When individuals become dependent on a substance (or behaviour, in some instances) this is known as having an addiction.
Any individual can develop an addiction, making it a non-discriminatory disease and also one that can require lifelong care and support if not treated in a suitable time period.
Often, addictions worsen over time, affecting many areas of an individual’s life including their work, their social life, their physical health, and also their mental health.
This is why seeking help for addiction sooner rather than later is always recommended; individuals without suitable private alcohol rehabilitation in Birmingham are more likely to relapse, cause further harm to themselves, and to those around them.
This article will focus on mental health treatment within addiction recovery (also referred to as rehabilitation), how this can be implemented, and why this is beneficial for all individuals’ recovery processes.
What support services are available for addiction in Worcestershire?
In Worcestershire, as well as across the UK, there are many different types of rehabilitation that an individual may choose from. Depending on their needs and requirements of care, these different types of addiction recovery service provider may be more or less suitable on a case-by-case basis.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to rehabilitation, so ensuring that every individual proceeds and participates in suitable care is of utmost importance.
In general, rehabilitation is thought to be either inpatient or outpatient, meaning that individuals will either rehabilitate in a dedicated centre on a full-time basis, or outside of a centre on a more part-time basis – each of which will have different benefits and drawbacks depending on each individual’s unique circumstances.
Mental health support in addiction treatment
In the UK in March 2024, it was estimated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) that approximately 1 million people or more had reported using Class A substances within the past 12 months (1).
As Class A drugs include some of the most addictive substances in the world (e.g., heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines, and substances similar to ecstasy), it is therefore not unreasonable to suggest that even if illegal substance consumption lead to addiction in a small number of these cases, it would still be a huge strain on the UK’s addiction recovery services.
However, it is also still just as vital to include mental health treatment for all of these cases; mental health is something that cannot be seen but can cause lifelong issues if not properly focussed on and cared for.
The following subheadings outline some of the key areas within rehabilitation in which an individual will focus on their mental health, including some examples and durations of these types of treatment.
1. Dual diagnosis
As a general concept, a dual diagnosis approach within rehabilitation refers to the practise in which all mental health issues diagnosed for an individual will be treated during their recovery process.
This is an essential practise as, although addiction is considered a mental health issue also, it is known to co-occur with additional mental health issues in many situations.
In addition, studies have shown that individuals with additional mental health issues during addiction treatment are more likely to relapse than those for whom their mental health is treated accordingly (2).
2. Therapy
Therapy is the most common treatment that individuals think of when they consider mental health treatment within rehabilitation, but there are many different forms of this and ways in which it can be implemented effectively into an individual’s recovery programme.
Below are some of the most common forms of therapy implemented in addiction recovery:
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) – focusses on helping individuals to alter negative thought patterns associated with their addiction
- Motivational interviewing (MI) – a way for individuals to explore their reasons for wanting to change and recover, including active listening and open-ended questions
- Dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) – similar to CBT, but with more of a focus on emotions and connecting these to behaviours within an individual’s addiction struggles
- Holistic treatments – including therapies such as art, music, and meditation therapy, these are treatments designed to help implement treatments and therapy within activities that an individual may already enjoy
To find out which treatments and therapies are available for you, your needs, and in Worcestershire, speak to your local health services or addiction referral service today.
3. Aftercare
Aftercare is the period after the majority of an individual’s rehabilitation in which they continue to learn, participate in, and learn about addiction, its effects, and its treatment.
During aftercare, it is just as vital as during treatment that individuals maintain a strong connection to their mental health and continue to work on what they have learned during their recovery process.
Where can individuals start their addiction recovery?
So how can an individual find support for addiction in Worcestershire? Depending on an individual’s needs, there are many different ways in which individuals can seek and enter support.
The UK, for example, has countless different residential rehab centres, addiction support service providers, and community-driven therapy programmes in which all individuals will be able to find something suitable.
The remainder of this article will focus on these sources of support, where they can be found, and for whom they may be most suitable.
1. Local health services
Including organisations such as the National Health Service (NHS) and your local doctors’ office, local health services are often the first place that many individuals may consider looking for addiction support.
In general, this is a good place to start; it makes others aware of the individual’s struggles and allows them to begin to build a strong recovery programme that is suitable for each individual’s case.
However, it is also important to note that this is also the most popular way in which individuals seek rehabilitation, meaning that these services are often overloaded and overcrowded, leading to delays in care and the possibility of long travel times to seek the nearest available source of support.
2. Addiction referral services
As an alternative, and one that is recommended by most medical professionals and addiction specialists, it is suggested that individuals struggling with addiction contact an addiction referral service in order to find the most appropriate course of treatment for them.
These referral services listen to your situation, your needs, and the history of your addiction before making suggestions and creating next steps for an individual’s recovery journey.
In some cases, individuals may be referred to specific rehab centres and residential care programmes, whereas in others they may be referred to local community groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) which are common across Worcestershire and the UK as a whole.
Start your addiction recovery journey in Worcestershire today
Addiction can exponentially worsen if left untreated, so seeking support today is essential in the preservation of an individual’s physical and mental health.
If there is any doubt, or any situation in which an individual requires urgent care, it is always recommended to contact your relevant local emergency services to avoid future and long-term damage to an individual.
Addiciton is nothing to be ashamed of, or to be embarrassed about seeking care for, so start your rehabilitation journey today.
Sources:
[1] Office for National Statistics; Drug misuse in England and Wales: year ending March 2024; 12 December 2024; https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/drugmisuseinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2024
[2] Bradizza, C.M., Stasiewicz, P.R. and Paas, N.D., 2006. Relapse to alcohol and drug use among individuals diagnosed with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders: a review. Clinical psychology review, 26(2), pp.162-178.
Article by Jack Harris.
