Methods of Drug Addiction Treatment in the UK

The type of treatment modalities and therapies available for addiction management varies, depending on the kind of rehab you choose. The government-funded facilities usually have limited funds and provide a narrow variety of treatments. On the other hand, a privately working rehabilitation centre offers a wide range of options, from evidence-based medical therapies to holistic interventions and medications to deliver comprehensive care.

An overview of the types of addiction treatment offered in the addiction rehab UK is given below:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT is a type of psychological intervention that takes place in the form of a counselling session. The aim is to encourage patients to open up to their unpleasant experiences, memories, and feelings and learn how to react to them sensibly. Accomplishing this helps them deal with all negative factors of life without taking solace in addiction.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

CBT includes a dialogue between the patient and their therapist that focuses on changing the negative beliefs, thought processes, and behaviours for better emotional regulation. Therapists work alongside patients to identify their own cognitive distortions and devise strategies to manage them.

Counselling

The term “counselling” covers many activities but fundamentally refers to the delivery of support and advice to patients by counsellors. The sessions involve one-on-one or group settings where the counsellors provide their opinions and viewpoints on what patients should do to address their problems. These counsellors may collaborate with other professionals to broaden the scope of these sessions and support recovery.

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)

DBT is a type of cognitive behavioural therapy that combines the typical techniques of CBT with concepts such as mindfulness, acceptance, and distress tolerance. The therapy requires the patient to accept their therapist as an ally in managing their psychological issues and addictive behaviours. Meanwhile, the therapist’s job is to validate the patient’s emotions while helping them understand how some behaviours might be negative and harmful.

Family Therapy

Also known as family and systemic psychotherapy, this intervention enables family members and other people sharing close bonds with the patient to work together towards recovery. It allows them to appreciate each other’s desires and needs, understand experiences, and collaborate to change their relationships when necessary.

Holistic Therapy

Holistic therapy considers the entirety of a person: their spirit, body, and mind, and aims to correct the balance of each element. It works on the principle that if one part of a person does not work correctly, other parts may take a hit. Hence, all of them need to be treated simultaneously for overall well-being. Holistic therapies typically include activities like:

• Acupuncture
• Mindfulness meditation
• Reiki
• Massage
• Aromatherapy
• Yoga

Twelve-step Programmes

Several popular self-help organisations in the UK offer a 12-step programme for better recovery and support. Two of these organisations working for addiction include Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.

Detoxification

Also known as detox, this treatment aims to help addicts stop taking the substance daily. The purpose of the process is to cleanse your body of all offending drugs, including alcohol and drugs like opioids, heroin, cocaine etc. Detox takes place in supervised facilities under medical care to minimise the withdrawal symptoms and make the process as comfortable as possible.

Medication-Assisted Therapy

This type of therapy combines behavioural and other interventional therapies with medications to support recovery. For example, Disulfiram may be prescribed to make alcohol withdrawal more tolerable.