Alcohol Rehab – Getting Effective Help for Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol dependence – it’s the most common form of addiction in the UK. In England alone, there are an estimated 586,780 dependent drinkers. [1] People of every age, race, gender and socio-economic background are affected – though men represent 60% of the alcohol treatment population. [2] If you’ve lost control of how much you drink and how it affects your life, then residential alcohol rehab offers the best chance of recovery. But what should you look for in an alcohol treatment programme?

In this article, I cover what you should expect from alcohol rehab, as well as the key factor in choosing a high quality treatment provider.

Alcohol Rehab – What to Expect from Alcohol Addiction Treatment

Alcohol addiction is a physical and psychological condition and as such, it requires treatment for both the body and mind. 

If you’re physically addicted to alcohol, you will need a medically supervised alcohol detox with medication prescribed and monitored by qualified clinicians. The aim of alcohol detox is to clear your system safely from alcohol.

All people addicted to alcohol should also look for providers who offer specialist psychological treatment. Typically, this comprises a range group and 1-2-1 therapies with some facilities offering holistic treatments and family support. 

To sustain recovery, it’s beneficial to choose an alcohol rehab with a free aftercare programme. Aftercare helps people to manage the transition from the intensive residential programme to life back in the community. 

Jason Shiers, Psychotherapist at UK Addiction Treatment, says: ‘Residential alcohol rehab is the safest way to stop drinking alcohol and begin your recovery process. If you’re assessed as having a physical addiction to alcohol, a medical detox will minimise unpleasant or dangerous withdrawal symptoms. But really, detox is just the start of change. To understand why you drink addictively and how best to manage your alcohol cravings, you need ongoing support.’

Choosing an Alcohol Rehab – the Deciding Factor

While location and price can be factors in choosing an alcohol rehab, the most important element is the quality of care. Alcohol treatment outcomes give you a good indication of how effective an alcohol rehab programme is. When speaking to a treatment advisor or centre, ask for information about the percentage of clients who successfully complete their programme. 

If you’re choosing an alcohol rehab in England, you should only consider alcohol treatment providers who are registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The CQC monitor and inspect the standard of care, typically with unannounced inspections. They measure how safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led services are. Their inspection reports are published on the Care Quality Commission website. [3]

You can also search online for recent client reviews. Check the websites and social media pages of addiction treatment facilities you’re considering, to see if there is unedited and up-to-date feedback from people who have used the service.  

Read much more here about alcohol addiction and treatment, including how to recognise the warning signs of alcoholism and choosing the best alcohol rehab. 

https://www.ukat.co.uk/alcohol/rehab-treatment/

Sources:

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-dependence-prevalence-in-england

[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/substance-misuse-treatment-for-adults-statistics-2018-to-2019/adult-substance-misuse-treatment-statistics-2018-to-2019-report#people-in-treatment-substance-sex-age

[3] https://www.cqc.org.uk/

Thanks for reading xxx