Drug & Alcohol Rehab in Prescot

Situated in the county of Lancashire around 8 miles from Liverpool city centre, the town of Prescot experiences a range of social and health problems relating to addiction.

Drug and alcohol-related harm accounts for much of the area’s region-wide struggles, with many people dealing with the effects of substance use in some way.

The Liverpool City Council JSNA report [1] conducted a deep dive into substance misuse in the area: the ripple effects from which are keenly felt by Prescot.

In 2020-2021, hospital admissions for substance-specific conditions in Liverpool were more than 2 times the national average at around 5,200 for the year.

While many of these were able to recover from their Substance Use Disorder (SUD), others weren’t as fortunate.

Tragically, the Liverpool area has a drug mortality rate of 12.9 per 100,000: equating to around 56 deaths each year and making it the 5th highest area for drug mortality in the UK. It’s premature deaths such as these that professionals aim to prevent at a drug and alcohol rehab in Prescot.

Lancashire residents also suffer from Alcohol Use Disorders, of which there has been a dramatic rise over the years. The Lancashire County Council’s assessment [2] of the area’s alcohol use revealed that there were 560 deaths due to hazardous drinking in the area between 2020-2021.

Moreover, the region experienced 898 hospital admissions due to alcohol-related illnesses in 2021: a record figure for the Prescot area.

Start your recovery journey today by calling our expert team to access drug & alcohol rehab in Prescot on 0800 088 66 86

What is Substance Use Disorder (SUD)?

Someone’s first decision to take a drug or consume alcohol may be triggered by inquisitiveness, peer pressure, stress, or the desire to relax, but the process of becoming addicted [3] is often beyond their control.

It’s for this reason that addiction is now referred to as Substance Use Disorder (SUD): a disease of the brain characterised by maladaptive patterns of drug or alcohol use.

While many health authorities have a working definition of SUD, The ASAM [4] has simplified its description of this condition: making it accessible to all.

Their criteria explain that addicted individuals engage in compulsive substance use despite harmful consequences and that many factors contribute towards this. These include a person’s genetics, neurology, life experiences, and environment.

While many of these factors are dependent on the individual, neuroplasticity and the role it plays in addiction is a similar process for everyone. Neuroplasticity describes the brain’s ability to adapt and change in response to certain behaviours: which in this context is drug or alcohol use.

Frequent substance consumption [5] encourages the release of an important neurotransmitter known as dopamine: a chemical that’s responsible for feelings of pleasure.

Therefore, neuroplasticity takes place within the brain’s reward system and it comes to associate substances with feeling positive. As such, individuals will experience cravings, and the compulsion to use, and also find that their tolerance increases.

Because the brain adapts to substances over time, it will start to require higher intakes to satiate cravings and induce the dopamine response.

This takes individuals down a dangerous path towards both psychological and physical dependence, whereby using drugs or drinking alcohol is a necessity. It’s at this stage that a diagnosable Substance Use Disorder has manifested: requiring long-term care at a drug and alcohol rehab in Prescot.

Why Are Withdrawal Symptoms Dangerous?

Alongside cravings and the compulsion to use despite the consequences, SUD victims may suffer from symptoms that can impede their recovery.

Withdrawal symptoms [6] occur upon the sudden stoppage of drug or alcohol use and will vary in severity depending on substance potency, half-life, intake, and more.

While the causes of withdrawal are complex, research suggests that it boils down to disruption in the brain’s nervous system as it tries to adjust to existence without drugs or alcohol.

In general, the symptoms experienced appear as the opposite of whichever substance someone has been abusing. For instance, drugs such as alcohol which are depressants will cause sufferers to feel restless, hyperactive, and agitated.

In the case of many drugs, the adverse symptoms experienced won’t be fatal, but they’ll cause such discomfort that individuals feel compelled to relapse simply to avoid further pain.

Victims of opiate use disorders may experience flu-like symptoms, vomiting, shaking, and cramping, while those addicted to stimulants will undergo increased anxiety, have mood swings, and feel depressed. Other common symptoms include headaches, sweating, and a racing heart.

Individuals who are addicted to alcohol or benzodiazepines, both of which are central nervous system depressants, are at risk of developing medically dangerous withdrawal symptoms. Seizures are more common among heavy substance abusers, alongside hallucinations, confusion, and even cardiac arrest.

Without enlisting the clinical services of a drug and alcohol rehab in Prescot, these acute symptoms can develop into Delerium Tremens. This is a life-threatening complication causing the brain and body to go into shock.

For many individuals, debilitating withdrawal symptoms appear between 8-24 hours after they last had a drink or took a drug: reaching a peak within 48 hours and bringing them dangerously close to relapse.

To avoid this, the effects of a substance should be partially blocked using medications, or its consumption slowly tapered.

At a drug and alcohol rehab in Prescot, individuals can access medical supervision immediately, and begin tapering via a medicated detox.

For the time it takes to safely remove substances from their system, they’ll stay in modern, comfortable accommodations and receive all their treatments on-site. After this, they have the option to continue treatment and solidify their long-term recovery.

Start your recovery journey today by calling our expert team to access drug & alcohol rehab in Prescot on 0800 088 66 86

How Do I Enter a Drug and Alcohol Rehab in Prescot?

Although conducting research into rehab clinics can be effective, the process can be a lot to manage without help. Whether you’re starting the admissions process for a loved one, or feel ready to enter rehab yourself, our team has you covered.

