Why Go to a Drug Rehab?


Drug addiction is an unfortunate reality that affects far more people than many realise. Addiction to drugs is a problem so widespread that it affects people from every different demographic across the UK and beyond. No one is immune to the dangers of drug addiction. If you or someone you love is struggling with such a burden, it’s vital to seek the help you need. Going to drug rehab has shown to significantly improve a person’s chances of sustained sobriety much more than trying to quit alone. Relapse is an unfortunate reality many people who try to overcome an addiction face on a regular basis. Rehab offers the tools to prevent relapse, helping a person sustain their sobriety and regain the life they have lost to their addiction.

The first step in getting the help drug addicts so desperately need is admitting to a problem with drug abuse. This can be one of the hardest things a person will ever have to do in their life. Finding the strength to look at your issues or those of someone you love regarding drug abuse can truly be one of the best things you’ve ever done. Whether you think you might be struggling with addiction, or know someone who is, it’s important to understand as much about drug addiction as you possibly can. Educating yourself on addiction can help you realise why getting help is truly so important.

Common Types of Drug Addiction

While there are quite a few different drugs that people can become addicted to, there are few that are more common than others. Common types of drug addictions include the following:

  • Heroin/Opioids
  • Prescription Opiates
  • Benzodiazepines
  • Amphetamines
  • Methamphetamines
  • Cocaine/Crack

While the effects of each of these drugs are different, they all hold potential for abuse and addiction.

How Does Drug Addiction Develop?

The development of a full-blown addiction to drugs is different for each person. Some people may be able to use drugs once and never feel the urge to use again. Others might experiment and use them socially, but not find themselves abusing them. Still others will find it hard to stop using a substance after the first time they try it.

In most cases, drug addiction develops over time. Addiction is a progressive disease and will most often get worse over an extended period. Some addictions however, such as those to heroin, opioids, or opiates can happen much quicker. Cocaine and meth also pose a high risk for accelerated addiction.

Signs of Drug Addiction

When a person has a drug addiction, it isn’t long before the signs become apparent. Symptoms of drug addiction will vary between different types of drugs, but there are common physical, emotional, and behavioural signs that denote an addiction to drugs.

Physical

  • Weight loss
  • Changes in appetite
  • Ashen, pale, or gaunt complexion
  • Open sores on face or arms
  • Track marks from intravenous drug use
  • Excess or decreased amounts of energy depending on the type of drug taken
  • Cold or flu-like symptoms when a person isn’t sick
  • Pinpoint or dilated pupils depending on drug
  • Nodding out

Mental/Emotional

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Regular Mood Swings
  • Extreme highs when using
  • Extreme lows when sober
  • Nervousness
  • Over-confidence
  • Extremely talkative or very quiet depending on drug
  • Delusions of grandeur
  • Anger

Behavioural

  • Problems with authorities (arrest or repeated arrests)
  • Engaging in risky behaviour
  • Driving while under the influence of drugs
  • Missing school or work on a regular basis
  • Losing a job
  • Not paying bills or asking family members for money
  • Stealing from friends or family
  • Lying about drug use
  • Problems in relationship
  • Hanging out with a different crowd of people, often who use drugs as well

What Are the Benefits of Going to Drug Rehab

Going to a drug rehab gives a person the tools they need to successfully overcome their addiction for good. Anyone who has struggled with an addiction to drugs knows how hard it can be to beat it. While some many sustain sobriety for a while, it isn’t always so easy to maintain for an extended amount of time. This is because drug addiction is an extremely complex condition that can be impossible to quit alone. Drug rehab is designed to address each aspect of addiction so a person has the best chance possible of overcoming it for good.

How Effective Is Drug Rehab?

The objective of a person going to rehab isn’t just to stop using drugs. While drug rehab is designed to help a person stop their drug use, it is also made for people to learn how to properly and productively function with friends and family members, at work or school, and in the community at large. The success a person sees when they go to rehab will be determined by a variety of different factors including: the nature of a person’s problems, the extent of their addiction, their willingness to get treatment, and the relationship a person has with treatment providers.

