Drug and alcohol rehab in Birmingham

An addiction to drugs or alcohol can be such a difficult challenge to overcome. Many people who suffer from addiction can find themselves cut off from the support of friends and family. If you are in this position, it is so important that you know that the rehab centres in Birmingham can help. Whether you need alcohol rehab or drug rehab, there are places you can go where you can get the treatment you need to overcome your addiction problems. By taking the first step of applying for drug and alcohol rehab in Birmingham, half the battle is already won.

Types of addiction treatment and rehab programmes in Birmingham

When researching the different treatment centres available, you will need to choose between inpatient treatment in Birmingham and outpatient treatment in Birmingham. There are treatment clinics in the city and surrounding area which offer various rehab programmes, so research is key in order to understand the different types of treatments.

Outpatient addiction treatment (day rehab)

Many people choose the option of outpatient treatment (day rehab) because it seems like it will be more convenient. As clients don’t need to stay at the clinic between their sessions, they believe they will be able to get all the benefits of addiction treatment while still being able to carry on with their normal lives. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, as drug and alcohol addiction are often triggered by the environment you live in. Returning to this environment after treatment sessions can lead to a relapse, so outpatient treatment often has limited effectiveness in helping people recover in the long term.

Inpatient addiction treatment (residential rehab)

In order to make a clean break from your normal environment and its potential triggers, it is usually a far better option to check in to residential rehab for inpatient treatment. There are many excellent residential rehab centres in Birmingham which can offer you a fully immersive experience. As well as helping you to distance yourself from negative people and situations, residential rehab will allow you more autonomy when it comes to choosing what kind of treatment programme you will undertake, and for how long. When choosing your residential addiction treatment centre, you will be able to compare the therapies offered, as well as the accommodation and other facilities, so that you can make the best choices. Due to the extra advantages of checking in to a residential addiction centre, they are usually privately funded. This is in contrast to the outpatient treatment which is available for free on the NHS.

Why inpatient rehab?

Inpatient treatment is the best choice for so many people who are suffering from a drug or alcohol addiction. While outpatient treatment on the NHS may sound like the most convenient option, if it does not help you to overcome your addiction and begin a journey to recovery, then you will just find yourself stuck in the same situation as you are now. Residential rehab provides the most effective treatment programmes in a safe and peaceful environment.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) ratings

As there are various treatment centres to choose from in Birmingham, one way to compare them is to use Care Quality Commission (CQC) ratings. These are scores given to addiction centres by the CQC, which is an independently operated organisation committed to assessing rehab centres based on factors such as client safety and staff support. CQC ratings not only help clients to choose the best centre, they also ensure that rehab clinics keep their standards up.

Mixture of therapies

Each Birmingham rehab clinic has its own treatments which incorporate many different kinds of therapy and treatment. As no two clinics are the same, you will be able to look at their mixture of therapies and discuss which ones are best for you with the addiction treatment specialists. The majority of clients find that undertaking both individual and group therapy has the best results.

Family support programmes

Family support during recovery can cause a major boost in the effectiveness of a treatment programme. Residential rehab centres offer family support programmes so that your loved ones have everything they need to help you on your journey to long-term recovery. Families are given guidance about what to expect and are supported through every stage, so that they can prepare themselves and offer their much needed love and encouragement.

Conjoints

Conjoints are special sessions which involve clients and their loved ones, and are an opportunity for communication and the strengthening of relationships. As friendships and family bonds are often strained by addiction, these conjoints are very important for rebuilding trust and understanding. Only available during residential rehab, many families have confirmed the usefulness of conjoint sessions, and they are one major advantage of inpatient treatment.

What should I expect from a detox in Birmingham?

An effective addiction treatment programme first requires clients to go through detox so that there are no drugs or alcohol left in the system. This can cause some major withdrawal symptoms, such as severe vomiting and mental confusion, so detox should always be done with the go-ahead of a doctor.

