Help for Your Patient

When your patient receives an official diagnosis and is told that he or she will need to seek the support of a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre, they are likely to have a myriad of questions.

The process will be entirely new to them, and you will need to guide them and help them understand how it works.

Rehab 4 Alcoholism can help your patient understand the complexities of addiction and what is required throughout the addiction treatment process.

There are many variables to consider, and no two cases are the same. Your patient’s addiction recovery programme will likely differ from the next person.

Here are some of the questions which are most frequently asked by patients who are new to the process of addiction recovery.

How Long Does Addiction Treatment at Rehab Last?

The length of time spent undergoing treatment at rehab will vary from one patient to the next.

This is because addiction doesn’t come in one form, it can come in the form of mild, moderate, or severe forms.

This also requires different forms of treatment which will influence the length of time spent recovering.

At a private rehab, also known as a residential rehab, patients will typically spend around 28 days or 4 weeks undergoing treatment.

Here, they will be able to undergo a medicated detox if necessary (7 to 10 days), and they will proceed to undergo a range of therapy

Your patient will also undergo counselling sessions, and relapse prevention planning in order to overcome their addiction.

While 28 days allows patients enough time to recover from their addiction, some patients will be required to stay for longer.

This is especially the case for patients who suffer from high risk of relapse, withdrawal symptoms, or have biomedical complications.

Another treatment option is to undergo treatment as an outpatient at a free rehab facility.

While this may take longer than 28 days, the level of intensity will be far less than that of a residential rehab.

This means that although they’ll technically be in recovery for longer, they will have much more time to fulfil other duties or pursue interests.

How Much Does Addiction Treatment at Rehab Cost?

At an addiction rehabilitation facility, patients may be expected to pay for their treatment.

Should a patient undergo treatment with free services such as the NHS, they will not be expected to pay for treatment because they will receive medical care through a public service.

However, this is not the case if they opt to undergo inpatient treatment with a private health care provider at a residential rehab.

If a patient does undergo treatment at a private residential rehab, they will be expected to pay for the costs of treatment.

The average cost stands at around £1,000 per week, whereas other and more luxurious facilities may cost up to £5,000 per week, or even more.

This means that patients may spend anywhere from £4,000 to around £20,000.

The price range is extensive, and there are a wide range of factors which play a part in deciding the price for inpatient addiction treatment.

Some of these factors include reputation and experience, the quality of facilities and amenities, location, whether patients stay in a private room or multi occupancy room, and so on.

Another question commonly asked is ‘is rehab only for the rich and famous‘?

There is a huge misconception that drug and alcohol rehabilitation is only available for those who are rich or famous.

The truth is that celebrities who suffer from addiction may opt for luxurious rehab facilities.

However, there are plenty of options available for those who do not seek luxury in their rehab facility.

Here at Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

Can I Bring My Mobile, Tablet or Laptop into Rehab?

Patients may be concerned that they are not able to take their prized possessions such as their mobile, tablet, or laptop into rehab.

The truth is that rehabilitation facilities will vary from one to the other. This means that a patient may be allowed access to their mobile or laptops at one rehab, but not at another.

If a patient is reluctant to seek treatment because they are concerned that they will be without their electronic devices, it is important to let them understand that the purpose of rehab is to allow patients to heal.

Without the presence of external factors, there is far less of the likelihood of the patient relapsing. It is important that the patient can focus entirely on their treatment.

However, as we previously explained, each rehab facility and care process is different.

At Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we can make sure that patients thoroughly explore their options before choosing a rehab facility which can optimise their recovery.

Should I Go To a Local Rehab Or One Which is Further Away?

It is important to choose a rehab because of its quality of treatment and care, and how it can benefit recovery directly.

While choosing a rehab which is nearby may provide benefits such as lack of travel concerns and being near loved ones.

It is important to choose a facility which will most likely benefit your physical and mental health.

Choosing a rehab facility merely because of its location may not prove to be the best decision.

Patients will need to consider its treatment methods, its quality of patient care, and more.

Rehab 4 Alcoholism can help patients navigate the options in order to find a rehab which will cater to their unique needs.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

Is Rehab Only For ‘Extreme Users’?

Another misconception is that rehab is only appropriate or available for patients who are ‘extreme users’.

‘Extreme users’ refers to patients who consume extremely high quantities of their addictive substance, whether it be drugs or alcohol.

However, the truth is that anyone can enter treatment as an outpatient or inpatient, regardless of their addiction severity.