Drug rehab can be very effective, but is dependent upon each person who receives help. A person who willingly accepts their problem with drug abuse is going to find better results than someone who refuses to admit they have a problem at all. When people relapse, many people assume it is the fault of the drug rehab centre itself. Successful treatment however, is attained not just by going to rehab, but by receiving continual help and assistance that helps a person avoid relapse. Drug rehab can be as effective as a person allows it to be. When it comes to going to rehab, the attitude a person has can go a long way towards the success the ultimately see in their sobriety.

Different Options for Drug Rehab

It can be very confusing when it comes to choosing the best rehab to fit your needs. Because addiction is such an extensive problem throughout the UK, there are countless rehab centres for a person to choose from. The first decision an individual will need to make is what type of treatment would be the most beneficial for their own personal needs. There are two basic types of treatment. These are known as inpatient or outpatient rehab, and will be the foundation for a person’s recovery experience.

image showing a man relaxing during Drug Rehab
Why choose eata.org.uk?

If someone you care about is exhibiting signs of addiction – whether it’s excessive marijuana use, long-term dependency on pharmaceuticals, binge drinking of alcohol or even financially damaging levels of gambling – contact us for immediate rehabilitation help.

Inpatient Rehab

In an inpatient rehab setting, a person will stay at the rehab centre for the length of their treatment. This means that after they are admitted they will begin treatment right away and continue the rest of their therapy at the centre. They will eat, sleep, and receive all treatment modalities without going home. A typical stay at an inpatient rehab is 28 to 90 days depending on the nature of a person’s addiction.

People who attend an inpatient rehab are removed from their immediate environment, which means all they need to worry about is getting well. Staying around the same scene while trying to get sober from drugs can be impossible. A familiar environment is full of the situations and people that can trigger a person’s desire to use drugs. Being removed from this environment can be extremely beneficial in successfully overcoming an addiction.

Outpatient Rehab

Not everyone can go away for an extended stay in a drug rehab centre. For those who have responsibilities they need to take care of but still want to go to rehab, outpatient treatment can be a viable alternative. Outpatient treatment allows a person to schedule times for their various therapy and treatment sessions. People that work during the day might choose to go to rehab after work or on the weekends.

Outpatient rehab is much less intensive than an inpatient programme. It is important to remember that in an outpatient setting, the individual will be surrounded by the circumstances that can trigger the urge to use. A person going to outpatient detox must be committed to their sobriety in a different way than someone staying at an inpatient centre. It can be really easy to miss an appointment and get off track with the recovery process. It’s for this reason that outpatient rehab is recommended to those with addictions that aren’t as severe.

What Should I Expect When Going to Drug Rehab?

Whether going to inpatient or outpatient rehab, the basics of a drug addiction treatment programme are the same. Rehab involves going through detox and receiving the therapy and treatments that are designed to help a person overcome addiction.

Detox

Before a person can receive any treatments or therapy in rehab, they must go through detox. Detox is the process a person goes through when ceasing drug use. This is where the worst of a person’s physical withdrawal symptoms will happen. When drugs begin to leave a person’s system, a person can become extremely sick depending on the nature and severity of their addiction. While detox symptoms will vary between drugs, some common withdrawal symptoms include nausea, vomiting, tremors, chills, cold sweats, and fever.

image showing young people enjoying their sober life after Drug Rehab

The harsh withdrawal symptoms a person experiences are quite often what keep them in an addiction for years. Many people are so addicted to drugs that they must use to keep from getting sick. Instances like this will most often warrant a medically-supervised detox where a patient is offered medication to lessen the severity of the person’s withdrawal symptoms.

How Long Does Detox Last?

The length a person goes through the detox process will be contingent on the personal nature of their addiction. The most severe part of detox will last somewhere between 48 and 72 hours. People with critical cases of drug addiction (such as those to opioids or heroin) may experience a detox that lasts up to ten days or more. Once a person has made it successfully through detox, they are ready to begin the rest of their treatment.

Why Do I Need Further Treatment If Detox Was Successful?

Addiction is a multi-faceted condition that requires a multi-disciplinary approach to overcoming. While detox is beneficial in helping a person overcome the physical dependency they have on drugs, there are still various psychological components of their addiction that must be addressed. Detox is part of a comprehensive treatment programme and is not designed as a primary treatment for addiction. Detox helps, but it doesn’t treat the whole. A person will need therapy and different treatments that will give them the tools to better understand their addiction and sustain sobriety.

