Drug addiction treatment and rehabilitation at Priory Hospital Chelmsford

The drug addiction treatment that we provide at Chelmsford is evidence-based and guided by best practice National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. Our intensive, London-based drug rehab consists of:

• 7-day medically assisted withdrawal detoxification, to remove all traces of drugs from your body and manage drug withdrawal symptoms
• An abstinence-based treatment model, based on the 12-Step philosophy
• Access to 12-Step support groups
• Intensive inpatient (residential) treatment
• Therapy delivered in a number of different formats including:
  • 1:1 therapy
  • Group therapy
  • Family therapy
  • Couples therapy
• Tried and tested therapy types including:
  • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
  • Mindfulness
  • Psychodynamic therapy
  • Motivational interviewing
  • Relapse prevention therapy
  • Workshops for anger management, relationship problems and co-dependency
  • Psychoeducational sessions on topics such as shame, guilt, vulnerability and resilience
  • Holistic therapies such as yoga and relaxation groups
  • Written assignments and projects
• Free aftercare for 12 months, ensuring that you receive the support that you need when you leave treatment

We are also able to deliver specialised treatment to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) community, who are struggling with addiction and recovery issues.

You can read more about drug addiction treatment on our approach to addiction treatment page.

Our team have extensive clinical experience and an unrivalled knowledge base in drug addiction treatment and rehabilitation. We deliver individually tailored treatment programmes, and are also able to provide medical intervention as part of the drug addiction treatment process, if required.

As well as our highly qualified consultants, patients will also benefit from valuable peer supporter input during their drug addiction treatment journey at Chelmsford. Our peer supporter network consists of former addiction patients who have chosen to return to Chelmsford to offer empathy, hope and support to current patients. Our peer supporters are an inspiration to our patients as they demonstrate the positive outcomes that can be achieved, and also offer a different perspective to drug addiction patients, encouraging them to explore and challenge themselves in new ways.

People can develop an addiction to a wide variety of drugs, whether these are illegal substances such as cocaine, MDMA/ecstasy, or heroin, or legal prescription drugs. Illegal drug addiction may develop as a result of peer pressure or curiosity, whereas prescription drug abuse usually occurs as a result of individuals being prescribed the medication for a legitimate medical reason, before becoming addicted to it.

Some of the drug addictions that we treat include:

• Cocaine addiction – cocaine is a powerful illegal drug which is usually snorted as a powder, although it can also be injected. Cocaine causes individuals to experience intense euphoria which can be highly addictive to some people, leading them to develop a high tolerance to the drug and a harmful addiction
• Ecstasy addiction – ecstasy, also known as ‘MDMA’, is a dangerous stimulant drug, which is most commonly swallowed as a tablet, although it is also possible for this substance to be snorted in powder form. Ecstasy causes a release of the brain’s ‘feel good chemicals’, dopamine and serotonin, which cause users to experience feelings of intense closeness, intimacy and happiness, as well as extreme energy and euphoria. These effects mean that ecstasy is common amongst club and party-goers, and as such, this drug has become widely regarded as one of the most popular ‘club drugs’
• Crack cocaine addiction – crack cocaine, also known as simply ‘crack’, is the crystal form of cocaine. Crack cocaine is typically heated and smoked and its name is derived from the cracking or popping noise that it makes when it is exposed to heat. The onset of effects happens much more quickly in crack cocaine when compared to cocaine, but these often peak quickly and subside after only a few minutes
• Heroin addiction – heroin is a dangerous opiate drug which is usually injected directly into a vein, although it is also possible for heroin to be snorted or smoked. Heroin is a derivative of the strong painkiller, morphine, and due to its strong anaesthetic effects, this drug can be highly addictive. This causes tolerance to heroin to build extremely quickly, which means that people find that they need to take more and more of the drug in order to experience the desired ‘high’
• Cannabis addiction – cannabis is derived from the cannabis plant and is usually smoked, although it is becoming increasingly common for this drug to be cooked or baked in various foods, or even brewed into tea. Cannabis causes users to feel peaceful and relaxed – effects which are highly addictive to some people, and have likely contributed to this drug becoming one of the most widely abused substances in the UK
• Amphetamine addiction – amphetamine, which is also referred to as ‘speed’, is a stimulant drug that typically comes in powder form and has the appearance of small crystals. There are a number of different ways in which amphetamine can be consumed, including injecting, smoking, snorting or dabbing it onto the gums. Amphetamine use results in individuals experiencing extreme bursts of energy, confidence, alertness and euphoria
• Ketamine addiction – ketamine, which is also widely referred to as simply ‘ket’, is a powerful anaesthetic and hallucinogenic drug that was initially designed to be used in a hospital or veterinary setting, in order to provide pain relief during human and animal operations. Ketamine can come as a white, grainy powder which can be snorted or swallowed as a tablet, or in liquid form which can be injected
• New psychoactive and illicit substance (legal high) addiction – new psychoactive substances, also known as ‘legal highs’, are psychoactive substances that contain a wide variety of unknown chemicals that haven’t gone through sufficient testing in order to understand the effects that they have on the human body and brain. Illicit substances are substances that are easy to obtain and can cause psychoactive effects when they are misused e.g. sniffing solvents and glue. New psychoactive and illicit substances usually mimic the effects of illegal drugs and can cause addiction, serious harm and even death. One of the most commonly abused new psychoactive and illicit substances is a drug known as spice
• Prescription drug addiction - prescription drugs are typically prescribed by doctors or other healthcare professionals in order to offer short-term pain relief following an operation or injury. However, these drugs can cause individuals to experience feelings of euphoria and relaxation, which some people can find very addictive

As well as taking and administering drugs on a regular basis, the following are all common signs and symptoms that you, or someone that you know, may be struggling with an addiction to drugs:

• Finding that you need to take more of the drug(s) in order to experience the desired effects, due to developing a tolerance to the susbtance
• Focusing more and more time on obtaining and using the drug(s)
• Ensuring that you have a constant supply of the drug(s)
• Spending lots of money on the drug(s), even if you can’t afford this
• Experiencing withdrawal effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or excessive sweating, if you haven’t taken the drug(s) for a certain amount of time
• Taking the drug(s) for stress relief
• Driving or engaging in other risky behaviours when under the influence of the drug(s)
• Lying to loved ones about your drug use
• Social withdrawal
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Increased anger and irritability
• Sleep problems, including insomnia

Read more about the signs and symptoms of drug addiction.