If someone is suffering from a mild form of addiction, they will be able to undergo treatment as an outpatient or an inpatient.

Patients suffering from severe forms of addiction will be encouraged to seek treatment as an inpatient.

Intervention For a Patient

Sometimes, a patient may be reluctant to admit that they are suffering from a drug or alcohol addiction, and they will be unwilling to seek treatment.

Even if a patient is diagnosed with addiction, they may still be reluctant to start treatment.

When a patient is unwilling to heed your expertise and health advice, it may be necessary to involve friends and families in order t

o help guide their loved one to seek treatment.

Rehab 4 Alcoholism can help stage an intervention for patients who are reluctant to start addiction treatment.

Rehab 4 Alcoholism can help stage an intervention by assigning a licensed interventionist to help guide the meeting.

Interventions can involve health practitioners, friends, and family members of a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol.

It is not possible to admit someone else into a drug or alcohol rehab to undergo treatment.

Therefore, we must find ways to guide the patient into treatment in a non-confrontational manner.

An intervention serves the purpose of including close friends and family members, those who mean something to the patient, in order to participate and convince their loved one to seek treatment.

This will be done by the participants (e.g. friends and family members).

Those involved can express their concern, utilising examples of how their loved one’s addiction is affecting them.

A licensed interventionist will help facilitate communication between the participants and the patient in a non-judgemental environment.

The aim is to create a safe space to express concern and love for the patient, not to create conflict due to their unfortunate condition.

The licensed intervention facilitate communication between the two parties, who will organise a range of steps in order to provide support for the patient.

What the interventionist organises includes but isn’t limited to:

• Creating an Intervention Team: The interventionist will decide who can attend the intervention. It will typically include close friends and family members, and the interventionist may not allow someone confrontational or an addicted person to attend a session in case they incite conflict.
• Coordination: The interventionist will organise the date, location, structure, and more.
• Learn about the patient’s history: The interventionist will learn about the patient’s personal and medical history in order to create an optimal intervention plan.
• Education and informing: The interventionist will also help friends and family members understand the rehabilitation process and how they can be included throughout addiction treatment.
• Conduct rehearsals: It is important that the participants feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings with their loved one. The interventionist can help them prepare by conducting rehearsals in order to make them feel ready to share when the time comes.
• Encourage writing: In addition to conducting rehearsals, the interventionist may ask that patients articulate their thoughts and feelings through writing. This can make it easier for them to process their feelings, and the interventionist can help them articulate their feelings.
• Rejection planning: It would be unwise to stage an intervention and expect only success. While interventions may have a success rate of around 80% to 90%, rejection is a very possible outcome. The interventionist will have a procedure in place should the patient reject seeking treatment.
• Family training: The interventionist will also ensure that the friends and family members gain more insight into their loved one’s addiction. They will learn how to support their loved one more effectively in order to create a more proficient support network.
• Family counselling: In addition to helping family members increase their capabilities, the interventionist may also host family counselling to ensure that they are coping. Families suffer profoundly from the indirect effects of addiction, and counselling will offer the family significant support throughout a difficult time.

Inpatient vs Outpatient Treatment for your Patient

Hearing that you are suffering from a substance addiction is tough to process.

Not only does the person being diagnosed need to process the information themselves, they need to weave through the wealth of information available on how to approach a substance use disorder.

When a patient undergoes addiction treatment, they will be required to enter rehab either as an inpatient or an outpatient. There are benefits and drawbacks to both.

Rehab 4 Alcoholism is dedicated to ensure that patients are able to process the information related to addiction recovery.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

Inpatient Treatment at a Residential Rehab

Entering rehab as an inpatient is thought to be one of the most effective forms of treatment for a patient recovering from addiction.

This is because they will be able to stay overnight at a medically supported facility which specialises in helping patients overcome addiction.

By being able to stay overnight at rehab throughout the duration of treatment, patients will have easy access to their treatment.

Not only that, the level of patient care is far higher than that of an outpatient rehab facility, this is because the inpatient facility will be occupied by health care staff who offer 24/7 support.

Furthermore, patients will undergo a comprehensive and personalised addiction recovery programme as an inpatient.

Because inpatient treatment is often private, their recovery programme will be specially tailored to suit their unique needs.

Here, they will spend hours per day overcoming cravings as well as cognitive, behavioural, and emotional issues which exacerbate their addiction.

The only drawback to inpatient treatment at a residential rehab is that it requires the patient to pay for treatment.

Because a residential rehab is private, they require payment for their treatment services.