Therapy

Talking to a professional therapist or counsellor is an integral part of the drug rehab process. While the physical nature of a person’s addiction is no doubt difficult to overcome, the psychological aspects that keep a person trapped in their addiction can be even harder to figure out. Therapy is something that helps with this, however. Through regular sessions with a professional trained in addiction recovery, a person will begin to discover the reasons behind their addiction. Once a person better understands why they stay trapped in the vicious cycle of addiction, the easier it is to take the steps to begin to overcome it.

Another thing therapy does is help re-establish a person’s trust and self-worth. Drug addiction can invoke a lot of feelings of shame, guilt, and unworthiness. Talking to a licensed therapist or counsellor can help an individual work through these painful emotions and make them feel better about themselves in the process. Therapy can do wonders for a person’s self-confidence, which is vital in the recovery process.

While individual therapy will help on one level, the group therapy a person will experience in rehab will help them in other ways. Drug addiction can destroy the relationships a person has with others. Group therapy, which is commonly a part of drug rehab, can help the individual forge a connection with others. Not only does group therapy allow a person to learn how to rebuild their relationships, but can be excellent for encouraging them to see they aren’t alone in their struggles.

Treatments

Aside from regular therapy sessions, a person will receive treatment in rehab that is designed to help a person through the addiction recovery process. As stated, addiction is very complex and needs to be treated on a variety of different levels in order to be successful. The treatment a person receives at rehab will be contingent upon their addiction and the various services offered at the particular rehab centre they choose.

There are a wide-range of treatments for drug addiction. One of the most commonly used in drug rehab is known as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This type of treatment has been used to treat addicts for years. It works by changing patterns of thought and behaviour that trigger a person’s addiction. It focuses on a person’s thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and images they hold, and how these relate to a person’s addiction.

Many treatments to addiction these days take a holistic approach as part of treatment. Engaging in mindfulness, meditation, acupuncture, yoga, and different breathing techniques to relieve stress are used in many drug rehab centres worldwide. Sound and music therapy may also be used in conjunction with other treatments a patient receives.

Physical activity is also a part of the treatment a person might receive when going to rehab. Drug addiction destroys a person’s physical health, and rebuilding strength is a part of the recovery process. Regular physical exercise will also help to improve a person’s mental state. The benefits exercise has on the addicted mind are truly unsurpassed.

Why Is Aftercare an Important Part of Drug Rehab?

Treatment for addiction doesn’t end when a person finishes rehab. Recovery is a process that takes time, and what a person does after they finish rehab is vital to their success in recovery. Receiving aftercare is common after completing a drug rehab programme. Aftercare consists of various treatments and therapies that help a person stay sober during the very delicate time after they complete rehab.

Everyone is different regarding their needs for aftercare. Some people who have attended an inpatient programme might feel they need continued treatment and go to an outpatient drug rehab for the help they need on a less intensive scale. Others may choose to stay at a sober living facility while they adjust to life outside of rehab.

Many people will choose to continue seeing their therapist or counsellor for as long as they feel they still need help. 12-step programmes such as AA and NA are also popular choices for free aftercare help. There are various 12-step meetings across the UK that anyone can access at regular times throughout each week.

The importance of getting aftercare cannot be stressed enough. While it might feel that you don’t need it after successfully completing a drug rehab programme, the triggers that cause relapse will show themselves sooner or later. Aftercare helps keep you prepared when the urge to use becomes increasingly overwhelming.

Transitioning from Drug Rehab Back Home

The transition from drug rehab back home can be difficult, even for those who feel amazing after receiving treatment. When you go to rehab, tools for transitioning back home will be offered that include:

  • Education to identify warning signs of relapse and how to avoid it
  • Tools to react differently to triggers when they occur
  • The presence of family or close friends that can be beneficial in helping a person through this time

It’s important when a person does get home from rehab, they follow a daily schedule that keeps them busy. Avoiding stress and boredom are key in the days that follow a return home from drug rehab. A regular exercise routine (walks in the morning, going to the gym 3-5 days a week, yoga class 1-2 times a week, etc.), staying busy with chores or work, and finding new activities to enjoy are all excellent ways to build a routine as you make the transition from rehab.

