It’s best to be prepared regardless of where you choose to seek help. Keep reading to learn more about what to expect from most rehabilitation centres.

The amount of the population dying is on the rise regarding the addiction to drugs and alcohol in the UK. The good news is, so too is the number of people seeking treatment in drug and alcohol rehab programmes.

Detoxing Before Entering A Rehabilitation Center Program

Rehab treatment programmes are commonly started off with alcohol detox. During your stay at the treatment centre, the body processes and metabolizes any drugs or alcohol in the system and clears their toxic influence.

Alcohol and drugs withdrawal symptoms can be particularly difficult, uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous, which is why detox is particularly crucial for people withdrawing from alcohol, opioids, sedatives, and stimulants. Stopping use of these harmful substances suddenly can lead to anything from anxiety, nausea, vomiting to hallucinations and seizures.

Supervised detox ensures that the individual can safely physically and mentally withdraw from the substance in question.

Residential rehab centres have their own drug detox on-site, supervised by medical professionals. How long detox takes varies between each individual, according to the drug they were using and how often they used it. For most, detox takes five to seven days before the transition into an inpatient program.

While some people endure very few withdrawal symptoms, others may experience more serious side effects. For instance, delirium tremens is an example of the most dangerous of alcohol withdrawal symptoms. It can occur within the first 48 hours after your latest drink and can cause confusion, severe shaking, hallucinations, and high blood pressure. Delirium tremens is not common, but it can be life-threatening. Alcoholics who abruptly stop drinking encounter a range of dangerous symptoms, so it’s critical for those experiencing withdrawal to undergo medically-assisted detox.

Drug detox can take around seven to ten days. Drugs can seriously affect the nervous system, which means that when someone reduces the number of drugs in the system, the brain needs to get used to this sudden change in chemicals. Withdrawals from drugs can have a psychological and physical effect. Therefore a medically supervised elimination is required to keep you safe.

A Typical Day In Rehab

A day in the life at an alcohol rehab Birmingham will be much like other centres. Every centre differs in its structure and offerings, but most follow a similar program. We’ve outlined this in more detail below.

Mornings

An integral part of treatment and recovery is creating new habits. The theory behind following routines and creating healthier ways of living is that these provide a baseline for living that carry into recovery after rehabilitation.

The first part of this is waking up early. In a treatment service, some programs will offer yoga or meditation to help start the day on the right foot. These usually aren’t mandatory, but even if the patient chooses not to go, they’re still be expected to rise early.

Breakfast is served as a community meal. Each person is responsible for getting their breakfast and cleaning their own tray. Either before or after breakfast, residents are encouraged to shower, make their own bed, and ensure the room is clean. This typically has to be completed by a specified time.

Many rehabilitation centres will have group sessions in the morning, following breakfast. These are led by counsellors or therapists, and they’re extremely important to recovery.

Group therapy allows the group to bond. It builds trust between participants and provides a space to share struggles, thoughts, and fears. It also teaches addicts how important it is to look for support in a group of individuals with similar struggles – people who understand their experiences and challenges.

Afternoons

Group sessions are followed by lunch. After lunch is when the real work starts. These will be filled with the most intensive part of treatment.

Every rehab clinic follows its own program. Below we’ve listed some of the most common types of therapy.

Counselling In An Alcohol Rehab

Individual counselling is usually with a trained therapist or addictions counsellor.

Counselling at rehab helps individuals understand their substance abuse in a concrete way. They’ll go through the circumstances of their lives and pinpoint the potential reasons for the reasons they’ve turned to drugs or alcohol to cope. Counsellors also help people to recognize patterns of behaviour and triggers that will help them avoid drugs and alcohol when they leave treatment.

One of the most common types of therapy enlisted in rehab in Birmingham is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This is effective talk therapy for identifying triggers and the specific behavioural responses that lead an addict to use.

