Substance misuse creates harmful outcomes for not only the individuals and their families, but also in the wider community.
No more is this true than in London. In Hackney and the City alone, approximately one third of all adults are estimated to drink more than the recommended amount of 14 units of alcohol per week, and approximately 4,000 16-59 year olds are classified and known as frequent drug users [1].
In fact, the rate of drug related deaths in Hackney has consistently been higher than the rest of England for some time now.
In Hackney alone, there were 50 drug related deaths between 2015 – 2017 [2].
Likewise, alcohol remains to be the leading risk factor for ill health, early death and disability among people aged 15-49 years old across London and the rest of England [1].
Unfortunately, the number of people who suffer from a dual diagnosis is also steadily increasing, putting a significant strain on local services across London and the wider area [1].
Socioeconomic factors also come into play, as drug and alcohol addiction issues can be both a cause and a symptom of homelessness and poverty.
In fact, substance addiction has been recognised as the single key driver for rough sleeping in London [3].
Of all rough sleepers assessed across London, 77% of all individuals reported that they suffer from drug and alcohol addictions, or admitted that they suffered from mental health issues or had done so in the past [1].
It is important to acknowledge that drug and alcohol issues can affect anyone, not just those struggling from homelessness and low socio-economic struggles.
Work life balance has also become more strained than ever, with a lot of people in London working additional hours to make ends meet. In fact, white-collar addiction has led London to become the cocaine capital of Europe.
This means that a lot more people are turning to alcohol and even drugs as a form of a crutch, whilst being able to hold down full time employment and maintain relationships.
Why seeking help for your addiction is important
Seeking help for your drug or alcohol addiction is incredibly important, as everyone deserves the help they need in order to recover.
Drug and alcohol addiction issues are a form of illness, which require intervention, treatment and most likely medication in order to recover from.
You might require inpatient rehab, therapy or even sometimes a home detox.
Addiction is physical, meaning that your body will physically crave the substances that you are addicted to.
This is why if you suffer from a severe addiction to either drugs or alcohol, recovering on your own is simply not an option.
Addiction issues also tend to compound, meaning that they get worse the longer your addiction goes on.
This is because your tolerance to drugs and alcohol will increase over time, meaning that your body will become increasingly more dependent on the substance in order to feel some type of ‘normal.’
The longer you abuse substances, the harder it will be to recover. This is why getting help and treatment for your addiction as soon as possible is highly recommended and important.
What are the benefits of attending alcohol rehab?
There are a whole host of benefits associated with attending alcohol rehab. Not only will you undergo a detox for your physical addiction, but you will also gain access to therapy and mental health treatment.
Most people who suffer from addiction issues also suffer from mental health issues, which is why attending inpatient rehab is incredibly important.
During your time in rehab, you will receive a range of different therapy treatment options, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), family therapy, motivational interviewing and dialectical behaviour therapy.
By attending rehab, you will get the chance to detox in a controlled and monitored environment, surrounded by addiction recovery specialists.
During this time, you will experience a range of withdrawal symptoms, which can put the body under a lot of physical stress. This is why you need to be monitored on a regular basis by doctors and professionals.
You might also be asked to attend outpatient rehab. This involves recovering outside of a rehab facility, in the comfort of your own home.
You will be required to attend an outpatient rehab facility, where you will gain access to medication and therapy treatment.
Outpatient rehab allows you to recover surrounded by family and friends and will also allow you the chance to hold down your job whilst you recover.
It is important to understand that you are only able to attend outpatient rehab if your addiction is deemed less severe.
What is the difference between inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment?
If you need to attend rehab in London, then it’s important to understand the difference between inpatient and outpatient addiction treatment.
If you suffer from a severe addiction to certain drugs or alcohol, then you will need to attend inpatient rehab.
However, if your addiction is deemed less severe, then you might only need to attend outpatient rehab.
Inpatient addiction rehab in London involves staying overnight at a rehab facility, sometimes for a couple of weeks or even sometimes months depending on the severity of your addiction.
During this time, you will be allocated a room within the rehab facility, and the addiction recovery specialists and doctors will create a schedule for you each day.
This schedule will consist of appointments and therapy sessions which you will be expected to attend.
Outpatient rehab treatment works differently, in that you will be allowed to remain living at home for the duration of your treatment and will only be expected to visit the rehab facility on a regular basis to gain access to your medication and treatment sessions.
Outpatient treatment is ideal for anyone with a less severe addiction, who might want to recover from their addiction whilst still holding down employment.
This is also a great option for anyone who might have children to look after at home.
The rehab process explained
If you suffer from addiction issues in London, then the idea of attending rehab can feel incredibly overwhelming. However, the rehab process is actually incredibly straightforward.
If you attend a rehab facility, you will at first need to undergo an initial assessment. This can either take place in person or over the phone.
During this initial assessment, you will be asked a number of questions relating to your addiction, including what substances you are addicted to, how severe your addiction is, how long you have been addicted to these substances for and whether or not you suffer from any mental health issues.
If you are physically addicted to drugs or alcohol in London, then you will need to undergo a medical detox before anything else.
During this detox, you will withdraw from taking the substances you are addicted to and will therefore experience withdrawal symptoms.
Depending on the severity of your addiction, these can be severe and last a number of days, or even a couple of weeks.
Once you have undergone your detox, you will then be able to attend rehab therapy.
This therapy will last a number of weeks or months and you will likely undergo a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy, motivational interviewing and potentially some holistic therapies, such as art therapy.
As most addictions are both mental and physical, you cannot fully recover without both a detox and therapy.
Towards the end of your time in rehab in London, you will create an aftercare plan.
This plan will be completely personalised to you and your recovery needs and will include a number of treatment options, helplines and tips and tricks on how to remain sober.
Your aftercare plan will go home with you and you will be expected to stick to your aftercare plan for the months and years to come.
Private options for alcohol rehab in London
When you opt for a decent private rehab in London, you will have more choice and control over your treatment options compared to if you opted for NHS funded rehab and addiction treatment.
By opting for private rehab, you will most likely be seen quicker and will benefit from your own private room within a rehab facility.
You will also get the chance to choose where you recover, as opposed to NHS funded rehab where you might not always get the choice to choose where you attend rehab.
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