Drug And Alcohol Addiction Help In Scotland
KEY TAKEAWAY
Overcoming dependence on alcohol or drugs usually requires finding professional help.
While few publicly funded treatment options are available in Scotland, private residential clinics provide continuous care under one roof, through detoxification, rehabilitation, and relapse prevention planning.
To find treatment that matches your needs, ask for costs, a recent regulator's report, and support provided when you return home.
Pricing for rehab treatment in Scotland varies between providers, and depends on duration of stay, usage, and history of addiction.
An estimate for Abbeycare Scotland can be obtained from Abbeybot, below.
Alcoholism In Scotland
Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are rising in Scotland. 24% of Scots drink alcohol at harmful levels (>14 units per week)[1].
When pricing is cheap, alcohol consumption increases[2], and demand for residential rehabilitation spaces is high.
The government implemented alcohol minimum unit pricing in 2018 in a bid to curb alcohol addiction[3].
Alcohol Treatment
Alcohol rehab centres typically provide an initial assessment over the phone. At the rehab clinic, you should be receiving treatment including a detox programme, therapy sessions, and relapse prevention planning. Some provide holistic therapies, art therapy, or alternative therapies, to complement evidence based treatments.
Alcohol rehabilitation means discovering and tackling the psychological issues underneath the behavioural pattern of addiction.
Drug Addiction In Scotland
While Scotland has the same drug laws as the rest of the UK, it has more drug deaths than any European country, with three people per day dying from substance abuse and drug overdose in 2020[4].
Additional funding is being provided by Scottish government for drug and alcohol addiction treatments and residential rehab[5].
The Scottish drug death taskforce is working to increase distribution of Naloxone kits and training in their use[6].
Drug Addiction Treatment
With government funding stretched, many turn to private drug and alcohol rehab centres to detox in a safe environment.
Substance use disorders, especially poly drug use, can present with more complex withdrawal symptoms, and require specialist intervention.
Drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres in Scotland can provide continuous care in a residential rehab setting, through detox, withdrawal, and help with the underlying addictive behaviours.
The therapy components in a drug rehab vs alcohol rehab programme will be the same, since the behaviour of addiction is the same - only the substance the person is using as a coping mechanism, differs.
Drug And Alcohol Addiction - Finding The Right Treatment Options
When setting out to find the right addiction treatment options, there are some key elements to look for, to ensure your needs are met correctly.
Detox .v. Rehab
Do you have a long term relationship with drug and alcohol addiction (more than 12 months?) Have you tried to cut back alcohol or drug use yourself, but been unable to? Have you experienced multiple relapses in the past? Do you experience withdrawal symptoms, then resume alcohol or substance abuse again? Do you have a sense there are mental health issues from your personal history, preventing positive progress?
Why It's Important
Selecting a longer term rehab stay, as opposed to a short term detox programme, can provide the time you need to fully overcome addictive behaviours, and not just withdrawal symptoms.
Whereas, a detox-only stay can help you feel physically better in the short-term, but won't help discover or resolve the mental health issues behind the addiction.
In other words, there is usually a relationship between duration of stay, cost, and longevity of recovery, that should factor in to your choice of rehab clinic.
Location Of Treatment Centre
In our experience, there is a balance to be struck, when choosing an inpatient rehab centre in a specific location.
Too close to home, means easy access to aftercare later, but can also mean it's too easy to maintain ties to old, unhelpful, social connections which were present during active addiction.
A treatment centre farther away can help break these old associations more easily, but can also make it more difficult to access appropriate aftercare later.
Why It's Important
Consider:
...to help you decide which location or treatment centre to admit to.
This can mean the difference between several failed attempts at addiction recovery, and a single inpatient rehab stay, followed by the right aftercare programme for your needs.
Aftercare
It's important to prepare fully for your life outside of treatment, long into the future.
This means asking a provider what aftercare elements they provide.
Do they help you to structure what life in recovery will look, sound, and feel like? Do they offer assistance to family members too? What happens in the event of a slip-up, after leaving treatment? Does the centre provide aftercare support even if you change address later?
Why It's Important
Long-term recovery from addiction is a "team-sport", and you want to be assured of support that exists beyond initial detox, and in-patient rehabilitation.
Making sure of provisions ahead of time, can help you transition smoothly, into life beyond primary care addiction treatment.
Get The Complete List Of Questions To Ask A Provider:
Are You Ready For Addiction Treatment?
When stuck in addiction, even the best of us sometimes need an extreme event in life, like an accident, hospital stay, or relationship break down, to help us make the decision "I need help."
And when we do finally make that decision, a sense of urgency, or simply our physical condition, can cloud our judgement.
Before committing to residential rehab, ask about:
Get Answers, Or Request A Free Telephone Assessment:
Short Term Detox, Outpatient Treatment & Outpatient Rehab
Importantly, Abbeycare Scotland do not advocate:
Outpatient rehab treatment can allow gains made during therapy sessions to be undone, if the individual experiences an addiction trigger, between sessions.
And, a short-term treatment approach sometimes means experiencing the temporary relief of a physical detox, but without any real underlying change.
Instead, residential addiction treatment means understanding what led to addiction in the first place, in order to learn from it, and avoid future relapse.
With each prospective client, Abbeycare complete a pre-admission free assessment to evaluate individual needs, and history of addiction.
Download Our Scotland Clinic Daily Agendas:
Client DP
"...the team gave me the building blocks to repair my life.
