Hallucinogens and Drug Rehab

Hallucinogens may sometimes be seen as less obviously harmful than some other drugs, but they can cause a wide range of serious psychological problems, as well as greatly increasing the chance of potentially fatal accidents and the likelihood that users will engage in risky behaviour. A hallucinogen addiction should never be seen as anything other than an extremely dangerous condition, and if you suffer from this condition, you should seek professional help immediately to minimise the chance of suffering life-changing consequences. Fortunately, several high-quality facilities are now operating in the UK, treating hallucinogen users and helping them return to normal and healthy lives.

Where to Get Help for Hallucinogen Addiction/Substance Abuse

The diversity of choice you will face at the beginning of your treatment journey can be somewhat daunting, and the more help you can get from the start, the easier that journey will be and the greater the likelihood your treatment will be successful.

Importance of treating hallucinogens addiction & when to seek treatment

Hallucinogens are a diverse group of drugs, with a variety of health implications for anyone abusing them, but all pose immediate serious risks from the dangers of intoxication and longer-term risks from potentially catastrophic harm to mental health. The longer you abuse hallucinogens and the greater your intake, the greater the likelihood of such harm and the more damage that may be done to your life and relationships. Therefore, the sooner you can get help to overcome your hallucinogen addiction, the better the prognosis. Never forget, though, that any time to get help is better than not getting help at all. In that sense, there is no wrong time to request professional help.

You will not benefit from treatment until you are committed to it, however, and that will be impossible unless you can admit to your addiction. Therefore, as soon as you reach that point, contact your GP and/or an addiction specialist to start the treatment process as quickly as you can. Meanwhile, if you have tried and failed to stop abusing hallucinogens and/or if your hallucinogen abuse has started to take a toll of any kind on your life or the lives of those close to you, get help urgently to avoid that toll growing any worse.

Understanding hallucinogen addiction treatment and rehab options

Addiction treatment in the UK has become a sophisticated field in recent years, and there are now many options for addiction treatment. However, not every kind of treatment will be appropriate for you and your life circumstances. Numerous factors, including your physical and mental condition, how long you have been abusing hallucinogens, the specific type of hallucinogen you abuse, how much you take, your financial circumstances, your location and more, will all have an impact on your final decision regarding the kind of treatment you seek. However, regardless of whether you go for treatment provided by the NHS, a charity or a private healthcare provider, the most important thing is that you get help of some kind rather than not getting it at all. A failure to address your hallucinogen addiction could cost you everything.

• Charities
• NHS Options
• Private Rehab
• Residential Care

Private rehab vs free treatment options for hallucinogen addiction

There are numerous organisations offering free hallucinogen addiction treatment in this country, including the NHS. However, both NHS treatment and that offered by any of the charities active in this field can be difficult to access quickly. Spaces are typically very limited and waiting times extremely lengthy, and unfortunately for some users, such a wait can prove catastrophic.

If you want to get immediate help for your hallucinogens addiction, you may wish to explore private addiction treatment options. Understandably, going down the private route does come at a cost; however, if you have private health insurance, you may be able to get treatment paid for in that manner, while some rehabs offer credit and/or easy payment terms.

On the other hand, if you are a high net worth individual and wish to minimise the stress of treatment, you may wish to investigate a luxury rehab environment, with a standard of accommodation and facilities similar to those found in luxury hotels. This will enable you to relax in great comfort and focus wholly on your treatment whilst remaining in the lifestyle to which you are accustomed.

What Happens in Hallucinogens Rehab

No two individual journeys through treatment and recovery are the same. Even within the same clinic, one hallucinogen user may have a very different treatment experience than another. Meanwhile, different treatment organisations may have very different operating philosophies, and things like the regimen governing interaction between clients, the type of therapy offered and many other factors can differ from one organisation to the next. Therefore, it is important that you do not go into treatment with any preconceptions about what to expect in rehab. Having said that, however, various commonalities may be observed between different clinics and treatment approaches, and it is possible to provide a rough guide as to what you might expect when you go to rehab for your hallucinogen addiction.

Hallucinogens rehab admission process

It is in everyone’s best interests that a rehab’s admissions process is as simple and hassle-free as possible. You may be in a great deal of distress when you first reach out for treatment, and any extra stress could prove intolerable. When you first contact a treatment organisation, you will be asked a few basic questions about your condition and the nature of your addiction. Based on your responses to these questions, the organisation will then recommend a specific clinic.

