Medically reviewed by Dr Iqbal Mohiuddin MBBS BSc, PGCME Back in the 1960s, alcohol and LSD were among the favourite substances used for recreational purposes. Today, alcohol remains the most abused substance in the UK, followed by drugs like heroin and cocaine.
Legal highs are also a big problem thanks to their easy availability and cheap prices.
Why tell you this? Just to remind you how serious a problem substance abuse is. Even here in Ayrshire, there are people desperately in need of rehab.
The fact is that addiction does not know boundaries. It is an issue that is not confined to big cities like London and New York. It is right here in Ayrshire, too.
The other side of that coin is the fact that help is available here as well. Between the NHS, drug and alcohol charities, and private rehab clinics, every person affected by substance use disorder who wants to take advantage of treatment has the opportunity to do so.
Moreover, organisations like Rehab 4 Addiction are here to make it happen.
The article will discuss drug and alcohol rehab in Ayrshire. Ayrshire is a county located in the southwest of Scotland and has a population of 367,000.
Data collected by Alcohol Focus Scotland suggests that 1 in 4 people are deemed to be hazardous drinkers. In a study conducted by The Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD), 10,757 people were asked about their drug use.
Of these, 81% reported using a substance, such as heroin (44%), cannabis (31%), cocaine (33%), and alcohol (40%), for example. Compared with the rest of Scotland, Ayrshire has one of the highest drug and alcohol consumption rates.
The latest data suggest that alcohol is the most consumed substance in Ayrshire, followed by cannabis, cocaine, and heroin. (1) For information about drug and alcohol statistics in Ayrshire, read this article.
For those seeking help for drug and alcohol dependency, and are based in Ayrshire, this article will serve as a useful guide.
It will discuss rehab and treatment options, how to access them, and what treatment will involve.
To begin your recovery journey today, call our 24-Hour Helpline: 0800 140 4690
This is one of the more challenging questions to ask and many people that suffer from addiction are unsure of the answer.
In simple terms, it is always good to seek help – whether you have only just started using or have been substance dependent for a long time.
Therefore, it is wise to reach out to a key worker, such as a GP. In general, however, there are some important signs that addiction has occurred and that it is time to get help. (2)
Here are some of the most common signs of addiction:
Of these, the most prominent sign of addiction is experiencing withdrawal.
Withdrawal symptoms emerge when a person’s brain and body need the substance to function.
When a person stops using, they will begin to experience intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal symptoms differ depending on the substance. However, some more universal symptoms include:
Rehab, of rehabilitation, simply put, is a process of treatment; this could be for a physiological issue, mental health, or, in this case, addiction.
Drug and alcohol rehab focuses on helping people achieve and maintain sobriety.
This is done by helping people detox and then addressing the underlying reason why the addiction might have occurred.
This process can vary from program to program, but most rehabs focus on four key elements:
Upon entering rehab, the first step is to undergo a medical assessment. This will look for any other underlying health issues – dual diagnosis, heart conditions, or brain damage, for example.
This will help medical professionals provide the best-suited treatment and medication.
Following this, people will begin to detox – the brain and body expelling the substance.
As previously mentioned, this can lead to a range of withdrawal symptoms.
Because some substances can be life-threatening – heroin and alcohol, for example – people will be given medication to help combat withdrawal symptoms.
One of the most important parts of rehab, following detox, is therapy and counselling.
The helps people discover and better understand their addiction. In most cases, people will undergo sessions with a trained professional, such as a psychologist.
Types of therapy vary based on individual needs, but common therapy types include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and group therapy (these will be covered in more detail later).
Achieving sobriety and understanding addiction is not enough, however. People must be given the tools to prevent relapse.
As part of rehab, people will work alongside a professional to develop a relapse prevention plan – this involves reflecting on addiction, understanding triggers, and learning useful coping mechanisms.