Now nearly 8 years sober, one day at a time."
Client IR
"I would go as far as saying that Abbeycare saved my life."
Client JF
"Excellent staff and professional care. Gave me my life back. I would recommend 100%."
About Abbeycare Scotland Clinic
Situated in the village of Erskine, 9 miles to the west of Glasgow city centre, Abbeycare Scotland is a residential rehab centre located at Erskine Mains House.
The building lies on a site extending to 0.49 Hectares (1.22 Acres) and is situated within a modern residential estate with access to local amenities.
Abbeycare's residential rehab in Erskine has comfortable, homely accommodation across two floors and all 34 large individual rooms have en-suite facilities.
At Abbeycare Scotland the experienced and multi-disciplinary team support clients through the rehab process, focussing on individual needs, and long term recovery.
With evidence based treatments, tailored recovery care plans, and continuous aftercare programme, Abbeycare Scotland are well positioned to help those starting on the journey to recovery.
For confidential advice, and more information on addiction treatments available, ring us direct on 01603 513 091.
Meet The Abbeycare Scotland Team
REGISTERED MANAGER
Douglas MacFarlane
Douglas has been involved in the addictions field for over 15 years and has had the pleasure of working closely with hundreds of individuals, helping them achieve their recovery goals.
Douglas joined Abbeycare in 2015 and was formerly the Deputy Manager of our sister service, Abbeycare Gloucester, taking up the position of Service Manager at Abbeycare Scotland in January 2020, where he manages and supports the clinical and therapeutic teams as well as the popular aftercare group.
THERAPIST
Marie McGuire
Marie was employed within social work services for 30 years, the last 12 years of which were within Glasgow Addiction Services where she was responsible for the management and practice of a specialist team providing addiction interventions and recovery support to individuals and families with mental health issues.
Marie has studied Drug and Alcohol Addictions: Policy and Intervention at Glasgow University and Multidimensional Family Therapy (MDFT) at Miami University. She qualified in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in 2004, and has tutored in the CBT honours degree course in Glasgow for almost ten years.
Abbeycare (UK) Ltd (trading as Abbeycare Scotland) is registered with the Care Inspectorate with the Service Number CS2016347332. Abbeycare are registered to provide professional help and support for up to 34 people over the age of 18 who are experiencing difficulties with drug and alcohol consumption.
The Care Inspectorate are committed to carrying out inspections of residential rehab services on an unannounced basis, for all care service types, unless there are practical reasons to announce a particular inspection.
Abbeycare Scotland’s latest unannounced inspection was carried out in November 2022. Our grades were as follows:
Care & Support
Very Good (5)
Staffing
Very Good (5)
Leadership & Management
Very Good (5)
Environment
Very Good (5)
Wellbeing
Good (4)
Established in 2005, Abbeycare Scotland have helped 859 clients move beyond drug and alcohol addiction, in the last 4 years alone.
Approximately 85% of Abbeycare staff are in addiction recovery personally, and have lived experience of the rehabilitation process.
Find out more about Abbeycare Scotland, here (opens in new tab).
Read what others say about Abbeycare Scotland, on Google, here (opens in new tab).
[1] https://www.alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk/alcohol-information/alcohol-facts-and-figures/
[2] https://www.alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk/news/cheap-alcohol-is-costing-scotland-dear/
[3] https://www.gov.scot/policies/alcohol-and-drugs/minimum-unit-pricing/
[4] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-58024296
[5] https://www.gov.scot/news/new-national-facility-for-families-affected-by-drug-use/
[6] https://drugdeathstaskforce.scot/
Meadows Drive
Erskine
PA8 7ED
Wednesday
About the author
He is active in research in addictions and has been invited to speak at conferences both in the UK and abroad.
Read more about Dr Conroy on LinkedIn and Pulse Live.
Dr Conroy has also authored and contributed to the following journal articles:
Conroy, Stephen, and Duncan Hill. "Failure to Identify or Effectively Manage Prescription Opioid Dependence Acted as a Gateway to Heroin Use-Buprenorphine/Naloxone Treatment and Recovery in a Surgical Patient.” BMJ Case Reports, BMJ Publishing Group, 17 Dec. 2014, casereports.bmj.com/content/2014/bcr-2014-207458.short.
Hill, Duncan R, et al. "Stakeholder Views on Pharmacist Prescribing in Addiction Services in Nhs Lanarkshire.” Taylor & Francis, 6 May 2013, www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/14659891.2012.734540.
Hill, Duncan R, et al. "A Comparison of Methadone and Buprenorphine–Naloxone as Opioid SUBSTITUTION Therapy: The Patient Perspective in NHS LANARKSHIRE.” Taylor & Francis, 10 Mar. 2014, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/14659891.2014.894589.
Conroy, Stephen, and Duncan Hill. "Transfer to Buprenorphine from Daily Doses of Methadone Greater than 30 Mg – Initial Review of Transfers.” Atforum.com, Heroin Addiction And Related Clinical Problems, June 2013, atforum.com/documents/HeroinSeptember2013_000.pdf#page=21.
Hill, Duncan, and Stephen Conroy. “Case Note Review - Transfer of Patient to Buprenorphine from Daily Doses of Methadone Greater than 30mg.” Idhdp.com, Heroin Addiction And Related Clinical Problems, Mar. 2014, idhdp.com/media/1298/heroin-addiction-and-related-clinical-problems-.pdf#page=57.
