Ways to Stop Drinking and Using Drugs
There are many ways to stop drinking or using drugs, various therapies and treatments exist to help people along a safe route to recovery. These routes include all types of residential treatment, detox services, one to one counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy... the list goes on. For your convenience we have included a short synopsis of the more popular treatements. Please feel free to call for free impartial advice, or simply drop us a line on the form on the right of the page and we will get back to you within 24 hours.
Intervention - Stopping drinking or using drugs can be harder than simply finding a treatment centre
An intervention is the concept that even though the client with an addiction remains in denial about their problems, those that love them rally around and are led through an emotional, loving and truthful process which aims to bring the chaos and anti-social behaviours of the addicted to the forefront of a discussion, thus allowing them to rapidly come to their own conclusion that treatment is necessary and over due. www.stopdrinking.org.uk and www.stopusing.org.uk have relationships with certain facilities who only use accredited and experienced Private Practitioners that can perform interventions as required or if necessary. Click here for more information on stopping drinking / using.
Drug and Alcohol Detox
Can be split into 3 categories.
1 - In-patient Detox. Established as a completely medical model and operates as a hospital.
2 - Residential Detox. The client is actively engaged and kept occupied whilst detoxing. This process engages clients therapeutically at the same time.
3 - Rapid Detox. The client is sedated for 5 days (or whatever the particular programme offers) and goes through the physical withdrawals whilst unaware or unconscious. This requires adequate follow on care.
Residential rehabilitation
Can be split into 2 categories.
1 - Inpatient. Where the client stays under 24 hour care and supervision and receives therapy for their addiction 7 days a week. Very safe and comfortable.
2 - Quasi-residential. Where the client attends the facility during the day and retires to safe housing in the evenings. Very effective. Can be equally intensive. Less luxurious, it is extremely cost effective and evidence driven.
Primary Care
This is the point of residential rehabilitation where the client will be introduced to the therapeutic methods and models of treatment and taken through the preferred programme and into recovery. This is an intensive period of treatment. It normally follows on from Detoxification, although many facilities will introduce Primary Care into the clients' regime during their detoxification process.
This is the most common and most effective form of treatment as it employs talking therapies to change the way someone thinks, therefore having a knock on effect upon someone's behaviours and helping them to feel better about themselves with out the use of drink or drugs, but by utilising healthier behaviours.
Secondary Care
This follows on from Primary Care and is used to reinforce all the treatment previously received in Primary Care. There is no doubt as to the increased likelihood of maintaining someone's recovery by attending secondary care too. This is generally considered to be less intensive and less client focused, though thoroughly suggested.
Tertiary Care
Also known as 3rd Stage is normally after 6 months minimum previous treatment and generally provides safe accommodation (Sober Living Houses), peer led community recovery and opportunities to rebuild lives through work, education, training, volunteering etc.
Aftercare
Aftercare is offered by virtually all providers of residential treatment. All evidence shows that without sufficient aftercare provisions, someone's chances of maintaining their recovery is unlikely.
Recovery from alcoholism and addiction does not simply end upon completion or graduation of a treatment facility. Continuing support post rehab is the key to a happy and healthy recovery. Treatment really is a vital part of the process, but it is by no means the end. It is just the end of the beginning. Recovery is a lifetime process of growth and self discovery in all areas of someone's life that have previously been harmed by their destructive, unmanageable and sometimes chaotic lifestyles.
12 step Fellowships such as Alcoholics Anonymous / Narcotics Anonymous / Cocaine Anonymous / Gamblers Anonymous etc exist throughout the UK and the rest of the world. They may well constitute the back bone of anyone's long term sobriety or clean time. You are very likely to be recommended them once you return home after treatment. They are free of charge and operate on a voluntary basis by its own membership. They are particularly helpful and have become part of the Government strategy on harm reduction. There are even 12 step Fellowships for those who suffer from their loved one's drinking Al Anon / FamAnon / CoAnon etc.
Sober Living Housing
Alcohol and drug free houses, also known as sober living, play an important role in supporting treatment and recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. Sober living Housing really does help individuals in recovery to maintain and alcohol and drug free lifestyle by establishing a living environment that supports sobriety and recovery. When living in a sober environment, recovering addicts are surrounded by others who share a common experience and who all support one another in their sobriety. While in sober living, residents are free to organize and participate in self-help meetings and other group meetings that help them maintain their sobriety. While the house and its residents do not provide any treatment, recovery, or detoxification services, members of the house are able to provide support for one another through daily conversations and house organized meetings to promote sobriety and recovery. Individuals in drug and alcohol free houses are most likely to have graduated from a particular Centre which offers this as a form of Aftercare and long term support. Sober living usually serves to help those individuals transition from a residential treatment facility back into their daily lives. For some individuals, returning home to their old environments where they used drugs would be stressful and triggering, so sober living serves as a way to help those individuals to transition back into daily life while helping them to maintain their recovery. Sober living communities do not provide structured treatment, but instead provide a support system for individuals who are striving to maintain their sobriety after a residential treatment programme and in some cases we have seen 91% success rate (please speak to us for further information about this locality). While sober living communities differ from place to place, there are three similarities that all sober living communities share. Firstly, they make sure that a person who is in recovery lives in a place that is free from alcohol and drug use. Secondly, the residents themselves reinforce their recovery through giving and receiving support from other individuals in recovery. Thirdly, the residents of drug and alcohol free housing are free to voluntarily pursue activities to support their recovery, either alone or with others. Sober living communities provide recovering addicts with an environment where they can support one another in maintaining their sobriety and where they can help one another work towards lifelong recovery.
Day Care or Evening Care
This is where the client attends during the day / evening only. Difficult for less motivated clients, however is necessary when the client has family or work obligations, since they reside at home and are free at weekends. Less successful unless showing significantly high motivation and residing in a safe & suitable household.
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