Most treatment programs in Ayrshire offer aftercare. As the name suggests, this is continued support upon finishing the treatment program, such as more therapy and regular check-ups. (3)
To begin your recovery journey today, call our 24-Hour Helpline: 0800 140 4690
When deciding to seek help, people will most likely be presented with two options: inpatient or outpatient treatment.
Both offer the same process – detox, therapy, relapse prevention, and aftercare.
Other similarities include:
However, inpatient and outpatient treatment differ in important ways.
The most obvious difference is that inpatient treatment is residential – people stay at a facility for the entirety of their treatment – and outpatient is not.
Outpatient treatment requires people to attend weekly appointments at a doctor’s surgery or local service, for example (on average, 10 to 12 hours per week).
One of the significant pros of inpatient treatment is round-the-clock medical care and supervision.
Some other pros include:
This makes inpatient treatment particularly useful for those with severe addiction.
Outpatient treatment, on the other hand, benefits from flexibility – this means that people can fit their treatment around their daily lives.
Other differences between inpatient and outpatient treatment include:
The price of drug and alcohol rehab in Ayrshire will be based on several factors:
In Ayrshire, there are many free, local drug and alcohol services. (5)
These free services will cover things such as:
For more information on the organisations that offer these services, please follow this link.
Private rehab, however, will be expensive. On average, between £10,000 to £14,000 per month.
If residential treatment is a must, it might be possible to secure funding through the NHS.
This will require an application made via a key worker to the Local Ayrshire council.
Funding is not easy to come by, however, and people will expect to show a willingness to change, such as by attending local services, therapy, and pre-rehab courses.
To begin your recovery journey today, call our 24-Hour Helpline: 0800 140 4690
There is no specific timeframe for drug and alcohol rehab in Ayrshire.
Although medical professionals recommend a minimum of 28-days, in most cases the duration of rehab will be dependent upon the individual.
Medical professionals will assess the person’s needs before they enter rehab and recommend a duration based on such things as:
Most rehabs offer 7-day, 14-day, 28-day, and 90-day treatment options.
It should be noted, however, that, as rehab is optional, people are free to decide how long they would like to stay.
As mentioned earlier, an important aspect of rehab – whether inpatient or outpatient – is therapy.
There are many different types of therapy and people will most likely be allowed to try several, depending on what the treatment program offers.
Here are some of the most common therapies:
Talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy, is a therapy that focuses on communication. During sessions with a trained professional, people will talk about their addiction and why it might have emerged.
People are likely to explore past trauma, family and romantic relationship, and childhood experiences.
Talk therapy aims to first, provide an opportunity to open up, and second, to get to the root of the issues that are preventing the person from living a substance-free life.
CBT is all about how negative thoughts lead to negative behaviour, such as using a substance.
During CBT sessions, people will learn about their thought patterns and how to cognitively reappraise – that is, how to change and control negative thoughts which should lead to positive behaviours.
MI explores a person’s motivations – be it their motivation to use a substance, their motivation to not be sober, or their motivation for not seeking help.
Understanding why such motivations are there can lead to new and healthier motivations. Through a series of interviews, people will be encouraged to develop and implement new, healthy motivations.
Group therapy is probably one of the most universal therapies for dealing with drug and alcohol addiction.
The reason for this is that people are given the opportunity to connect with others that are going through or have been through, similar experiences.
This helps deal with feelings of isolation, provides an opportunity to gain valuable insights, and encourages accountability.
Finally, there is holistic therapy. During treatment, people will be encouraged to think about and improve their well-being.
This might involve playing an instrument, writing poetry, gardening, or meditation. (6)
To begin your recovery journey today, call our 24-Hour Helpline: 0800 140 4690
Whilst undergoing therapy, people will begin to explore relapse prevention. Although rehab has a high success rate, recovery is an ongoing journey and people are always at risk of using.
Therefore, maintaining sobriety is a key focus of any treatment program. Most treatment programs will encourage people to create a relapse prevention plan – a written document that has information on potential triggers and coping mechanisms, for example.
