Approach to addiction treatment
Outlining our approach to addiction treatment and explaining what's included in our addiction treatment programme.
Addictions develop when someone becomes repeatedly involved with a particular substance or activity, despite the substantial harm it causes to them. This behaviour is repeated because the person derives some form of pleasure or value from it, which causes them to seek it out more and more, until they develop a psychological or physical dependence to the substance or activity in question. Addictions can have a hugely damaging effect on all areas of a person’s life, including their relationships with others, performance at work, personal finances, as well as their physical and psychological health.
At Priory, we'll place you at the centre of your addiction treatment programme, ensuring that you receive a tailored treatment plan in order to produce the best possible outcomes for you.
At Priory, we understand that embarking upon recovery from your addiction can be a challenging time for you. That’s why we aim to make this step as accessible and straightforward as possible by offering a free, no-obligation addiction assessment at all of our addiction rehabilitation hospitals, to help you to discuss your addiction in confidence.
This initial assessment provides you with the opportunity to:
Your initial addiction assessment can be scheduled at a time that's convenient for you, whilst guaranteeing the utmost discretion and confidentiality. Ultimately, the aim of our free addiction assessment is to put your mind at ease and help you develop an understanding of how you can achieve a healthy, fulfilling and addiction-free life.
If you are struggling with an alcohol or drug addiction, an important first step in your addiction treatment journey may be for you to undergo a medically assisted withdrawal detoxification or ‘detox’ process, before you commence with comprehensive addiction therapy.
Alcohol detox and drug detox can differ slightly, but detox process involves removing all traces of addictive and harmful substances are removed from your body, whilst managing any withdrawal symptoms that you may experience as a result of no longer having alcohol or drugs in your system. The detox process at Priory typically lasts for 7 – 10 days and is delivered by our highly trained, multidisciplinary teams of consultants and other addiction specialists. Our detox experts are also able to offer medical intervention and prescribe medication during detox, if this is required, in order to ensure that you are physically stable in preparation to start addiction therapy. You will also benefit from 24-hour mental health nursing support for the duration of the detox process.
The addiction treatment programmes that we offer at Priory consist of patients staying at one of our hospitals, usually for a 28-day period. Whilst 28 days is the recommended treatment length for addictions, we are also able to consider flexible treatment lengths, if appropriate, at some of our hospital sites. As part of your residential programme, you will have the opportunity to tackle any physical symptoms that are associated with your addiction through our detox service, before undergoing intensive therapy in order to address the underlying causes and triggers for your addictive behaviours, and reduce the chances of addiction relapse.
You can read more about Priory’s inpatient addiction treatment offerings by visiting our inpatient treatment page.
Day care treatment for addictions is typically used as a step-down in treatment intensity once you have completed your 28-day inpatient treatment programme at one of our Priory hospitals, although it can also be used as an entry-point at some of our hospital sites, depending on your unique needs. This form of therapy consists of you attending a Priory hospital for a set number of days each week, depending on the intensity of the support that you require, and taking part in addiction therapy groups alongside current residential patients. However, unlike our residential programme, you will not stay at the hospital overnight and will return home following a day of therapy.
Outpatient treatment for addictions is characterised by you attending hourly therapy sessions, usually on a weekly basis, with appointment times that can be flexible according to your existing commitments. Outpatient therapy can be delivered at our hospital sites as well as through our national Priory wellbeing centre network.
Whether it takes place on an inpatient, day care or outpatient basis, we are able to deliver addiction therapy in a number of different formats at Priory. For more information on each of the therapy formats that we are able to offer, please click on the following links:
We are also able to offer a wide range of therapeutic techniques as part of addiction treatment at Priory, which can be delivered in an inpatient, day care or outpatient capacity, and in different formats, depending on your personal needs. The types of therapy that we can offer at Priory include:
For more detailed information on each of the types of therapy that we are able to deliver at Priory, you can visit our therapy types page.
At Priory, we are dedicated to your ongoing recovery, which is why we offer comprehensive aftercare support to each individual who completes their 28-day Addiction Treatment Programme with us. The majority of our hospitals offer free aftercare for 12 months following addiction treatment. Priory Hospital Roehampton are able to provide free aftercare for life.
Our exceptional aftercare programmes consist of ongoing access to support groups, continuous networking assistance, talks and advice for patients, as well as family support groups. In addition, each and every one of our patients will finish their Addiction Treatment Programme with a tailored Continuing Care Plan and we are dedicated to supporting you in your ongoing transition from hospital back to your day-to-day life.
Our expert team of addiction psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists and other addiction specialists consist of leaders in their field. Our team is committed to remaining up to date with current research, in order to ensure that our practice is guided by the very latest thinking in addiction treatment, and adheres to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. As such, we're extremely well-placed to provide high quality treatment for a wide range of addictions and addictive behaviours, producing the most positive outcomes for everyone we support.
Our comprehensive addiction treatment programmes at Priory are predominantly led by our expert consultants, but you'll also have input from our network of dedicated peer supporters throughout your treatment. Our peer supporters are former patients who have completed the addiction treatment programme themselves at one of our Priory hospitals. These people choose to return to the hospital and take part in addiction therapy groups to offer inspiration, hope and guidance, and share their positive recovery experiences with current patients. Our peer supporters can offer a different perspective to our patients, allowing them to explore and challenge themselves in unique ways.
At Priory, we deliver comprehensive addiction treatment and help, using a wide range of established techniques, enabling you to tackle your addiction and make a full and sustainable recovery.
We are a registered and approved provider for all of the UK's leading private medical insurers. All of the services that we offer at Priory can be funded through private medical insurance. This includes:
All clients will have access to our highly skilled and accredited clinicians, many of whom are published experts in their fields of treatment. Whatever your requirements, we are committed to working with you to get your life back on track.
We have addiction treatment centres located throughout the country, ensuring that you can access the support you need in a location that's convenient for you. To find your nearest addiction treatment centre, please use the search form below.