Drug addiction treatment and rehabilitation at Priory Hospital Hayes Grove, Kent

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

• 7-day medically assisted 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 approach
• Both on and off-site 12-Step support groups
• Intensive inpatient (residential) treatment
• Therapy delivered in a number of different formats including:
  
  • Group therapy
  • Family therapy
  • Couples therapy
• Tried and tested therapy types including:
  • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
  • Mindfulness
  • Holistic therapies such as yoga and relaxation
• Free aftercare for 12 months, ensuring that you receive the support that you need when you leave treatment

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

The drug addiction treatment team at Hayes Grove possess extensive clinical experience in delivering high quality treatment and rehab. We ensure that all treatment is tailored in order to foster the most positive outcomes for each individual who seeks support with us, and our multidisciplinary team are also able to provide medical intervention throughout your drug addiction treatment journey, if this is required.

Although drug addiction treatment at Hayes Grove is mainly delivered by our highly skilled consultant and therapy teams, we also provide invaluable input from our dedicated peer supporter network. Our peer supporters are former addiction patients who have chosen to return to the hospital to offer empathy, support, and hope to current patients. Our peer supporters are truly inspirational to our patients as they demonstrate the positive outcomes that can be achieved, and encourage them to challenge and explore themselves in new ways.

Individuals may become addicted to illegal drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and ecstasy/MDMA, or legal prescription drugs, which are usually prescribed for pain relief purposes.

Some of the most common drug addictions that we treat include:

• Heroin addiction – heroin is a dangerous and highly addictive opiate drug, derived from the strong painkiller, morphine. Heroin is most commonly injected, although it is also possible for this substance to be smoked or snorted. Heroin has very strong anaesthetic effects which cause addiction and tolerance to this drug to build rapidly. This results in individuals needing to take increasingly higher quantities of the drug, and more frequently, in order to achieve the desired ‘high’
• Cocaine addiction – cocaine is a potent illegal drug that typically comes as a white powder. The most common method of consuming cocaine is via snorting, although it is also possible for cocaine to be injected. Cocaine use results in extreme euphoria, which can be highly addictive to many people, and causes tolerance to build quickly
• Crack cocaine addiction – crack cocaine, also known as simply ‘crack’, is the crystallised form of cocaine. Crack cocaine takes its name from the characteristic cracking or popping noise that it makes when it is exposed to heat. Crack is usually smoked and causes a rapid onset of euphoria, which peaks and subsides after only a few minutes. This accelerated cycle of abuse causes crack cocaine addiction and tolerance to build rapidly
• Ecstasy addiction – ecstasy, or ‘MDMA’, is a powerful stimulant drug. Ecstasy causes users to experience high energy, extreme euphoria and also causes the release of the brain’s ‘happy chemicals’, serotonin and dopamine, resulting in feeling of intense closeness, intimacy and happiness. Ecstasy is typically swallowed as a tablet but may also be snorted as a powder, and causes addiction and tolerance to build rapidly. In addition, the effects of ecstasy mean that this drug is popular amongst club and party-goers, and it has become one of the most widely used ‘club drugs’
• Cannabis addiction – cannabis, widely known as ‘weed’ or ‘marijuana’, is taken from the cannabis plant and is most commonly smoked although it is becoming increasingly common for this drug to be baked or cooked in various foods. Cannabis is one of the most widely abused substances in the UK and causes users to experience feelings of relaxation, pleasure and tranquillity - effects which can be highly addictive to many people
• Amphetamine addiction – amphetamine, also widely referred to a ‘speed’, is a powerful stimulant drug that typically comes as a white powder or small crystals. Amphetamine can be ingested via injecting, smoking, snorting, or by dabbing it onto the gums. Amphetamine causes feelings of extreme alertness and confidence, prolonged bursts of energy, and intense euphoria
• New psychoactive and illicit substance (legal high) addiction – new psychoactive substances, widely referred to as ‘legal highs’, are potent psychoactive substances that usually contain a range of unknown chemicals that have not undergone sufficient testing to understand the effects that they can have on the human brain and body. Illicit substances are substances that are widely available and can cause psychoactive effects when they are abused e.g. sniffing solvents and glue. New psychoactive and illicit substances tend to mimic the effects of illegal drugs and can cause significant harm and even be fatal. One of the most commonly abused new psychoactive and illicit substances is a drug known as Spice
• Ketamine addiction – ketamine, which is also known as simply ‘ket’, is a powerful hallucinogenic and anaesthetic drug that was initially designed to offer pain relief during human and animal operations. Ketamine can come as a white, grainy powder which can be snorted or swallowed, or in liquid form which can be injected
• Prescription drug addiction - prescription drugs are typically prescribed by doctors or other medical professionals in order to offer short-term pain relief following an injury or operation. However, these drugs can cause individuals to experience feelings of relaxation and euphoria, 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 a dangerous drug addiction:

• 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
• Increased tolerance towards the drug(s); finding that you need to take more of this in order to experience the desired effects
• 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
• 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
• Taking the drug(s) for stress relief
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Increased anger and irritability
• Sleep disturbances, including insomnia

Read more about the signs and symptoms of drug addiction.

You don’t have to struggle with drug addiction; call our drug addiction treatment clinic today on 0800 840 3219, send us an email or arrange your free drug addiction assessment.