Specialized Rehab Therapy & Workshops

Alcohol support in Birmingham can take many forms. These might include therapy sessions that help deal with anger, stress, or grief. They might also include workshops that give the basic tools needed to lead a clean and sober life.

Some of the most common types of specialized therapy and workshops include:

Other alternative therapies include art and music therapy, dance therapy, and equine therapy. But there are a host of therapies that are thought to help addicts achieve recovery. Be sure to talk to your rehab centre to find out what they offer before your intake.

Evenings

Dinner is also served in a group setting, and it’s usually followed up with more individual therapy. This therapy might be with a doctor, nurse, or counsellor. It may also take the form of a group session to talk about the day and what was learned.

Some programs will bring in speakers in the evenings. Sometimes these speakers share their own stories about addiction and recovery. Other times these speakers are trained professionals who speak about career training, pursuing further education, and other opportunities that are available after completing rehab.

There’s not usually a particular time that patients have to go to sleep. But they are required to stay in their rooms after a certain time and are encouraged to get enough sleep to fully participate in the next day of activities.

Family Therapy

Addiction is an illness that affects the entire family of an addict. It can cause co-dependent relationships among family members that enable the addict to continue to use. But it can also lead to anger and resentment that can tear a family apart.

This is why this therapy is an important component of rehabilitation. In some programs, the family of the patient plays a strong role throughout the entire program. They’ll take part in the assessment and also be prepared for how they can help during aftercare.

Families will learn about the causes and triggers for the addict in their life. They’ll be given tools to help them cope and to help them best support their loved one in their recovery.

How Long Will You Be in Drug and Alcohol Rehab?

The most common drug and alcohol rehab programmes are 28 days long. There are also programs for 45, 60, and 90 days.

But the length of stay in an alcohol rehab centre really depends on the individual. It should take into consideration what they’re addicted to, their personal history, the severity of the problem, and whether there are related mental health disorders present.

Rules and Restrictions in a Birmingham Rehabilitation Center

Upon entering rehabilitation in a Birmingham centre, patients are obliged to follow the rules and restrictions enforced by that particular centre. That begins with a search of belongings. Staff members will remove any drugs or alcohol, paraphernalia, and banned items from the patient’s possession.

These rules are in place to keep the program safe for all participants and staff members. It’s imperative that they’re followed in order to maintain a healthy environment for everyone to recover.

Aftercare in Rehab

While in a drug and alcohol rehab programme, the environment is structured in a way that makes staying clean and sober easy. After discharge and returning to normal life, some individuals find it challenging to maintain those routines and remember the lessons they’ve learned about their triggers and addictive behaviour.

This is why a good rehab program will include a strong aftercare program. This might consist of an outpatient treatment program or a stay at a halfway house. At the very least, the individual should attend 12-step meetings and check-in with their counsellor on a weekly basis.

Finding Drug and Alcohol Rehab Near Me

Whether it’s you or a loved one that requires help with a drug or alcohol misuse problem, there is help out there. Drug and alcohol rehab centres provide a structured environment in which individuals get clean and sober. During an inpatient program that can last anywhere from 28 to 90 days, patients learn the in’s and out’s of addiction, their triggers, and how to cope with life in a healthy and manageable way.

There is a variety of options out there for drug rehab in Birmingham, UK. Each has its own approach and therapies, depending on the needs of the patient. Contact us to find a rehab centre that’s right for you.

Rehab Guide offers addiction treatment across Birmingham and in Wednesfield, Oldbury, Walsall, Bilston, Smethwick, Sedgley, Sutton Coldfield and Ashton.

If you live in Birmingham and you struggle with alcohol abuse, we can help you find a rehabilitation centre with professionals on hand who will guide you along the path of recovery and alcohol-free life. Remember, recovery is a choice — we encourage you to make the right one.

Featured Birmingham Alcohol & Drug Rehab CentresUpdated 28/03/20 Author: Fiona Kennedy