If it is a private organisation, at this point you will usually be asked to provide a deposit. As soon as that has been received, you will have your place in treatment confirmed and will be able to set off for the clinic.

Acceptance of the problem

Accepting that you have a hallucinogen problem is an important prerequisite to treatment. No addiction treatment can be successful unless the client is determined to devote themselves to treatment, and to do this they must be able to admit that they have an addiction. Many people are reluctant to make such an admission as they do not wish to appear weak, but in order to engage fully with your treatment, you need to be able to overcome any such reluctance and speak freely and openly about your condition. This will enable you to get every last benefit from the therapy you will receive in rehab, as well as from the other components of your addiction treatment plan.

Medically assisted/controlled detoxification

After your assessment, you will proceed into the first phase of treatment. Detoxification (detox), is a period of abstinence during which your body is cleared of any substances of abuse, including hallucinogens. This is an indispensable first phase of treatment, because without going through detox, you will still be affected by your substance abuse and – depending on the type of hallucinogen consumed and other factors – possibly by dependence.

If dependence has developed, during detox you are likely to experience a range of withdrawal symptoms. Hallucinogen withdrawal is normally predominantly psychological in nature, though some physical symptoms may manifest psychosomatically and others may be a consequence of consuming a particular type of hallucinogen. Some psychological withdrawal symptoms can be extremely distressing and debilitating, and in some cases , they can also be very dangerous. Because of this doctors will be on hand 24/7 to ensure your safety.

Your doctors may decide as early as immediately following your initial assessment to prescribe medication to tackle the withdrawal symptoms they believe are likely to develop. Medically assisted detox can help make withdrawal more bearable, though it is not universally provided and may not be deemed appropriate in your case.

Along with therapy, during rehabilitation you will receive bespoke dietary and fitness plans (“healthy body, healthy mind”) and be able to use any fitness facilities such as gyms, swimming pools, etc., that your rehab may possess.

Recovery

Once you complete your addiction treatment plan, you should not assume that your recovery is complete. On the contrary, recovery is a long-term, even lifelong process. To assist you through the period following your departure from the clinic, good rehabs will offer up to a year’s free aftercare to anyone who completes addiction treatment. You may also wish to engage in supplementary activities such as counselling or attending support groups (which may also be required by your aftercare plan) to further shore up your recovery.

What Is an Inpatient Rehab Programme?

Inpatient rehab, also known as residential rehab, is what most people have in mind when they talk about rehab generally. Treatment is provided to clients who reside on-site (usually for between one and three months) in a safe, confidential and substance-free facility offering 24/7 medical support and providing access to a peer group of fellow recovering users who understand addiction and can provide support and companionship.

What Is Outpatient Rehab?

If you do not feel able to remove yourself from obligations such as family and work for the duration of an inpatient treatment programme, you may wish to explore outpatient rehab. In this form of rehab, you will visit a clinic for appointments such as therapy sessions and possibly medication prescription but will carry out the other components of your addiction treatment plan by yourself. While this flexibility can help some people balance life responsibilities and treatment, outpatient rehab is not without its challenges. It does not take you entirely away from the daily environment in which you have succumbed to hallucinogen abuse and addiction — including access to drug dealers — and it can therefore make relapse much more likely.

Day programmes

Some clinics offer day programmes, in which you may attend the clinic for treatment during the daytime for one to seven days a week but then head home or to other accommodation each night. Day programmes are usually appropriate for people living near the clinic, clients with strong support networks to help them when they are not at the facility and anyone who has obligations (such as a young baby) that would make staying away overnight problematic. Day programmes are also often engaged in by clients who have gone through treatment and are in recovery but feel they need further support.

On the other hand, day programmes are not advisable for anyone living more than an hour or so away from the clinic or lacking a strong support network. Day programmes are also usually inappropriate for anyone suffering from dual diagnosis or any other health issue that could make treatment more complicated.

Intensive outpatient programmes

As the name suggests, intensive outpatient treatment is a more intensive approach to standard outpatient treatment. Intensive outpatient treatment programmes typically require clients to visit the clinic for four or more 3- to 5-hour sessions each week. For the rest of the week, clients can go about their daily lives, including possibly going to work if their employers are able to structure their attendance around their treatment plans.

Clients in intensive outpatient treatment are usually obliged to undergo frequent drug testing to ensure they are remaining compliant with the requirements of their treatment plans, because the amount of time they have outside the clinic makes it possible for them to acquire substances of abuse if they cannot resist the temptation to relapse.

How Is Medication Used to Treat Addiction?

