Top 5 Rehab Questions Answered

What Happens in Rehab?

The kind of rehab you choose to engage with will depend on your specific circumstances, including your wishes, the type and severity of your addiction, the professional opinion of clinicians and finances.

There are very varied types of rehab treatment, but they all fall into two categories: inpatient and outpatient.

Inpatient Rehabilitation

Inpatient rehabilitation (sometimes known as residential rehabilitation) is when someone struggling with addiction temporarily stays in a residential facility specially designed for their care.

This means you will live in the rehab centre for a period and will have access to medical professionals in the facility at all hours during your mental and physical recovery.

The types of therapy and support available will vary from rehab to rehab, so it is important to read about the rehab facility you may attend first.

Outpatient Rehabilitation

Outpatient rehabilitation works much the same way as inpatient rehabilitation; however, it takes place at home.

Usually, outpatient rehab will include regularly scheduled visits to a facility for therapy sessions and support activities, but there are no requirements to stay overnight in outpatient treatment.

The types of therapy and support available will vary from rehab to rehab, so it is important to read about the rehab facility you may attend first.

The Three Stages of Treatment

Whether you are in outpatient or inpatient rehab, the model of treatment tends to stay the same. Rehab treatment happens in three stages:

Detox
Rehab
Aftercare

1. Detox

Detox is the process of removing the physical traces of substances from your body. Detox can be challenging for the body, and you may experience some withdrawal symptoms.

Depending on the type of substance you are being treated for, there may be access to medications to ease the process. [3] Medical staff will be available to monitor your progress.

2. Rehab

Once your body has gotten rid of the alcohol or drugs in your system and your physical health is stable, the rehabilitation stage of treatment can begin.

This involves accessing support with specially trained clinicians and will involve different kinds of therapy.

It is the psychological side of the treatment process and will include engaging with different forms of therapeutic treatment that best suit you and your situation.

3. Aftercare

Once your stay in rehab is complete, you will be discharged. Aftercare will then be available- see below for more details on what support you can access after rehab.

Types of therapy

The kinds of therapy you can access as part of your rehab treatment vary widely.

Therapy is a core part of the rehabilitation process as it allows you to identify, discuss and work through some of the issues that may have led to your addiction, and to consider the mental impact of addiction itself.

Therapies differ from talking-based practices to holistic, leisure-based therapies.

In your rehab facility, you will have a range of different options available. A tailored treatment plan will be produced for your stay. [4]

You may continue to access some of these forms of support as part of your aftercare package.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
Motivational Interviewing
Motivational Enhancement Therapy
Holistic therapies (equine therapy, art therapy, yoga, adventure therapy)
Group therapy
Individual therapy
Family therapy
Co-dependency treatment
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Twelve-Step Facilitation Therapy (TSF)

You can read more about the different kinds of treatment available in rehab here.

How Long Does Rehab Last?

The time that rehab lasts will depend on your specific circumstance, it is up to medical professionals to conclude how long you need to access treatment.

Typically, though, rehab lasts somewhere between 7 and 90 days, with 7 days being the minimum stay due to it being the time it takes to detox from alcohol.

The recommended duration period for rehab treatment is 28-days. This is because it gives enough time for the body to withdraw from substances and overcome any related physical symptoms. [5]

The time it takes to detox depends on the substance you are seeking treatment for.

The process mustn’t be rushed, and the body is given time to adjust safely and slowly due to various symptoms associated with withdrawal. [6]

The remainder of the time spent in rehab is dedicated to the therapeutic treatment component where you will access psychological support.

Sustained physical treatment will be available post-detox if this is required.

How Much Does Rehab Cost?

Often, one of the main concerns of people seeking help for addiction is the cost of rehab. The cost varies on the kind of treatment.

The Costs of Inpatient and Outpatient Treatment

Residential treatment is often more expensive and is less likely to be available on the NHS. On average, UK residential rehab costs £495 a day, which equates to around £14,000 for a month.

This is an average though – there are centres available that can cost anywhere between £1,000 to £10,000 a week.

Luxury centres (like those frequented by celebrities) are often facilities that offer premium add-ons such as spas and extra treatment.

These are significantly more expensive, often rising upwards to £73,000 for a month of treatment.[7]

Is Rehab available through the NHS?

It is more likely that you will access outpatient services via the NHS. Due to high costs and waiting lists, primary clinicians will often suggest outpatient care (home detox and therapeutic support at home) before residential care.

This means that the cost of inpatient rehab is not often covered by the NHS and financing your stay will need to be considered.

There are options for payment plans and support from insurance companies to help meet the costs of your treatment.

What Support is Available Afterwards?

The recovery process does not end when you are discharged from a rehabilitation centre.

Rehabs and other clinical staff (such as GPs and other primary care practitioners) have a duty of care to support that goes beyond discharge. [8]

Because of this, there are lots of different options for aftercare once the formal rehabilitation process is complete.

Alcoholics Anonymous & Narcotics Anonymous
SMART recovery
Home Detox
Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous Family Group meetings
Outpatient treatment via local drug & alcohol teams in your area

How Effective is Rehab?

Rehab is not a one size fits all treatment.

A recent study of addiction recovery in England has found that 59% of patients completed treatment successfully and did not require further treatment. [9]

Due to the many different factors that make us all individuals, it means that it will take different approaches, timespans, and efforts to overcome addiction.

There is no single cure for addiction, which does mean that relapse is possible.

It is possible to attend rehab more than once if a relapse does occur. This does not mean that you have failed, only that you need a little more support in your recovery journey.

Rehab is most effective when you have a strong recovery plan that considers you individually: the type of addiction you have, any dual diagnoses you may have, and your stresses and triggers. [10]

Rehab gives you the best chance of recovering from addiction and taking back control of your life by making positive changes with professional help.

You can find out more about a rehab centre near you here, or use our chatline or request a call back from a professional to begin your recovery journey.