However, it is possible for some patients to apply for funding for treatment if they are eligible.

Outpatient Treatment at a Public Rehab

Some health practitioners criticise outpatient treatments for not being as effective or as intensive as inpatient treatment.

However, outpatient treatment can be effective in treating patients who suffer from mild forms of substance addiction.

Additionally, patients can choose to undergo an intensive outpatient programme.

As an outpatient at a public rehab, patients will still have access to treatment which are effective in treating addiction.

This could be Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, support sessions, or more niche methods.

Additionally, patients will have plenty of flexibility.

They are not required to stay overnight, and this means that they will be able to maintain responsibilities such as employment throughout recovery.

This makes outpatient treatment a popular option for patients who are working full time, have children to look after, or have other things to consider outside of rehab.

Medicated Detox for your Patient

If your patient is suffering from a physical dependence and physical withdrawal symptoms from their substance addiction, it is likely that they will need to undergo a medicated detox once they enter rehab.

The medicated detox process is necessary in order for patients to recover safely from their cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

Physical withdrawal symptoms associated with addiction include but are not limited to headaches, muscle cramps, nausea, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhoea, trembling, and even seizures.

If left unsupervised, patients may even succumb to their withdrawal symptoms and die.

Therefore, your patient may be required to spend around a week or even longer undergoing a detox phase with the use of pharmacological intervention.

At this safe and supervised facility, patients will receive medication in order to minimise the severity of their symptoms (e.g. seizures, acute and chronic pain).

Following a successful medicated detox, your patient will be well enough to proceed and undergo a range of therapy and counselling sessions.

These are designed in order to tackle cognitive, behavioural and emotional issues.

Here at Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

Therapy at Rehab for your Patient

There is a wide range of therapeutic approaches available for your patient who will enter rehab and undergo addiction treatment.

Depending on their unique needs, the treatment plan may differ from the next patient. However, here are some of the forms of therapy which your patient can expect to undergo at rehab:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is one of the most effective forms of therapy that your patient can undergo at a drug and alcohol rehab.

The purpose of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is to help the patient understand the negative cognitive and behavioural patterns they display.

This helps them understand how their thoughts and choices affect their addiction and other aspects of life.

Because it is a form of individual therapy, patients will receive a high level of attention.

During a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy session, a licensed therapist will discuss with the patient and ask questions regarding their personality and  addiction.

Together, they will identify the negative habits that the patient has.

Once they are aware of some of the negative tendencies that the patient displays, they can work towards discarding these habits and replacing them with healthier habits and coping mechanisms.

Not only will these healthy and productive coping mechanisms be applicable towards addiction, they are applicable towards other aspects of life.

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy

If your patient suffers from intense emotions and feelings, they may find Dialectical Behavioural Therapy to be helpful throughout addiction recovery.

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy is similar to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, however, it places much more emphasis on patients who are very emotional.

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy may come in the form of individual or group therapy sessions.

During these sessions, the patient will learn how to manage their intense feelings and emotions in order to become more psychologically flexible.

Rather than suffering mentally and emotionally due to negative circumstances, the patient will learn to become more proactive and mindful in the event of anything negative.

Family Therapy

Not only will your patient benefit from receiving treatment from licensed therapists, they will benefit if their friends and family members attend some of the therapy sessions throughout rehab.

Friends and family members can be included in sessions such as Family Therapy throughout addiction treatment.

Family members can be very influential throughout the patient’s recovery journey.

The family often experiences the indirect consequences of drug and alcohol addiction.

Therefore, they are more often than not very willing to participate and help reinforce their loved one’s recovery.

By having friends and family members attend therapy sessions with their loved one, they can gain insight into their loved one’s addiction.

They will learn about how they can support their loved one more thoroughly, which will then strengthen the loved one’s support network.

Additionally, the family may be grieving significantly by witnessing their loved one’s addiction.

Family Therapy can also offer them the necessary support through counselling.

No one should have to suffer through addiction, and that goes for friends and family members of the addicted person.

Examples of Family Therapy include:

• Family Behaviour Therapy: This form of therapy is effective in improving the mental well being of friends, family members, and the patient, and it can improve relationships as well as sobriety management
• Functional Therapy: Functional Family Therapy can help address risk factors that may expose young, and it can also help foster acceptance and respect
• Multisystemic Therapy: This form of therapy aims to help families manage their loved one’s negative behavioural habits which may affect their addiction and recovery
• Multidimensional Family Therapy: Improving communication between family members is key to this form of therapy, as it can lead to healthier relationships and a more functional family.
• Brief Strategic Family Therapy: This form of therapy is typically aimed at younger patients who may have been exposed to negative patterns of behaviour due to their family. Behavioural problems within the family often serve as a root cause of addiction, and therapy can help adjust behavioural patterns to create a safer environment.

