What is rehab like in the UK?

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kairu99877@reddit

Idk mate. All I can tell you is my dad went in, and was better when he came out.

I hope its the same for you.

All I can say, is rehab isn't a job you go into for the money. I think alot of people in that industry really care about what they are doing. Trust and listen to them. They've seen many others like you. And if you listen to them (and maintain the discipline) you'll come out clean.

Good luck.

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whymakebread@reddit (OP)

Thank you for the advice and support. I'm definitely going to try my hardest with some character building...

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gogginsbulldog1979@reddit

I've been to a detox centre in Essex, Passmores House, and did a small amount of rehab after completing the detox. I requested a non-12 step rehab centre.

I was admitted to a two week detox to get off methadone as I couldn't do it in the outside world with a busy job. The place I went to was pretty posh and in nice surroundings. The nurses and staff were really nice, the other patients were really nice, the doctors and therapists were really nice.

The only problem was the fucking boredom. As I was detoxing from opiates I hardly slept a wink, so I was up at 4am every morning. You'd get your meds at 6am, breakfast at 7am, daily group meeting at 10am, lunch at 12pm, group meeting at 2pm, dinner at 6pm, then that's it. All the free time you had to fill yourself. There was no gym or anything to keep you occupied other than a TV room. You could keep your phone, so it was basically a case of being in your room watching crap on your phone, which I didn't think was helpful.

After completing detox, I moved over to rehab, but it wasn't for me. It was three meetings per day looking at fucking pie charts and printed documents. You'd also be asked to write gratitude journals, which I thought were bollocks, and have to talk about shite I didn't think was relevant. Each day, we'd all take turns putting a song on a speaker and everyone had to guess whose song it was - what the fuck does this have to do with rehab? I felt it was a lot of wishy-washy crap that wasn't focusing on the real issues surrounding addiction.

My heroin addiction was long over, so maybe I didn't need the help like others. I was there to get the methadone out of me, then go home and get on with my life, which I did. You may need more help.

One other negative was many of the patients weren't sober. One guy was in to detox from heroin, but was getting parcels thrown over the fence, so he was claiming to be getting better, but was absolutely mashed every day. Another girl was trading medication and drinking mouthwash and after shave due to the alcohol content. They do a very vague check of your stuff when you arrive and plenty of people came in with packages of drugs up their arses, so it wasn't unheard of to smell crack and heroin walking through the halls.

The place I went to was four or five star, so I've no idea what a standard rehab's like. The staff and nurses were incredibly nice at mine and gave you all the attention you needed. The food was also brilliant. If you're worried about it, don't be - just do everything they ask and make the effort to get better - you get out what you put in. Don't waste your time and money pissing about. If you're not 100% serious, don't bother going. Good luck!

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Competitive_Art_4480@reddit

I never got offered it. With your description I'm glad I didn't go. Like you my addiction was completely dealt with for a long time and it was only the methadone that I couldn't kick, especially while working like you said. By the time I was at that stage, I didn't want to or need to talk about my addiction and what lead to it and id already created a very stable life for myself.

Not sure how long ago this is for you but the last few years they've had sub injections monthly for 3 months right at the end when You've come right down. I had niggles but basically no withdrawals. It's brilliant.

Once visited my auntie in alcohol rehab and it was like a cat C with no bars. Basically like how you'd imagine a state academy would be if it was a boarding school and you weren't allowed to leave. Dull and boring, bit shabby but essentially fit for purpose.

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gogginsbulldog1979@reddit

I got offered a switch to suboxone right at the end of my methadone taper, but I didn't see the point. Also, I've experienced precipitated withdrawal before and it was the worst thing I've ever gone through. It made cold turkey seem like a right laugh. I made the decision to just come off methadone and be done with it.

I could get the dose right down to 1ml at home, but the withdrawal would be so difficult as I had to work and manage my house and life, so the feelings were amplified by stress. I got signed off work for a month with a doctor's note (who kindly bent the truth on it for work) and I stopped taking methadone at 5ml and had zero withdrawal as I could relax in detox with nothing to worry about. The worst I had was shit sleep, but there's no getting away from that.

I got home from detox and went into post-acute withdrawal, which lasted a couple of months, but it wasn't anything massive. Depression, insomnia, mild withdrawal symptoms - all to be expected.

Rehab's like anything - you get out what you put in. I've met loads of people who went there with no intention of getting better, which I don't understand, but each to their own.

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Competitive_Art_4480@reddit

I went from 30ml meth to the injection and seriously only had niggles. I completely understand the fear of precipitated and I was quite unsure about the injections for many reasons but it really worked.

.shouldn't need to bend the truth really. It's a bloody hard thing to do and leaves me basically unable to function, never mind work.

I had a month off at the end too but my workers sent some emails to the doctor's and they were completely fine with it. Didn't have to blag it.

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gogginsbulldog1979@reddit

I was honest with the doctor, but I work for quite a big company and I didn't really want to mention heroin or methadone. Once you mention the 'H-word', they think you're stealing handbags and shooting up in the toilets, even if it's in the past. The doctor put 'mental health issues' on my doctor's note, which isn't technically a lie, but it's not the truth. The doctor said 'what do you want me to write on it?', which was good of him.

