Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Gravesend

When you or a loved one are struggling with addiction, it can be very tricky to know where to turn.

Rehab 4 Alcoholism can support you to access help, answer any questions you might have, and find local addiction treatment at drug and alcohol rehab in Gravesend.

How Common Is Drug And Alcohol Addiction In Gravesend?

Kent City Council announced a new Drug and Alcohol Strategy for 2017-2022 to help create a picture of drug and alcohol use in the city, and to identify how the health and wellbeing of those struggling with addiction can be improved.

The study found that there are an estimated 68,000 people in Kent who are struggling with some form of alcohol dependency.

The strategy stated that drug use is in decline, suggesting it is at its lowest in 10 years.

However, it added that 89% of young people accessing specialist services for their addiction used more than one drug.

What Is Addiction?

When drugs or alcohol have been in your life for a long time, it is sometimes difficult to identify when substance use turns into an addiction.

Addiction is classified as a chronic disorder and is widely considered to be a disease.

This means that it can negatively impact all parts of your life.

If your drinking or use of other substances is negatively impacting any of the following areas of life, you may be experiencing a drug or alcohol addiction:

• Physical health
• Mental Health
• Relationships
• Social Life
• Professional Life

How Do I Know If I’m Addicted?

One method that clinicians use to look for signs of addiction is by asking the following questions:

• Have you felt that you should limit your drinking (or drug use)?
• Have you ever been annoyed or angry at people commenting on your drinking (or drug use)?
• Have you ever experienced feelings of guilt for your drinking (or drug use)?
• Have you ever had a drink (or used drugs) early in the morning to help yourself cope?

If you have answered ‘yes’ to one or more of these questions, there is a chance you are experiencing drug or alcohol addiction.

What Are My Next Steps?

Identifying that you or a loved one have an addiction is a difficult first step on the road to recovery.

Once you have identified that you have an addiction, you can start to consider the potential treatment options for drug and alcohol rehab in Gravesend that are available for you.

Supporting a Loved one

One way you can help a loved one struggling with drug or alcohol addiction is by increasing the amount of support they have around them.

You can learn about how to access Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) to take active steps toward building positive connections with your loved ones to support them in their time of need

Professional Support: Interventions In Gravesend

Often, addiction comes with complicated feelings of loneliness, guilt, shame, or denial.

Sometimes the families and friends of those dealing with addiction are unsure how to navigate difficult conversations due to the risk of upsetting or offending their loved ones.

One way to negotiate this is to enlist the help of a professional interventionist in Gravesend.

An interventionist is a professional specifically trained to help individuals struggling with addiction to recognise their situation and start to seek help.

What Is Rehab?

Rehab (or rehabilitation) is a kind of treatment for addiction.

It is a kind of medical intervention that seeks to alleviate the impact of addiction through tailored treatment.

The end goal of rehab is to help you begin to recover from addiction, regain control over your life and increase your general wellbeing.

Rehab will not look the same for everyone.

The experience of rehab changes depending on your situation, the kind of treatment you may need, and the substance you are hoping to recover from.

Usually, there are two main questions about rehab:

• What are the differences between inpatient and outpatient rehab?
• What’s the difference between NHS and private rehab?

Inpatient Or Outpatient Treatment?

Whether you are in inpatient or outpatient rehab in Gravesend, the structure of treatment typically looks the same:

1. Detox
2. Treatment
3. Aftercare

Detox is the process of removing drugs or alcohol from your body.

This deals with the physical symptoms of addiction and prepares you to begin your rehab treatment.

Rehab treatment usually takes the form of therapy.

Once your body is physically safe from the detox, you will be able to access specialised therapeutic care.

This is the main component of addiction treatment that takes place in drug and alcohol rehab.

The final stage is aftercare, which is support you receive after your formal rehabilitation process in Gravesend ends.

Inpatient Treatment In Gravesend

Inpatient treatment is when you move into a drug and alcohol rehab centre for the duration of your treatment.

This means there will be professionals on-site 24/7.

