mind that these costs are an average at the time of writing and other factors such as insurance may come into effect when the overall cost is presented.
In general, insurance will cover rehabilitation if the individual has included this as part of their insurance plan.
For example, if the individual is receiving their health insurance plan from their career or job, then it is essential to discuss what this plan covers with the provider.
This may be a member of the human resources team, or an external associate.
Make sure to discuss this before proceeding with rehabilitative care – it is better to begin care knowing that you will be supported financially rather than finding out a while later that you are not covered.
Alternatively, those who have private healthcare should also contact their provider to determine exactly what they are covered for, including residential rehabilitation options and other sources such as outpatient care (more in later paragraphs).
The NHS is a public healthcare system, meaning that it is publicly funded.
In general, individuals can access many different types of rehabilitative care through the NHS.
However, this can be difficult to access and options such as staying in a dedicated residential centre are notoriously rare.
Residential care can be an expensive option in some cases, so gaining the necessary funding is often a challenge.
In many cases, the individual must gain funding from other sources or present their case to an external funding body such as the local council.
In addition, this can be a long process, as getting the applications for funding often takes many months, meaning that individuals often don’t get access to the help they need it.
These difficulties are why many people choose private rehab instead.
As mentioned in the previous paragraphs, rehabilitation will be specialised and tailored for each individual case.
There is no set duration for rehab, and there is no guarantee that it will last the initial set period of time.
While staying in a centre or taking part in a local support group or counselling course, individuals may show signs of being able to shorten or lengthen their initial allotted time in rehab.
For some individuals, this may be a detox session of around 7 days or less.
This is only suitable for individuals who have more experience with drug and alcohol rehab in Hillingdon, or those who may not have had such a long history with drug usage.
Rehab 4 Addiction recommends a stay of 28-days, including a detox session followed by an additional 3 weeks of further programmes such as therapy or addiction treatments.
From this, it is easy to see how the length of stay may be altered depending on the individual’s case.
If they progress through detox in a short period of time, they will be able to transition onto further treatments relatively quickly.
However, those with a long history of drug use may take longer to progress through detoxification, meaning that they will have a longer overall stay in rehab.
Although some of the features of the NHS and privately-funded services have been previously discussed, there are some further features that consolidate the differences between council-funded services and private residential care.
The main differences, benefits and drawbacks are outlined in the paragraphs below:
Though mentioned above, residential care is the main type of inpatient care.
In general, inpatient care refers to rehabilitation away from home, often in a dedicated centre, where the individual will engage in addiction treatment programmes in order to recover and eventually return to their home.
Individuals who successfully complete addiction treatment programmes through a residential centre are more likely to make a full and efficient recovery.
The alternatives to inpatient care -outpatient care- refers to options that include the individual staying at home or in their local area, periodically taking part in treatments such as individual or group therapy and addiction support networking.
As the first stage of rehabilitation, most individuals will go through the process of detoxification.
This refers to the process of removing harmful chemicals and toxins from the body that have built up as a result of drug usage.
In the case of alcohol detox, this can be especially risky.
This is mainly due to the fact that alcohol is a physically addictive drug, meaning that withdrawing from the physical effects can be life-threatening.
In addition, the symptoms experienced during alcohol withdrawal can be extremely unpleasant for individuals.
Some of the most common symptoms are listed below:
In the case of individuals who have a long history of alcohol abuse or more serious withdrawal risks, it may be appropriate to use pharmacological interventions.
For alcohol withdrawals, this may be with a substance such as Librium.
Librium reduces the harmful negative withdrawal effects, therefore allowing the individual to focus on other areas of recovery such as therapy or alternative treatments.
As well as addictions to alcohol, Rehab 4 Addiction provides support for all types of addiction.
One of the most common drug addictions in the UK is cocaine.
Cocaine is the second most popular drug in the UK, contributing to the high levels of addiction to this drug.
Recreationally, cocaine provides the individual with extreme euphoria and distorted perceptions.
Individuals often behave very differently when under the influence of this drug – something which is often picked up on by friends and family around them.
With long-term abuse, cocaine can cause a psychological crash – something which often takes a long time to recover from and can have long-lasting effects.
In terms of rehab, cocaine is not physically addictive, so the withdrawal symptoms are not life-threatening to the individual (unless combined with other substances).