Although a great deal of research is ongoing, at present there is no pharmaceutical cure for addiction. However, medication can and does play a number of important roles during treatment. Medication may be prescribed to reduce the intensity and frequency of cravings and to help clients taper down their intake over time; it can also be given as a safer, legal alternative to more problematic, dangerous and illegal drugs and can even act to deter substance abuse. In rehab, medication is most commonly given to alleviate withdrawal symptoms, though it should be remembered that not every symptom can be treated pharmaceutically.

Medications used in addiction treatment & rehab

Several different medications have been approved in the UK for use in the treatment of addiction. However, not every medication is relevant in every case of substance use disorder. Moreover, even some that might normally be appropriate may need to be avoided in certain cases (for example, if they might interact dangerously with other medication or substances of abuse or exacerbate coexisting health issues). Because of the potential dangers associated with some medication, it is vital that you never attempt to self-medicate your hallucinogen addiction — doing so could prove deadly. Instead, make sure you only take medicine in strict accordance with your doctor’s instructions.

In rehab, medication is most commonly given to lessen the impact of withdrawal syndrome. However, your doctors may judge it unnecessary or potentially dangerous to prescribe medication, and there is no guarantee that you will receive any. If you do not, you should not assume that your condition is any less serious, nor does it mean that your treatment is less likely to be wholly successful.

• Naltrexone (Vivitrol)
• Buprenorphine (Buprenex)
• Methadone
• Disulfiram (Antabuse)
• Acamprosate (Campral)
• Paroxetine (Paxil)
• Modafinil (Provigil)
• Desipramine (Norpramin)
• Mirtazapine (Remeron)
• Bupropion (Buproban)
• Gabapentin (Fanatrex)
• Vigabatrin (Sabril)
• Baclofen (Kemstro)
• Topiramate (Topamax)

A range of therapy models has been developed for use in the treatment of addiction, and in rehab therapy may be provided in various formats including individual and group sessions.

Coping-focused psychotherapy

In psychology and psychotherapy, coping means the investment of conscious effort into the resolution of various personal and interpersonal problems (such as those driving and resulting from addiction) with the intention of minimising, defeating or tolerating stress and conflict. Normally, effective coping strategies are developed and refined throughout childhood, adolescence and into maturity; however, some individuals adopt negative coping strategies, including substance abuse, with obviously damaging ramifications.

Coping-focused psychotherapy methodologies are commonplace in addiction treatment. Most rehabs will offer at least one, and possibly both, of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT). Therapist and client work together to investigate why the coping strategies the client used previously have been unsuccessful and to develop more effective strategies.

Social skills/interpersonal/growth psychotherapy

People suffering from poor social and interpersonal skills often find it very difficult to build and sustain important relationships (such as romantic or professional ones). This has obvious implications for general happiness and financial security, and the challenges typically caused by inadequate interpersonal skills can drive people into a range of negative behaviours, including substance abuse. If addiction then results, these problems can be compounded as the client becomes increasingly isolated, including from family and friends.

Interpersonal psychotherapy sees therapists working with clients to boost their social skills, with the long-term benefits including increased levels of happiness and potentially of professional success. Interpersonal psychotherapy can also help make addiction treatment itself more successful as clients become able to articulate their thoughts and feelings more fluently.

Exploratory psychotherapy

Exploratory psychotherapy, also known as psychodynamic psychotherapy, examines the relationship between past events and present behaviour. Traumatic experiences are a major driver of substance abuse and consequently of addiction. Addressing them and enabling clients to reshape their ways of coping with traumatic memories can have a positive impact on reducing the compulsion to engage in substance abuse, as well as significantly improving the client’s general psychological well-being.

Exploratory psychotherapy can be a protracted process, as therapists need to work very carefully when exploring what are often hugely distressing experiences. However, the benefits of this approach to therapy can be remarkably profound (especially in terms of improving self-esteem, self-awareness and mood regulation), and clients frequently decide to remain in therapy for quite some time after completing addiction treatment and achieving abstinence.

Types of psychotherapy used in hallucinogens addiction treatment

An array of different therapy methodologies may be found in addiction treatment, but any given rehab can only offer a limited number of such methodologies. If you are keen to engage in a particular type of therapy, you should investigate which rehabs offer which forms of therapy when doing your initial research. An addiction specialist can help you discover them.

Some people do not click with every type of therapy and may prefer to try out different models before settling on the approach that feels most beneficial to them. However, not all clinics are equally flexible in this regard; when contacting clinics during your research period, ask what scope you will be given to try out different therapy models.