If the substance you are addicted to is physically addictive, you may be offered a detox at the beginning of your stay.

After detox, you will have a schedule of planned daily therapies, and activities appointments designed to aid your recovery.

Outpatient Treatment In Gravesend

Outpatient rehab is addiction treatment without the residential element.

During outpatient treatment, you will be able to stay at home and access specialised support like appointments, regular check-ins and scheduled therapeutic interventions in the Gravesend community.

If the substance you are addicted to is physically addictive, you may be offered a home detox.

You will then commence therapeutic treatment in the community.

NHS Or Private Treatment?

In Gravesend, you can access treatment for drug or alcohol addiction either privately or through the NHS.

NHS Treatment in Gravesend

If you access addiction treatment through the NHS, you will often be offered outpatient intervention first.

Due to long waiting lists and limited spaces in NHS treatment facilities, inpatient treatment for addiction is often the last treatment option offered in Gravesend and in the UK more broadly.

This does not mean you can’t access inpatient drug and alcohol rehab in Gravesend through the NHS, but it does mean that other treatment options will often be explored first.

Private Treatment in Gravesend

Private addiction treatment in Gravesend is often used by those who feel they cannot wait for a referral to residential rehab from the NHS.

Often this means the time between registering for treatment and accessing inpatient drug and alcohol rehab in Gravesend is significantly reduced.

In private facilities, you can access a range of treatments, including

• Individual Therapy
• Group Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Holistic Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing

This is not an exhaustive list – there may be other options available depending on your situation and the specific centre you choose.

How Much Does Rehab Cost In Gravesend?

Like most medical treatments, the cost of drug and alcohol rehab in Gravesend and elsewhere will vary.

Inpatient treatment can cost between £1,000 to £10,000 for a week of care.

On average, the typical 28-day stay in residential rehab prices at £14,000 (or around £495 a day).

There are lots of different kinds of facilities that offer lots of treatments all at very different price points.

Luxury addiction treatment centres can cost as much as £75,000 for 30 days of care.

These centres are frequently attended by celebrities.

They offer additional, deluxe packages with extra facilities such as spas, personal chefs and upgraded security.

How Can I Pay for It?

NHS

All treatments accessed through the NHS are free of charge.

Insurance

To access private treatment, most people pay through their insurance policies or via payment plans organised directly with the rehab centre.

How Long Does Rehab Take?

Usually, the minimum time spent in rehab is a week, as it takes 7 days to detox from alcohol.

Some addiction treatment does not include detox, which means that the first stage of treatment is skipped and as a result, stays are often shorter.

However, professionals often recommend a 28-day stay in rehab to increase the therapeutic value of your stay.

The duration of rehab depends on individual circumstances and can last anywhere up to 90 days in some cases.

Rehab Treatment For Alcohol Addiction In Gravesend

If you believe you or a loved one are struggling with alcohol addiction, you can access specialised treatment through alcohol rehab in Gravesend.

Alcohol is physically addictive, which means that alcohol addiction treatment begins with a detox.

Withdrawing from alcohol can be dangerous and will typically be done over 7 days.

During this time you will be monitored carefully so any physical effects of the treatment are managed safely.

Some of the alcohol withdrawal symptoms you may experience include:

• Sickness and diarrhoea
• Tremors
• Agitation
• Hallucinations
• Seizures
• Anxiety
• Depression

After using a physically addictive substance for a while, your body may come to rely on it.

One method used to aid the process of alcohol detox is pharmacological intervention or maintenance therapy.

This is when you are given medication to help your body cope with withdrawal symptoms.

A medication often used in alcohol detox is Librium.

Librium can help your body to cope with some of the more dangerous withdrawal symptoms, such as seizures.

When your body is stabilised, you can begin the second stage of rehab: therapeutic intervention.

During treatment for alcohol addiction, you will be encouraged to engage in different kinds of therapy.

Therapy for alcohol addiction can help you to process what may have led to your addiction and therefore help you to develop healthier coping mechanisms.