Medical detox

When you first check in to rehab, you will be assessed to find out the extent of your addiction. This will allow the staff to plan your treatment programme and will also enable them to judge whether you need medical detox. This is reserved for clients who are most likely to have potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms, and so medication is administered to ease you off the addictive substance at a pace that withdrawal symptoms are minimised. Medical detox requires supervision of medical professionals that can monitor your health and mental wellbeing as your body adjusts to lower levels of addictive drugs and alcohol. As medical detox patients need constant supervision and special medicine, it is only available at residential rehab. NHS patients who are waiting to undergo free addiction treatment will often need to wait a long time for an inpatient bed to become available.

Drug and alcohol rehab programme

Each Birmingham rehab clinic has its own recovery approach which will include one-to-one therapy, group therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). A combination of these approaches will be offered to the client as part of their 12-step programme or non-12-step programme. By offering a range of therapies, residential rehab centres are able to help all of their clients, as different people thrive with different therapeutic approaches. You will only be able to complete the first few steps of a 12-step programme within a month, so the minimum recommended time in rehab is at least four weeks.

Is rehab free?

There are free addiction treatment services available on the NHS but they have various problems. As only day rehab is offered, the issues mentioned above often limit the effectiveness of the treatment. Furthermore, due to government cuts, places are extremely limited, with few appointment times available. It can be difficult to get access to treatment, as some clinics will not accept a self-referral and your GP may prefer another option, like a detox programme or drug counselling. If you want to attend residential rehab but cannot fund it, reach out to the charity Turning Point, who support people in that situation.

Free addiction treatment services in Birmingham

There are other great services that can help people to overcome their addiction problems. Try reaching out to your local Birmingham Alcoholics Anonymous groups for extra support.

The downside to free services

While receiving treatment for free is a favourable scenario, it is just not as effective as residential rehab in helping people to overcome their drug and alcohol addiction. In a perfect world with unlimited funds then perhaps this would not be the case, but while government funding continues to be at its current levels, there are just too many shortcomings. As well as the lack of places and available appointment times, the inability for outpatients to receive medical detox means that many are not able to start their treatment programme for a long time as they wait for a bed.

The benefits of residential rehab in Birmingham

• Staff available at all times – 24/7 client care
• Distance from addiction triggers – residential clients are free from negative influences
• High standards of accommodation – you can feel at home during your treatment
• More autonomy in recovery approach – you have more say over your treatment
• Fully supervised medical detox – to keep clients safe during this process
• Conjoint sessions and family support – to help families through the process and to rebuild relationships
• Various therapies – different approaches offered to maximise the effectiveness of treatment
• Immediate admission – no waiting for a space to become available
• CQC ratings – for an impartial comparison of rehab centres

What happens after a rehab programme?

Checking out of rehab does not mean the end of the support offered to you. Every Birmingham addiction centre will continue to guide and advise on each step of your recovery journey. Completing a residential rehab programme is something to celebrate, but there is still more work to be done.

Aftercare programmes

A comprehensive aftercare programme is key for ensuring that there are no relapses after clients have left rehab. Aftercare will often involve more group therapy sessions as well as help in connecting you with others who are on their own recovery journey, in order to encourage friendship and peer support.

Support groups

There are some amazing local support groups who do invaluable work in helping former rehab clients with their recovery.

Contact these groups in your local area and you will be able to connect with other people in your situation:
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
Cocaine Anonymous (CA)
SMART Recovery

Long-term recovery from addiction

Long-term recovery from addiction really is a journey, but the most important step you will take on that journey is entering rehab. After that, you will have all the support you need from our dedicated professionals at UKAT to start a whole new life totally free of drugs and alcohol.

How do I tell my family I’m going to rehab?

Communication and the support of loved ones is priceless for recovery. If you have taken the courageous decision and applied for rehab, you may be worried about how to tell your loved ones. This is totally normal and is just another challenge to overcome on your journey to long-term recovery. Be frank and honest with your family about your addiction problems and explain your treatment programme to them. Inviting them to family support and conjoint sessions will allow them to be involved in the process, which will help to repair any relationships which may have been damaged during difficult periods.

How do I help get a loved one into rehab?

Talking to a loved one about addiction can be a very sensitive subject to broach and so it is important that you approach it in the right way. Speak to them honestly about your concerns, and discuss the benefits of rehab and how it could change their life.

Frequently Asked Questions