I once got prescribed Subutex for a £100 a day heroin habit, so I was told not to take the tablet until I was in serious withdrawal. I waited about three days and was pouring sweat, vomiting, writing in agony, so I thought it was the perfect time - wrong. Within 15 minutes I went into the most horrific withdrawal possible and went completely insane.

The hassle and stress of getting off opiates is enough to keep you well away. It's an absolute ball ache to come off.

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Competitive_Art_4480@reddit

Ahh i get that. Honestly is very rarely the best policy in that regard.

I never really had those issues. My metabolism was too fast. No matter how stable i got I would always wake up needing my medication.

It really is. I wish I never got a prescription, should have just done a rattle all those years ago.

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Meet-me-behind-bins@reddit

I worked in a 12 step rehab so this is what it's like. It'll depend if your being detoxed, but lets say you've been through that bit, because that's mainly just sitting about and you'll not be much good to anyone for that bit, you just chill and get through it.

Admission, health needs checked, meet your personal councillor, fill in lots of forms, risk assessments. You’ll be given a work booklet with the 12 steps (you'll only do 1-4 in your 12 weeks) but you'll be introduced to the other steps.
Group therapy, take it easy for the first couple of weeks, listen, you'll be nervous, they'll be people already in the group who have confidence and are well into the therapeutic process, they'll seem switched on and open, but you'll get there yourself! Everyone starts off like a duck out of water, listen to the group, try to identify with the thoughts and feelings being shared, work on your empthy and connection. You'll get angry, sad, happy, all sorts. Just go with it and let the theapists do their guidance.
One to one sessions, they'll be in a quiet little room, depending on the modality it'll be either motivational interviewing, which is self explanatory, 12 step facilitation where you'll go through your step work discussing what you've leant, and one to one sessions are a way to really deep dive and get some intentsive therapy. Again, take it easy, go in with a sense of inquisitiveness and patience with yourself.
There will be relapase prevention workshops, where you'll discuss triggers and coping mechanisms, they'll be open discussions and you'll all be invited to contribute.
You’ll go out to 12 step meetings in the community, or they'll come to you. These are totally separate from the rehab, they're a nice change of pace, you'll hear peoples stories of recovery what they've learnt to stay clean and how their lives have improved.
The general day-to-day of rehab is a bit like a mad Hogwarts. You laugh harder than you've ever laughed before, you'll make the best temporary or lifelong friends, you'll get really pissed off about minor things, you'll get really pissed off about your housemates, you'll be up and down like a fucking yo-yo for the first month or two.

But you keep it really simple. You get to the end of the day clean and sober, you put your head on the pillow and you don't leave until your time is up, no matter what, you don't chuck it in when it gets hard. Take it easy for the first few days, you'll be nervous and all over the place, don't worry everyone feels the same way, everyone. Just be kind to yourself and remember to trust the process.

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raver58@reddit

What a stunningly thoughtful reply

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whymakebread@reddit (OP)

Wow !answer I definitely was not expecting a reply that answers all the questions that have been driving me mad. I’d DM you the rehab to see if you can say anything else, if you’d let me?

Thanks so much for the support!

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ukbot-nicolabot@reddit

OP or a mod marked this as the best answer, given by /u/Meet-me-behind-bins.

I worked in a 12 step rehab so this is what it's like. It'll depend if your being detoxed, but lets say you've been through that bit, because that's mainly just sitting about and you'll not be much good to anyone for that bit, you just chill and get through it.

Admission, health needs checked, meet your personal councillor, fill in lots of forms, risk assessments. You’ll be given a work booklet with the 12 steps (you'll only do 1-4 in your 12 weeks) but you'll be introduced to the other steps.

Group therapy, take it easy for the first couple of weeks, listen, you'll be nervous, they'll be people already in the group who have confidence and are well into the therapeutic process, they'll seem switched on and open, but you'll get there yourself! Everyone starts off like a duck out of water, listen to the group, try to identify with the thoughts and feelings being shared, work on your empthy and connection. You'll get angry, sad, happy, all sorts. Just go with it and let the theapists do their guidance.

One to one sessions, they'll be in a quiet little room, depending on the modality it'll be either motivational interviewing, which is self explanatory, 12 step facilitation where you'll go through your step work discussing what you've leant, and one to one sessions are a way to really deep dive and get some intentsive therapy. Again, take it easy, go in with a sense of inquisitiveness and patience with yourself.

There will be relapase prevention workshops, where you'll discuss triggers and coping mechanisms, they'll be open discussions and you'll all be invited to contribute.

You’ll go out to 12 step meetings in the community, or they'll come to you. These are totally separate from the rehab, they're a nice change of pace, you'll hear peoples stories of recovery what they've learnt to stay clean and how their lives have improved.

The general day-to-day of rehab is a bit like a mad Hogwarts. You laugh harder than you've ever laughed before, you'll make the best temporary or lifelong friends, you'll get really pissed off about minor things, you'll get really pissed off about your housemates, you'll be up and down like a fucking yo-yo for the first month or two.

But you keep it really simple. You get to the end of the day clean and sober, you put your head on the pillow and you don't leave until your time is up, no matter what, you don't chuck it in when it gets hard. Take it easy for the first few days, you'll be nervous and all over the place, don't worry everyone feels the same way, everyone. Just be kind to yourself and remember to trust the process.

^(What is this?)

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