There is a form of family therapy for patients who have a positive relationship with their family and those who have a negative relationship with their family.

Positive family relationships can influence patients to overcome addiction, whereas negative relationships can help therapists understand some of the root causes of addiction.

Holistic Therapy

Holistic therapy takes into account three facets of the patient. These facets are the mind, body, and spirit.

Each facet is interconnected with the next, and approaching the patient in holistic fashion can serve to improve their quality of life.

As an all encompassing form of therapy, Holistic Therapy doesn’t aim to fix a specific symptom resulting from addiction.

Instead, it aims to improve the physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing of the patient, thus making them more capable of dealing with recovery and other issues in life.

Holistic therapy can come in a wide range of activities. These include but aren’t limited to equine therapy, art therapy, music therapy, yoga, mindfulness, aromatherapy, massages, acupuncture, and more.

These therapies have a significant effect in reducing stress, anxiety, andsocial isolation, among other symptoms.

This can boost social and interpersonal skills, relaxation, fitness, coordination, organisational skills, and much more.

Group Therapy

Alongside Family Therapy, including Group Therapy sessions with other people can pose a range of benefits for patients who are recovering from addiction.

By including different patients within the same session led by a licensed counsellor, patients will have access to another form of support network.

Patients will also be able to gain insight into the experiences of other patients throughout addiction recovery.

Additionally, they will be able to share their experience and be heard by others, resonating with the participants and further reinforcing the sense of community.

Studies have also shown that the social reinforcement associated with Group Therapy encourages patients to sustain their newfound lifestyle of abstinence from alcohol and drugs.

This means that they are far more likely to remain in recovery once they return home following addiction treatment.

Motivational Interviewing & Enhancement Therapy

In addition to forms of therapy which can help patients overcome negative cognitive and behavioural tendencies, patients can also undergo therapy in order to reinforce their commitment towards addiction recovery.

Motivational Interviewing and Enhancement Therapy can help patients remain committed towards addiction treatment.

This can be done by attending sessions with a licensed therapist who will assume the role of an interviewer.

The therapist will ask the patient a range of evocative questions in order to help them explore what motivates their recovery.

The desired result is that the patient’s motivation levels will either be sustained or increased.

Addiction recovery is extremely difficult, especially when patients may be facing problems related to cravings andwithdrawal symptoms, and it may be necessary to increase their motivation levels.

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy

Patients must have the capacity to develop psychological flexibility if they are to increase their chances of recovering from addiction.

Psychological flexibility is the idea that patients who can accept their flaws or negative outcomes in life, and not be restricted by or defined by them, are far more likely to succeed in all aspects of life.

The patient will learn to accept the fact that they are suffering from a chronic brain illness, and that abstinence is the only way to truly recover.

Once they have accepted this, they can adopt a new lifestyle which will maximise their chances of recovery.

Difficulty and setbacks are inherent to life. Rather than shying away from things that affect us, patients will learn how to adjust to negative experiences.

This builds resilience to overcome not only addiction, but all challenges in life.

Here at Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

Relapse Prevention and Aftercare for your Patient

Your patient receive treatment to overcome their cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

They will also receive treatment in order to learn how to develop coping mechanisms and productive habits which will eventually become a healthy lifestyle.

Instead of just overcoming immediate addiction, patients will learn how to maintain their recovery.

Your patient will undergo a range of relapse prevention strategies at rehab.

Some of these options will be traditional forms of therapy such Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Alternatives include relapse prevention planning and methods specifically designed to prevent relapse triggers from taking place. One example is the HALT method.

HALT stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired. This method teaches people how to manage their cravings, whether they are physical or emotional cravings.

When people are hungry, malnourished, angry, stressed, lonely or tired, they are far more susceptible to indulging in negative forms of behaviour which may bring relief.

For some people this may be indulging in junk food, but for others, this may be consuming addictive substances such as drugs or alcohol.

Relapse prevention planning strategies help patients overcome these cravings by developing healthy coping mechanisms which will help them reinforce a healthy lifestyle of abstinence from addictive substances.

Furthermore, your patient’s support isn’t limited only to their time spent at rehab.

Your patient will be supported post-rehab through the use of aftercare services courtesy of their rehab provider.