• Acceptance and commitment therapy
• Art therapy
• Cognitive behavioural therapy
• Counselling
• Dialectical behavioural therapy
• Experiential therapy
• Family therapy
• Fitness therapy
• Group therapy
• Holistic therapy
• Individual therapy
• Meditation
• Music therapy
• Psychodynamic therapy

The Recovery Process

You should not assume that you will have completed your recovery simply because you have completed treatment. When you leave the clinic, it can be useful to adopt the mindset that your recovery will be a very long-term (possibly lifelong) process. That way, you will be more likely to stay dedicated to the process and vigilant for potential pitfalls. Even years after your last instance of hallucinogen abuse, relapse could lead you very quickly back into dangerous old habits, potentially undermining all the hard work you put into achieving abstinence during your treatment.

Elements of recovery

Everyone’s journey through addiction and treatment is unique, as is everyone’s experience of recovery. While there is much to be learned from another person’s recovery journey, you should not assume that there is one roadmap to the process. However, it can help to break recovery down into different elements common to all experiences, which you can then work on in therapy in rehab. Indeed, some therapy models are particularly useful when it comes to addressing particular components of recovery, and your therapist may emphasise these elements during your treatment.

• Developing hope
• Secure base
• Sense of self
• Supportive relationships
• Empowerment
• Social inclusion
• Coping skills
• Giving meaning

How Long Are Hallucinogens Rehab Programmes?

How long you will need to remain in treatment for your hallucinogen addiction will be affected by numerous factors, including the severity of your addiction, how long you have been abusing hallucinogens, your physical and mental health and the specific type of treatment being provided. While a typical stay in rehab will last between one and three months, you may respond especially well to treatment and move through the process faster than initially planned. On the other hand, you may face unexpected challenges and need to remain in rehab for longer than expected, so a degree of flexibility over the timeframe of your treatment is strongly advised.

What Does Hallucinogens Rehab Cost in the UK?

Giving even a very rough estimate of the cost of hallucinogen addiction treatment in the UK can be difficult, as costs range significantly from one treatment organisation to the next, and even from one treatment plan to another within the same rehab. Residential rehab usually costs between £4,000 and £15,000 per month, with precise costs depending on a host of factors that include the type of treatment you are provided, any specialist care you may need and the standard of the facility you attend.

Because of the wide range of potential costs, it can be dangerous to make any assumptions regarding the overall cost of your treatment without getting specifics. An addiction specialist can help you regarding how to establish costs, as well as potentially pointing you towards less expensive alternatives.

Hallucinogens Addiction Recovery and Aftercare

Good rehabs usually offer up to a year’s free aftercare following the completion of an addiction treatment plan. No matter how much you may want to move forward with your life and leave your addiction in the past, you should take full advantage of aftercare as it can greatly strengthen your recovery.

12-step

NA uses the 12-step model first developed by the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Although 12-step models may not be appropriate for everyone (certain steps may be incompatible with a person’s belief system), they have saved literally millions of lives around the world, and you may benefit hugely from participating in such activity. For more information on 12-step models, get in touch with an addiction specialist.

Ready to Start Rehab?

Your hallucinogen addiction is a very serious problem that could lead to the destruction of everything you hold dear in your life or even contribute to your death. As a result, overcoming your addiction is absolutely imperative if you are to enjoy the happy and successful life you want and deserve, and the sooner you can get professional help, the better. If you are ready to admit to your condition and devote yourself to treatment, reach out to your doctor and/or an addiction specialist as soon as you can.

Take control of your life — get started on the road to recovery

A hallucinogen addiction can be an extremely chaotic condition, and you may well feel that you have lost control of your life. If so, however, you can take back that control with the right help and return to a life free of substance abuse and full of promise and success. Get in touch with your GP and/or an addiction specialist to discuss possible treatment options. Making that call could well be your first step on the road to recovery and the resumption of a happy, healthy life free of addiction. Don’t delay; make that call today.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallucinogen
• https://www.oasisrehab.co.uk/rehab-programme/
• https://www.oasisrehab.co.uk/admissions-process/
• https://www.addictionhelper.com/treatment-rehab/day-care/
• https://www.ukat.co.uk/outpatient-treatment-services/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intensive_outpatient_program
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coping_(psychology)
• https://www.narconon.org/drug-rehab/skills/interpersonal-development.html
• https://www.columbiadoctors.org/treatment/exploratory-psychodynamic-psychotherapy
• https://ukna.org/page/12-steps