It can also help you to deal with the psychological impacts of addiction itself.

Therapies clinically proven to aid alcohol addiction recovery include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Group Therapy and alcohol counselling.

Rehab Treatment For Heroin Addiction In Gravesend

Heroin is physically addictive, which means that heroin addiction treatment begins with a detox.

Withdrawing from heroin can be dangerous.

During detox, you will be monitored carefully so any physical effects of withdrawing are managed safely.

Some of the withdrawal symptoms you may experience include:

• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Sickness and diarrhoea
• Difficulty regulating temperature
• Sweating
• Cramps

After using a physically addictive substance for a while, your body may come to rely on it.

One medication often used to limit these withdrawal symptoms is Methadone.

During treatment for heroin addiction, you will be encouraged to engage in different kinds of therapy.

These will vary depending on your needs, but will help you tackle both the psychological consequences  of heroin abuse and avoid its use again.

Rehab Treatment For Cocaine Addiction In Gravesend

Cocaine is not physically addictive.

This means that the detox stage of addiction treatment can be skipped, and psychological therapy can begin immediately.

During treatment for cocaine addiction, you will be encouraged to engage in many different kinds of therapy.

Therapy for cocaine addiction can help you to process what may have led to your addiction and help you to develop healthier coping systems, avoiding a relapse in the future.

Rehab Treatment For Cannabis Addiction In Gravesend

Cannabis is not physically addictive, so the detox stage of addiction treatment can be skipped.

During treatment for cannabis addiction, you will be encouraged to engage in different kinds of therapy.

Just like for other substances, therapy for cannabis addiction can help you to process what led to your addiction and give you a greater chance of maintaining sobriety.

What Kinds Of Therapy Can I Access In Gravesend?

Individual Therapy

Individual therapy is perhaps the best known kind of therapy.

It is any kind of therapy that takes place between one patient and one clinician.

Individual therapy takes place over several sessions.

In individual therapy, you will get the chance to identify difficult thoughts and feelings and unpack them in an open, safe space with the guidance of a trained professional.

Family Therapy

Family therapy is when several relatives together with a trained professional to discuss a particular topic.

It is important to remember that your loved ones may be worried and have a lot of feelings about your struggle with addiction.

Family therapy is a way to voice concerns and confusion with less risk of causing tension.

You may be given different exercises to do together.

Family therapy is usually used alongside individual therapy.

Group Therapy

Group therapy is when several people who are experiencing something similar in their life – like addiction – will come together with a trained professional.

Group therapy can include sharing your experiences, supporting your peers, offering advice and building a sense of community.

Group therapy is often used alongside individual therapy.

Brief Interventions

Brief intervention is a treatment that focuses on helping you recognise that you may be struggling with addiction.

This is a positive way in which to start treatment, as it can be a strong foundation for the rest of your rehabilitation journey.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (also known as CBT) is a kind of psychotherapy.

Cognitive is to do with thinking, whereas behavioural is about the things that you do.

CBT believes that thoughts, feelings and behaviours are linked.

It suggests that by changing a feeling, you can change a behaviour (or the other way around).

CBT is used to help you to develop a series of skills and techniques to challenge difficult thoughts and behaviours.

It is used to help people regain control over difficult emotions and harmful behaviours.

Often in CBT, you may be asked to complete exercises outside of sessions to help you practice the skills you have learnt.

CBT can take place as either individual or group therapy in Gravesend.

Co-Dependency Treatment

Co-dependency treatment is therapy specifically designed for relationships.

A co-dependent relationship is a connection between two people which is often unequal and sometimes unfair.

In these circumstances, relationships can sometimes have a negative impact on mental health and prevent a positive connection that values both people as equals.

Co-dependency treatment helps people realise they may be in an unequal relationship and ultimately help them to work towards a healthier connection with one another.

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (also known as DBT) is a kind of psychotherapy.

Like CBT, DBT believes that thoughts, feelings and behaviours are linked.

It suggests that by changing a feeling, you can change a behaviour (or the other way around).

