Addiction Treatment Unit

Addictions are now increasingly common and can affect all of us in some way. Making the decision to seek treatment can be one of the hardeast decisions a person has to make, not only on a personal level but also with the competing demands of family, work and daily routine. This is why the Priory Hospital North London offers a flexible range of programmes to treat both substance and behavioural addictions, designed to meet individuals’ needs and lifestyles.

Free initial assessment

A FREE, confidential initial assessment with an addiction therapist is available to anyone seeking help for an addiction. It may be one of the first opportunities you will have of discussing the addiction with a trained and experienced professional therapist. During the assessment your current lifestyle will be reviewed and the different treatment options will be discussed, with no obligation to commit. If we cannot help, we will always put you in touch with someone who can.

Click here to book your free assessment

The addiction treatment programme

The addiction treatment programme at the Priory Hospital North London is based on the 12-step abstinence model and provides treatment for a wide range of behavioural and substance dependencies including alcohol, drugs, gambling, shopping, sex, food, computer use, exercise etc.

Programmes are also available to treat the more complex and increasingly common conditions such as poly-addictions or dual diagnosis.

Programme Options

Treatment for most programmes is usually provided on an inpatient basis, typically lasting between four and six weeks. However, the programme can vary in duration and content to suit individuals’ personal circumstances and lifestyle commitments.

Treatment

The intensity of Priory's carefully planned inpatient programme unleashes a metamorphosis: patients work on themselves for eight or nine hours a day in group therapy, in individual sessions with their psychiatrists and with a wide range of trained therapists. As a result, many of our patients experience more change in one month than they might during years of other treatments.

The treatment programme consists of:

• Consultant or medical assessment
• Detoxification period and medically assisted withdrawal (where necessary)
• Individual and group therapy to help the patient identify the extent of their dependancy problem and address the underlying reasons for the addiction
• FREE weekly aftercare support

On successful completion of the full treatment programme, patients are encouraged to attend a free weekly aftercare programme for 12 months, to reinforce the earlier learning and to provide additional support and guidance.

Additionally, patients are encouraged to establish a support network (including family, friends, self help) and to regularly attend appropriate fellowship groups which helps with the ongoing promotion of relapse prevention.

Extended care 

On successful completition of the impatient programme, some patients may benefit from a period of extended care on a daycare or outpatient basis: the duration and intensity of which depends on each individuals needs.  

Family Group

Our family group, which runs weekly, provides information and support to family members and is designed to:

• Help improve the quality of family life
• Help families understand some of the facts and dispel some of the myths about addiction
• Allow family members to learn from the strength and experiences of others
• Involve the family during treatment which helps with relapse prevention after completion of the programme.

Trauma Reduction Programme

What is it?

A weeklong intensive daycare or inpatient therapy programme, designed to deal with traumatic childhood issues, often present in the background of addicts. These traumas (which do not need to be sexual or physical) can create recurring dysfunctional relationship dynamics with the patient and others. This is called co-dependency.

The treatment can have a significant effect on reducing depression and crucially help to prevent relapse.

Who is it aimed at?

People who, despite recovery from their addictive process, continue to have significant distress around self worth and happiness. This, left untreated, could lead to relapse. This is also a treatment course for those who were children of addictive parents, and who consequently as adults may have dysfunctional relationships.

How does it work?

Participants learn to identify and address family of origin issues which have taken place over many years. The programme enables the individual to resolve some of the grief, shame and anguish associated with their early traumatic experiences, thereby allowing the individual to participate and function more fully with self and others.

Where does it come from?

The Priory Hospital North London has developed this programme based on Pia Mellody’s Post Induction Therapy which is widely used in the USA. The approach uses an eclectic mix with elements of psychoanalytic, gestalt, family systems, transactional analysis and rational emotive therapy, with concepts from Erikson and Rogers.

How do I refer onto the programme?

In the first instance please contact our Intake Co-ordinator on 0208 882 8191, extension 221, who can arrange a FREE assessment with a senior therapist. Alternatively please send us an email to northlondon@priorygroup.com .