This means that the individual has more freedom to focus on further treatments such as counselling and other therapies focussing on their mental wellbeing.
Another common addiction present in the modern world is heroin.
It is known as being one of the most addictive drugs in the world.
When consumed, individuals experience feelings of extreme highs, often progressing to larger doses.
Like alcohol, heroin is physically addictive, meaning that withdrawal can be incredibly dangerous if not properly supervised and managed.
With long-term abuse, individuals often progress through the tapering method of withdrawal.
This refers to the transition from heroin to a heroin-like substance such as methadone or naltrexone.
With the use of this method, individuals often reduce the risk to their own physical health, allowing them to focus on their recovery and their future.
Cannabis is the most popular drug in the UK, with the largest percentage of individuals reporting use of this drug.
Cannabis is a psychoactive drug, having a range of effects across individuals depending on their tolerance and mental health, as well as the type of cannabis consumed and in what quantity.
As a psychoactive drug, cannabis affects the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in a range of effects such as:
Not every individual will experience cannabis in the same way, but it is nonetheless an addictive substance.
Like cocaine, it is not a physically addictive drug, meaning that when in rehab the individual is free to focus on additional treatments and support.
Individuals recovering from a cannabis addiction are encouraged to undergo treatments focussing on their mental health and healing the psychological effects of cannabis abuse.
Though a few different treatment options have been listed throughout this article, it is important to understand the different options available through drug and alcohol rehab in Hillingdon.
Every case of addiction is different, but there are some common and effective treatments that most individuals can expect to come across during their time at rehab.
Some of the most common and successful treatments are listed below:
This list is not extensive, and there are many more different types of therapy that an individual may come across during their time in rehab.
However, these are the most common treatments and are the basis for many other different types of therapy that an individual may come across.
Many people consider addiction to be a disorder resulting as a product of underlying mental health issues, exhibiting themselves in a repetitive cycle of behaviour to consume more of the drug.
In many cases, individuals experience mental health effects as a result of addiction or as it is brought to the surface by the development of an addiction.
This is known as a dual-diagnosis.
Commonly experienced mental health disorders experienced with addiction include:
This is often diagnosed before an individual enters rehabilitation or as part of Rehab 4 Addiction’s initial assessment of behaviour, needs and requirements of rehab.
All treatments suggested by Rehab 4 Addiction follow the approach of dual diagnosis, treating both the physical and mental effects of addiction and leading to a far more effective treatment programme in the long-term.
As part of rehabilitation, individuals will be encouraged and supported through the creation of a relapse prevention plan.
This is a plan that can be referred to in the event of a potential relapse, helping the individual to remember their coping mechanisms or deal with the event in a suitable manner.
Though not always necessary, as not every individual is guaranteed to relapse during their recovery, having a relapse prevention plan provides peace of mind for many individuals.
Whilst creating the plan, individuals are encouraged to keep to following points in mind:
As part of the plan, individuals should include their triggers, cravings, coping mechanisms and the contact number for their addiction supervisor and/or those in their addiction support network, such as Alcoholics Anonymous.
As part of most residential rehab stays and outpatient services, aftercare will be provided for the individual.
This is either through the establishment where the individual took part in rehabilitation or through a service like Rehab 4 Addiction.
Our support line is open 24/7 to provide support at every stage of the process.
Whether you are looking at your options for rehab or need some support after leaving rehabilitative care, give us a call for a friendly and non-judgemental chat.
In some cases, residential care may not always be appropriate, usually due to factors relating to location, finances, or personal choice.
In these cases, there are a number of alternatives that may be suitable for some individuals.
These are outlined below:
This list is not extensive, as there are countless more options for those who require a different approach to rehabilitation.
For more information on anything read in this article, or for any questions relating to addiction, please contact our addiction support hotline on 0800 140 4690.
We are able to connect you with a wide variety of inpatient, outpatient and home-based addiction treatment programmes in Hillingdon, London.
We initiate this process by helping you commit to your recovery.
It’s never easy to admit that you need help, and we do everything we can to help you overcome denial so that your recovery becomes a possibility.
Reach out today to begin your recovery journey the right way.
Viagra has long been associated with older men who have trouble maintaining an erection, but it is becoming an increasingly popular substance with the younger generation. Combining Viagra and cocaine is now more common than ever, with many younger men believing that it increases their sexual performance. However, the risks of combining these two su .... Read More