Staying relaxed is also necessary when a person returns home after going to drug rehab. People who experience elevated levels of anxiety and stress are more likely to relapse than those who find ways to reduce these negative feelings. Time for daily relaxation should be made priority.

How Much Does Rehab Cost?

Because the cost of rehab can be high, many people don’t seek the treatment they need. This is unfortunate however, because there are countless affordable options to fit anyone’s budget. If you are interested in getting rehab, but think it’s too expensive, you will be pleasantly surprised to find there are drug rehab centres that don’t cost as much as you might think.

The cost of rehab varies between various rehab centres. The price you pay for rehab is dependent on what treatments are offered at a particular facility. Cost of rehab will also depend on the type of treatment centre you choose. Inpatient rehab is more costly than outpatient, but offers a more intensive treatment programme.

The most basic inpatient treatment can cost as little as 500 pounds a week. At the other end of the spectrum, there are luxury inpatient drug rehab centres that can cost thousands of pounds per week. There are also options for every price in between. There are also a few free options through NHS for those that cannot afford to pay for treatment at all.

What Is Included in the Cost of Inpatient Drug Rehab?

Inpatient rehab is more expensive because of the services offered. Services provided at an inpatient rehab will determine the cost of rehab, and there are a variety of different factors this is based upon.

  • Housing

At an inpatient rehab centre, the person receiving treatment will stay at the centre the entire duration of their treatment. Part of what a person pays will go towards room and board.

  • Food

All meals are provided for an individual attending inpatient rehab. Three meals a day are provided for patients, all of which are nutritionally-based to offer the individual what they need rebuild their strength after an addiction to drugs.

  • Therapy

A large part of drug treatment is the therapy a person receives. Part of the price of inpatient rehab is to cover the cost of maintaining highly trained drug therapists and counsellors.

  • Staff

A drug rehab facility costs money to upkeep. From intake professionals and front desk persons to chefs and housekeeping staff, the cost of rehab will include what it costs to upkeep the everyday operations of the facility.

  • Treatment

Many treatment modalities will require supplies or equipment. Some rehab facilities also do various excursions outside the rehab centre as a part of therapy. Part of the cost of inpatient treatment will go towards what it costs to offer these various treatment options.

What Makes a Drug Rehab Successful?

Each drug rehab centre is different and success can be difficult to accurately measure. If a person relapses after the get help, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the rehab itself was unsuccessful. People will react to treatment in different ways. Where one person finds success, another may end up relapsing. There are aspects that might make a rehab more successful than others however.

The personalised attention a person receives is one aspect of a successful drug rehab. Everyone has their own unique needs, and a quality drug rehab will recognise this. They will offer each patient the personal care they need, including an individualised treatment plan that will help in their recovery.

A variety of different therapies will also help make treatment successful. Therapy will take up most of a person’s time while they are at rehab, and the best treatment centres will offer a variety of options that have shown to be beneficial for others. This will include both individual and group counselling, as well as different modules of treatment that will help an individual’s personal needs.

Why choose eata.org.uk?

If someone you care about is exhibiting signs of addiction – whether it’s excessive marijuana use, long-term dependency on pharmaceuticals, binge drinking of alcohol or even financially damaging levels of gambling – contact us for immediate rehabilitation help.

We Help You Find the Best Drug Rehab in the UK

We understand the need for finding the best drug treatment to fit your needs. Dealing with a drug addiction alone isn’t only difficult, but can be very frightening as well. Having an addiction to drugs can quickly ruin a person’s life. If you’re an addict or know someone struggling with a drug addiction, you are well aware of just how true this is.

We are here because we truly want to see everyone struggling with addiction get the help they so desperately need. We are in touch with a variety of different drug rehab centres throughout the UK and will work with you to find the best fit possible for your individual needs.

Whether you are looking for an inpatient drug rehab where all you need to think about is getting well, or need to go to an outpatient rehab so you can take care of other responsibilities, we are to help you find exactly what will fit your needs. We know that it can be extremely confusing trying to navigate through all the different options you have for drug rehab. We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you get into rehab and turn your life around. Please call us now for a no obligation chat on how to receive affordable drug rehab in the UK.

 
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