An aftercare programme is necessary because your patient will be re-exposed to relapse triggers, whether they are social, environmental, or else.

While they will have developed a range of skills and a vast amount of knowledge about their unique condition, they will still need to receive support for a period of time in order to maintain their recovery.

Aftercare programmes are personalised and include the patient’s family members when possible in order to fortify their support network.

Patients will also be granted access to fellowship groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or SMART Recovery, where they will have the support of another form of support network.

At a fellowship programme such as AA or SMART, patients will be able to attend support sessions either in-person or online.

These fellowship programmes are non-profit and apolitical, meaning that the patient’s wellbeing is at the forefront of their priorities.

At these fellowship programmes, patients will be able to take part in an active engagement strategy called the 12-Step Facilitation Programme.

Here, patients will follow a structured guideline in order to thoroughly maintain their lifestyle of abstinence.

It is estimated that patients who attend support sessions following rehab are up to six times more likely to stay in recovery than those who do not attend support sessions.

Addiction Terminology: Showing Sensitivity Towards Your Patient

When you are discussing the topic of addiction with your patient, it is important to display plenty of sensitivity towards your patient’s condition.

It is important to choose the right terminology when conversing with your patient in order to create a safe and non-judgemental environment.

Misconceptions surrounding addiction – a chronic brain disease – have led to stigmas surrounding the subject.

This can severely harm someone’s recovery because they may be less likely to seek help if others are judgemental of their condition.

One of the most prominent examples is people who have no knowledge of the complexities of addiction (or anyone, for that matter), who label people suffering from drug or alcohol addiction as ‘addicts’.

The term ‘addict’ is degrading because it essentially reduces the person to their complex illness.

Rather than addressing them as a person suffering from an addiction, the term ‘addict’ characterises them by their illness.

The term ‘addicted person’ is more sensitive and appropriate to describe someone who suffers from addiction.

Furthermore, using the term ‘habit’ to describe someone’s addiction downplays their illness.

While a habit may be referring to something such as biting your nails, for example, addiction is more complex.

Substance addiction is a brain disease, and by referring to a patient’s illness as a ‘habit’ implies that they willingly choose to indulge in these actions and are not affected by physical or psychological complications.

Health practitioners and patients alike can learn more about their addiction and choose to utilise addiction terminology more carefully by using resources such as the Recovery Research Institute’s Addictionary or the Language of Addiction.

Here at Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

Simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

References

[1] Residential Rehab https://www.rehab4alcoholism.com/alcohol-treatments/residential-rehab

[2] What are the biggest misconceptions about going to rehab? https://www.rehab4alcoholism.com/questions/misconceptions-about-rehab

[3] Can I Bring My Mobile, Tablet, or Laptop into Rehab? https://www.rehab4alcoholism.com/questions/can-i-bring-mobile-laptop-tablet-rehab

[4] Alcohol Intervention & Counselling https://www.rehab4alcoholism.com/alcohol-treatments/intervention

[5] Intensive Outpatient Treatment for Addiction https://www.rehab4alcoholism.com/alcohol-treatments/intensive-outpatient

[6] Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Addiction https://www.rehab4alcoholism.com/alcohol-treatments/cbt

[7] Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/dialectical-behavioural-therapy.html

[8] Family Therapy for Addiction https://www.rehab4alcoholism.com/alcohol-treatments/family-therapy

[9] What is Family Behaviour Therapy? (FBT) https://familybehaviortherapy.faculty.unlv.edu/what-is-family-behavior-therapy/

[10] Brief Strategic Family Therapy: An Intervention to Reduce Adolescent Risk Behaviour https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3737065/

[11] Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (2nd Ed.) https://books.google.co.th/books?id=mtMdJ3qqSnQC&printsec=frontcover&dq=addiction+treatment&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiDlMP3zob3AhXiwjgGHYJtDZ8Q6AF6BAgDEAI#v=onepage&q=outpatient&f=false

[12] Motivational Interviewing to Improve Treatment Engagement and Outcome in Individuals Seeking Treatment for Substance Abuse https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2386852/

[13] Alcohol Rehab Aftercare https://www.rehab4alcoholism.com/alcohol-treatments/alcohol-rehab/aftercare

[14] Self Help Groups for Alcoholism https://www.rehab4alcoholism.com/alcohol-treatments/self-help-groups

[15] Addictionary – Recovery Research Institute https://www.recoveryanswers.org/addiction-ary/

[16] Words Matter: The Language of Addiction https://drugfree.org/article/shouldnt-use-word-addict/