A relapse prevention plan is usually created with the assistance of a medical professional, who will also teach people tools, such as cognitive reappraisal, emotional management, and positive communication.
Finally, most treatment programs will offer aftercare. This involves continued therapy and counselling, access to a helpline, help to access local services, continued support, and regular check-ins. (7)
As an individual, you are a unique person with individual needs and personal history. What might have proved to be a successful treatment for someone passing through a clinic last year may not be right for you.
That is why organisations using the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to drug rehab produce less-than-desirable results. A better way to treat recovering from addiction is to develop bespoke treatment plans for each one.
The private rehab clinics Rehab 4 Addiction works with do just that. They customise treatments based on what is most likely to work for the individual.
In so doing, they are creating the optimal environment for complete recovery. They are giving those recovering from addiction the greatest chances of success.
Determining the treatment for you starts by calling our addiction recovery helpline. Our counsellors are fully trained to assess your circumstances and determine the seriousness of your problem.
Our counsellors can also assist you in determining what treatment options are suited to you. In addition, if you need help making admission arrangements to a private clinic, all you need to do is ask.
We know that the prospect of drug or alcohol recovery in Ayrshire can be somewhat intimidating. Nevertheless, we would like the opportunity to explain to you what your new life without addictive substances can be like.
We know rehab works because we have helped countless numbers of people just like you take advantage of it. With one phone call to our recovery helpline, you could be well on your way to a better, happier, and more productive life.
There are private clinics in the Ayrshire area ready to admit you right away. If residential treatment is not right for your circumstances, we can advise you on your other options. We just want you to get help, regardless of who provides it.
Rehab 4 Addiction is an organisation offering confidential services in Ayrshire and across the UK. Our mission is to connect those affected by substance use disorder and their families with the service providers offering proven rehab treatments.
To begin your recovery journey today, call our 24-Hour Helpline: 0800 140 4690
If you’re ready to battle your drug or alcohol addiction with the help of experts, it’s time to get in touch. At Rehab 4 Addiction, we help you to access rehab in Ayrshire.
Call us or contact us through this website. We’re ready and waiting to help you combat your addiction once and for all.
Rehab 4 Addiction officers a range of addiction treatments in Scotland, including Aberdeen, Ayrshire, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Strathclyde, Stirling, St Andrews, Prestwick, Perth, Peebles, Paisley, Motherwell, Midlothian, Lothian, Livingston, Kilmarnock, Irvine, Inverness, Berwick, Hamilton, Glenrothes, Galloway, Falkirk, Dunfermline, Dundee, Dumfries, Dumbarton, Clydebank, Bathgate, Bannockburn, Argyll, and Angus.
This article was written by Boris Mackey. You can connect with Boris online at LinkedIn or X.com.
(1) https://www.gov.scot/policies/alcohol-and-drugs/
(2) Heyes, Adam Douglas. “The Benefits of Holistic Health and Wellness Practices on Alcoholism and Addiction Recovery.” Benefits 844: 952-7268.
(3) Fletcher, Anne M. Inside rehab: The surprising truth about addiction treatment–and how to get help that works. Penguin, 2013.
(4) Day, Ed, and John Strang. “Outpatient versus inpatient opioid detoxification: a randomized controlled trial.” Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 40, no. 1 (2011): 56-66.
(5) https://www.nhsaaa.net/services-a-z/alcohol-and-drug-services/
(6) Hepner, Kimberly A., Sarah B. Hunter, Susan M. Paddock, Annie J. Zhou, and Katherine E. Watkins. “Training addiction counselors to implement CBT for depression.” Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research 38, no. 4 (2011): 313-323.
(7) Hettema, Jennifer, Julie Steele, and William R. Miller. “Motivational interviewing.” Annual Review of Clinical Psychology(2005) 1, no. 1 (2005): 91-111.
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