We can facilitate your admission into a drug and alcohol rehab in Prescot that aligns with your unique needs and reflects your preferences accurately.

Our admissions navigators can be easily reached by calling 0800 088 66 86 [7], with our hotlines open throughout the day and night. We understand that picking up the phone to discuss your addiction or someone else’s can be difficult, which is why we’ll manage your case with discretion and sympathy.

If the need for treatment is urgent, we’ll organise a health evaluation for you straight away: performed by one of the Rehab Recovery consultants.

Their job is to conduct a pre-admissions health interview, in which they’ll find out what makes your situation unique. This ensures that you’re going to the best drug and alcohol rehab in Prescot for your individual needs.

Questions that you’ll be asked encompass physical and mental health, habits of substance use, any co-occurring medical conditions, and how conducive your current living situation is to future recovery.

The admissions process can be hastened following your health consultation, with many individuals choosing their preferred clinic of the ones we recommend within days.

Once you’re happy to begin the process of checking in, we’ll be able to help you book a treatment, organise payment if applicable, and facilitate travel arrangements.

Treating a Dual Diagnosis at a Drug and Alcohol Rehab in Prescot

Drug and alcohol use can worsen or accelerate the progression of another mental illness: a phenomenon known by experts as comorbidity, or dual diagnosis [8].

Existing with a Substance Use Disorder is difficult enough on its own, but when combined with another psychiatric condition, symptoms can quickly become unbearable.

It traps victims in a loop whereby substance use provides fleeting relief from mental symptoms: thereby worsening their dependence.

Co-occurring disorders can be a combination of any mental health condition known to science and any substance addiction: be it problems with alcohol, stimulants, opiates, and more. Nonetheless, many common examples have been noted by specialists at a drug and alcohol rehab in Prescot or elsewhere.

These include bipolar disorder and addiction, PTSD and addiction, depression and addiction, or anxiety and addiction.

Victims of comorbidity will have more complex treatment needs, as they are often less able to function day-to-day, and may be exhibiting mood swings.

This in turn increases their risk of relapse in the early stages of addiction recovery [9], and withdrawal symptoms may be harder to manage without professional help.

If you suspect you might be suffering from co-occurring disorders, or have someone close to you experiencing worrying symptoms, it’s crucial to receive a proper assessment.

At a drug and alcohol rehab in Prescot, a team of specialists will assess your current condition and create a programme that treats your SUD without damaging your mental health. Receiving treatment that sympathetically tackles both conditions is key to achieving a long-lasting recovery.

Dual Diagnosis patients receive a medically supervised detox to help them feel better both physically and mentally, before undertaking a range of therapies.

These include motivational enhancement techniques, educational support groups, and behavioural therapies to help patients untangle their thoughts and feelings.

Start your recovery journey today by calling our expert team to access drug & alcohol rehab in Prescot on 0800 088 66 86

Therapeutic Styles at a Drug and Alcohol Rehab in Prescot

At a drug and alcohol rehab in Prescot, residential care is characterised by concentrated therapeutic treatment [10]. Therapies that have been adapted to aid those with substance addictions will teach you the skills needed to avoid relapse and instil lifelong recovery.

The following strategies are a staple of drug and alcohol recovery programmes, with their methods customised to suit the needs of each individual:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy [11] (CBT): Much of addiction recovery is centred around learning new skills and habits to target unhelpful thought patterns. CBT is a psychotherapeutic technique that helps people revise their current habits by restructuring negative feelings, thoughts, and distortions. At a drug and alcohol rehab in Prescot, CBT attendees learn how to manage the problems at the root of their SUD, while creating ways to stay mindful.
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy [11] (DBT): This form of behavioural therapy focuses on the development of 4 skills: distress tolerance, emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness. Participants are taught to observe their emotions and thoughts without judgement, rather than letting them be consumed by them. As such, DBT helps many patients with emotional pain as a driving force behind their substance use: allowing them to let go of past trauma.
Holistic Therapy [12] (HT): If they are to remain on the road to sobriety, patients at a drug and alcohol rehab in Prescot must work towards sustaining overall health. Without using medications or psychotherapeutic methods, HT programmes aim to treat the entire individual: combining spiritual practices with promoting physical health. Integrative HT treatments include somatic therapy, meditation, breathwork, yoga, and relaxing martial art programmes such as tai chi.
Family Therapy [13] (FT): While many families desire to help their addicted loved one recover, they might not understand the complexities of SUD, or they may have communication issues standing in their way. To heal those affected by one or more cases of addiction in their family, FT is suggested by many specialists and can be performed on-site at rehab. Just some benefits of Family Therapy include learning self-care, improved treatment retention, and an improved understanding of SUD.
Contingency Management (CM): Overcoming addiction can, for many people, be optimised by receiving rewards for completing elements of treatment. CM is a motivational technique that offers patients tangible rewards (gift cards, vouchers etc) for perpetuating their abstinence and reaching treatment milestones. Rewards given at the start of the programme are often low-value and increase as more recovery goals are met.
Motivational Interviewing (MI) [13]: Based on client-centred principles and open communication, MI is a short-term counselling method aiming to improve motivation. Techniques such as summarising, paraphrasing, and reflective listening are employed by therapists to mobilise a patient’s internal and external motivators. During sessions, patients explore the reasons they wish to change and record a set of goals to work towards.