Drug & Alcohol Rehab in East Ham
What is Addiction & How is it Treated in East Ham?
Addiction is a mental health disorder that involves being dependent on a behaviour or a substance. It does not usually happen after one time, but instead, develops over days, weeks, months, or years.
Some people are more prone to addiction than others, so they develop a dependency/addiction much faster. This can be due to a wide range of factors, including personality type, exposure, trauma, environment, upbringing, and genetics.
That being said, you could use a particular substance (or engage in a particular behaviour) for a long time without experiencing symptoms, but this does not mean that you will never become dependent on it.
Addictive substances can be legal or illegal. This varies according to the country, so we should not judge the dangers of a substance by the law alone.
In East Ham, you can go to cannabis rehab, cocaine rehab, alcohol rehab centres, and various other drug rehab clinics. This emphasises the variety in the types of addictions people suffer from.
The rehab programs in West Ham always include a detox phase and a therapy phase. We recommend that our clients consider staying for the full treatment plan so that they get to have both the detox and therapy. If you have any mental health conditions, this is even more important.
There is also home detoxing and outpatient addiction treatment offered in West Ham for less severe substance use problems.
For more information about drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham, contact us today at 0800 088 66 86.
Why Do People Relapse into Addiction?
If we compare addiction to a physical illness, such as high blood pressure, it is easy to see why people relapse into addiction. When someone has high blood pressure, they may adapt their lifestyle to keep their blood pressure as low as possible, e.g., exercising more, drinking less caffeine and alcohol, consuming less salt, and quitting smoking.
However, they may experience periods of relapse in their symptoms, either because they have stopped taking care of their health, or simply because they have a condition that cannot be cured. If they are on medication, there is more chance that their blood pressure will stay low, but they are still not immune to periods of difficulty.
When we apply this to addiction, we see that people are bound to struggle with the temptation to relapse, as there is no cure. This can be because they have been less strict with their lifestyle (e.g., getting involved with old friends who are enablers), or it could simply be because temptation and cravings are a normal part of the recovery process.
Again, medication may help them to keep their temptation low, but it is not guaranteed to prevent it entirely.
As you can see, it is normal for people to relapse into addiction, so we should not be surprised when this does occur. However, this means we should be even more proactive in implementing relapse prevention techniques, as we know we are going to need them.
Just as someone with high blood pressure could go the rest of their life without symptoms, it is possible for people to get sober and stay in recovery from addiction permanently. This is much more likely to happen if they seek help for their addiction early, and choose an intense form of treatment, such as inpatient rehab.
However, as we have said, relapse is common, so we must anticipate and prevent it through aftercare plans at drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham.
What are Common Triggers For Relapse & How Can You Manage them at Drug & Alcohol Rehab in West Ham?
We now know why people relapse into addiction from a technical standpoint, but what are some common reasons that people fail to stay sober?
Being stressed
When you are stressed, you may do everything you can to escape this feeling, which often includes indulging in old habits, such as using substances. This is sometimes referred to as a stress-induced relapse. (1)
It is more common if substance use was always your go-to coping mechanism, and it has become natural for you to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol.
You are also less likely to make sensible decisions when you are in a state of high stress. This means your illogical side may take over, and convince you that using drugs is a good idea due to the way it makes you feel. It can be easy to forget all the reasons you stopped using drugs if you are craving them in the moment.
At drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham, though you have to deal with the stress of recovery, you get to have a break from some other stressful things in life. You do not have to worry about going to work, completing daily household tasks, or arranging childcare, so you tend to be less overwhelmed in terms of your daily workload.
Not having a strong support network
If we are left alone to deal with temptation and cravings, it is much more likely that we will give in and relapse. This means that if your support system is weak or non-existent, you are faced with a huge relapse trigger.
On the other hand, if you have people around you who can be trusted, you are able to open up to them about the temptation, and this may take some of the shame away. They could also give you practical advice, such as suggesting you join support groups or start a new hobby, and this can help you to stay sober for longer.
Rehab is great for providing patients with a strong support network, as it is easy for patients to make friends when they are completing activities with the same group of people every day. Sessions such as group therapy make it easier for patients to be there for each other in their recovery, as there is a clear opportunity to show support for fellow victims of addiction.
Being isolated
This is similar to having a weak support network, but it is even more dangerous. If you are completely isolated, you are likely to experience poor mental health, including depression and anxiety.
This alters the chemicals in your brain and makes you more vulnerable to relapse. You could quickly end up in the vicious cycle of feeling depressed, taking drugs to overcome this, and feeling even more depressed afterwards.
Again, drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham can help you to avoid isolation, as you are around people for most of the day, either attending workshops, having group therapy, or socialising.
Being bored
The reason we encourage our clients to get busy on their journey to recovery is that boredom can contribute to relapse. If you have nothing else to do, it is much more likely that you will choose to use substances as a way to feel something.
You can manage this trigger by following a weekly schedule, seeing a therapist, keeping a diary, and introducing novelty to your life as often as you can. Learn to recognise your pattern of boredom, and prevent relapse by changing things up on a regular basis.
Fortunately, it is rare that you will be bored when you are in a rehab facility. There is a structure you have to follow each day, and this means that there is always something to do.
During your downtime, you will most likely be so tired that you will not be bored, as relaxation will be a novelty.
Abandoning useful coping mechanisms
It may seem obvious that people in recovery need to stay consistent with their coping mechanisms, but it is easy for these techniques to gradually disappear when people are caught up in the chaos of everyday life.
When people stop actively working against their addiction, they are putting themselves at risk of falling back into it. You need to wake up every day and choose to stay sober and follow this up by relying on coping mechanisms such as using sobriety calculators, practising mindfulness, and attending fellowship groups such as Smart Recovery.