DBT is designed to help specifically with impulsive or dangerous behaviours, and very extreme, strong emotions.

It also helps you to learn to practice acceptance, and not judge yourself for how you may be thinking, feeling or behaving.

This allows you to make positive changes with less pressure and self-judgment.

Holistic Therapies

Holistic therapies (also known as alternative therapies) are treatments that are a little different from typical therapy.

Instead of sitting down and talking about your feelings, holistic therapy helps you to express yourself in different ways.

Holistic therapies work on the belief that by trying new things and creating new passions, you will be able to create a positive relationship with yourself and learn to express your feelings in positive ways.

They can also work to help reduce stress levels.

Some kinds of holistic therapy you can access in Gravesend include:

• Adventure therapy
• Art therapy
• Equine Therapy
• Music therapy
• Yoga and meditation

Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing is used to help challenge dangerous or harmful lifestyle choices.

Motivational interviewing can help people to find the motivation or reason to try and change difficult behaviours to live a healthier life.

Recovery is a difficult process – but by finding the right reason to keep going, recovery can feel more worthwhile.

It helps by allowing people struggling with addiction time to recognise the benefits of changing behaviours, and then identify how to change those behaviours through careful cooperative planning to put the changes into action.

Twelve-Step Facilitation Treatment (TSF)

Twelve-Step Facilitation Treatment (TSF) is a kind of intervention specifically designed for those struggling with addiction.

The treatment is a combination of group meetings and mentoring designed to offer long-term support.

This can help create a sense of connection to other people who may be struggling in Gravesend.

The twelve steps refer to twelve ‘rules’ to help maintain recovery and prevent relapse back into addiction.

The steps are often linked with spirituality and the idea of overcoming a difficult problem by applying yourself consistently.

What If I Have Another Diagnosis?

Whilst not everyone who accesses addiction treatment has a diagnosis of a psychological disorder, a study estimated that around 25% of those in treatment for drug and alcohol addiction have a diagnosis of a mental health condition.

This is known as dual diagnosis.

Treating dual diagnosis means considering both the psychological role of addiction and the symptoms of the mental health disorder you are diagnosed with.

Frequent dual diagnoses for people struggling with addiction include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar disorder

Drug and alcohol rehab centres in Gravesend can offer individualised care plans for individuals with another diagnosis.

This is to ensure that your care is as tailored to you and your needs as much as possible.

A personalised approach to addiction treatment that considers other factors will give you the best chance at positively improving your general wellbeing in the long term.

What Happens When I Leave Rehab In Gravesend?

Understandably, a lot of people who seek addiction treatment are concerned about what will happen when their formal support ends.

Support from drug and alcohol rehab in Gravesend will go beyond that.

You will be given contact numbers for professional support workers, continue scheduled sessions and have frequent check-in sessions.

When you leave rehab, you do not end recovery – rather, you start the next stage.

Relapse is when a behaviour reoccurs.

Addiction relapse would mean starting to use an addictive substance again.

While relapse does happen, it is not something to be ashamed about.

Recovery – like all areas of life – is a path with ups and downs, and relapse is simply a down point.

Staff at drug and alcohol rehab in Gravesend will be able to discuss your worries about relapse with you and help you to develop a plan from preventing relapse.

Alongside continued support from the drug and alcohol rehab themselves, you will be able to access outpatient services in the Gravesend community.

This is known as aftercare.

Supporting services can include:

• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
• Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
• SMART Recovery
• AI Anon Family Group Meetings
• Outpatient Treatment with local teams in Gravesend

How Can I Access Help Today?

If you or a loved one are struggling with addiction and you believe you need help, or if you would like to learn more about anything on this page, you can contact Rehab 4 Alcoholism by calling us on 0800 11 4108.

If you would prefer not to speak on the phone, you can use the Live Chat option on the website.

By contacting you can access a free assessment and find local help for yourself or a loved one at drug and alcohol rehab in Gravesend.

Alternatively, you can use the FAQ section to find out more about what support there is available for you in the Gravesend area.