The reason drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham works so well is that it equips patients with excellent coping skills, and encourages them to leave unhealthy coping skills in the past. Every day, patients will learn about new ways to manage their addiction, so even if some of the skills do not work for them, there is something for everyone.
For more information about drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham, contact us today at 0800 088 66 86.
Does Rehab Avoid Relapse Altogether?
There is no one-size-fits-all method for preventing relapse, as there is always a risk that you will return to drugs and alcohol even years after getting sober. We encourage you to not beat yourself up if you ever relapse, as it is very difficult to maintain long-term recovery, even after attending drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham.
This means that rehab does not avoid relapse altogether. However, there are things you can do to increase your chances of recovery, alongside going to rehab.
You could dedicate time to recovery every single week (or every day if needed). This could be in the form of individual therapy, journaling, meditation, or self-help meetings e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous (AA meetings).
It is also a great idea to have someone who can hold you accountable. That way, you know that someone is supporting your sobriety, and there is more incentive to stay sober and make them proud, rather than having to admit you have relapsed.
Make sure this person is caring and supportive, whilst also wanting you to avoid relapse at all costs. This means that if you do relapse, you won’t be too scared to tell them. There needs to be a healthy balance between open communication and intolerance of addiction.
If you have been to drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham, you may be given an accountability partner as part of the comprehensive aftercare.
Getting a Loved One to Go to Drug & Alcohol Rehab in East Ham
It is notoriously difficult to get someone to go to drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham unless they have decided to take this route themselves. Many people with addiction are in denial about their issue, so they simply cannot see that it is destroying their life and the lives of the people around them.
Defensiveness is also common in people with addiction. They may agree that they have a problem deep down, but they do not want to admit this to their family, as it makes them feel ashamed. They may even feel weak for falling victim to addiction, even though it is a disease that can affect anyone.
Because of this denial and defensiveness, you do not want to approach the subject in a jarring way and be visibly angry about your loved one’s addiction. Most of the time, it is more productive to demonstrate that you are aware of the nuances of addiction and that there is no reason for your loved one to be ashamed.
However, this is often very difficult, especially as most families have dealt with conflict surrounding addiction way before the subject is ever directly broached. It is common for resentment to build in both the person with the addiction and the people without it.
If you believe an intervention would be appropriate, we recommend finding a professional interventionist to avoid stirring up more conflict and reaching no conclusion. There is no guarantee that this will work, but you have a much better chance than if you handled it alone.
When choosing which style of intervention to adopt, the decision is yours, but we always advise an approach that promotes kindness, acceptance, and open conversation, whilst also rejecting addiction and the damage that it can cause.
At the end of the intervention, you will always have the opportunity to invite your loved one to get treatment at a drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham. They are under no obligation to accept this offer, so prepare for a potential failed intervention.
Many times, the individual rejects treatment, but the intervention has still been useful in forcing them to consider how their behaviour is affecting others. This means they may end up coming to you later down the line and asking for help – especially if you have made it clear that you will always be there for them.
We have more information on how to help a loved one with addiction here.
For more information about drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham, contact us today at 0800 088 66 86.
Getting a Child to Go to Drug & Alcohol Rehab in East Ham
The process involved with getting a young person to go to drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham is the same as the process for adults. However, if the young person is under 18, they can be forced into rehab by their parents.
When a teenager is pushed to go to rehab, there is a strong chance that there will be a negative effect on the relationship between the teenager and their parents.
For this reason, we highly recommend that the parents find a rehab facility that offers family therapy, as this is a great start in finding patterns in the unhealthy dynamics, and ultimately repairing the relationships.
We can help you find a drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham that offers family therapy. There is less choice when it comes to private rehab for teens, as under-18s often need to go to specialised centres. However, you can still make a choice between different treatment centres in East Ham.
For more advice on helping a teen with drug addiction, read our specialist article.
Getting an Employee to Go to Drug & Alcohol Rehab in East Ham
If you are an employer and you have noticed that one of your employees has a substance use problem, you must act on it, or you could face legal trouble. This is written in the Health and Safety Act of 1974. (2)
This means you have to follow through on the consequences of being under the influence at work. In many cases, if your employee decides to go to a rehab facility for residential drug treatment, you will have to allow them to do this without taking their job away from them.
You should keep this a private matter unless the employee specifically states that they want you to inform the rest of the workplace.
Beyond this, there are no rules about the specific way you should handle the situation. However, we recommend researching addiction in the workplace to see how you can support your employees, keeping in regular contact with the employee who has the addiction and implementing helpful strategies for when they return from drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham.
For more information about drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham, contact us today at 0800 088 66 86.
How Can I Get a Referral to Drug & Alcohol Rehab in East Ham?
You can register now for a referral to drug and alcohol rehab in East Ham. All you need to do is call Rehab Recovery on 0800 088 66 86. A member of our friendly team will talk you through the process, and if you are happy to proceed there and then, they will ask for your details.
This includes the details surrounding your relationship with addiction, your preferences for a residential rehabilitation centre, your medical record, and your contact details. The first discussion will not cost you anything, but if you choose to continue using Rehab Recovery, we will discuss payment with you.
We get some calls requesting that we refer someone’s family member to a bespoke treatment programme in East Ham. We want to make it clear that this is not something we can do unless your loved one comes to us and agrees that they are ready for rehab.
We would like to point you in the direction of some addiction resources if your family member will not agree to get professional help, as it is important for you to know how to handle the situation in a productive way.
References
[1] Your genes and addiction https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/your-genes-and-addiction-2019012815730
[2] Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 https://www.hse.gov.uk/legislation/hswa.htm#:~:text=The%20Health%20and%20Safety%20at,and%20members%20of%20the%20public