At North London, we are able to provide personalised, established treatment for a range of substance and behavioural addictions, including:

Alcohol addiction rehab

Alcohol addiction, also referred to as ‘alcohol use disorder’ or ‘alcoholism’, is characterised by repeatedly consuming alcohol in an excessive manner, to the extent that you become both physically and psychologically dependent on this substance. If alcohol addiction remains untreated, it has the potential to cause a wide range of physical and psychological problems and can even result in death.

Drug addiction rehab

Drug addiction may develop as a result of an individual frequently taking or administering drugs, until they build a tolerance to the substance and become dependent on it in order to function effectively on a daily basis. Individuals may become addicted to illegal substances such as cocaine or heroin, or legal prescription drugs, such as those that are prescribed for pain relief. With repeated use, illegal and legal drug use can soon become a serious problem and even be fatal.

Cocaine addiction rehab

Cocaine addiction is one of the most common forms of drug addiction that we treat as part of the North London Addiction Treatment Programme. Cocaine is an illegal stimulant drug that typically comes as a white powder, and can either be snorted or injected. Cocaine causes users to experience intense euphoria, which causes tolerance to build quickly and can be highly addictive to many people.

Other behavioural addictions that we are able to treat at North London include:

• Gambling addiction
• Love and sex addiction
• Shopping addiction
• Internet addiction

At Priory Hospital North London, we understand that it is common for addictions to co-occur alongside other mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, stress and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). As such, our expert addiction treatment team in London not only have the ability to treat your substance and behavioural addictions, but are also able to address any co-occurring mental health conditions that may be triggering or exacerbating your addiction.

Our 28-day Addiction Treatment Programme is developed by expert psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health nurses and therapists, all of whom are highly experienced in supporting patients from many walks of life. The treatment that we provide is based on best practice national guidelines and is guided by the latest psychological research on addiction treatment. We also guarantee a personalised treatment journey for each of our patients, resulting in long-lasting rehabilitation and recovery, and the best individual outcomes.

Seven-day, medically assisted withdrawal detox in North London

If you are suffering from an addiction to alcohol or drugs, an important first step may be for you to undergo a comprehensive detoxification or ‘detox’ process, before you commence with addiction therapy. Detox is the systematic process by which all traces of harmful and addictive substances are removed from your body, whilst managing the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that you may experience when you no longer have alcohol or drugs in your system. The detox process at North London lasts for seven days and is led by a specialist team of consultants and other highly qualified mental health professionals. You will also have access to round-the-clock mental health nursing care for the duration of the detox process. In addition, we are able to offer medical intervention and prescribe medication during detox if this is required, in order to ensure that you are physically stable in preparation to start addiction therapy. You can read more about our drug detoxification and alcohol 'detox' programme on the detoxification pages.

Residential addiction treatment

Once all traces of alcohol and drugs have been removed from your body during detox, you will be ready to commence with intensive inpatient (residential) treatment and therapy. Inpatient treatment provides you with much-needed structure, 24-hour monitoring and support, and also takes you away from your day-to-day life in order to remove any negative influences or temptations that may be contributing to your addiction. Inpatient treatment involves regular meetings with your consultant psychiatrist, which take place twice a week for the full 28-day programme, and you will also benefit from continual input from a team of therapists, as well as 24/7 nursing care.

North London’s residential Addiction Treatment Programme consists of a wide range of established therapeutic methods, as well as access to a number of 12-Step support groups that take place on-site. One of the main areas of focus during the Addiction Treatment Programme is to provide you with the coping strategies and tools to improve your lifestyle and ensure a positive and fulfilling future.

At North London, we understand that the prospect of residential treatment can be overwhelming, and it can be one of the hardest decisions that you have to make, not only on a personal level but also within the competing demands of family, work and your daily routine. However, you can be assured that we have successfully treated many people on our Addiction Treatment Programme and we are committed to ensuring that you receive the care and attention that you need, in order to fully address your addiction.

Day care addiction treatment

Day care addiction treatment can be used as a step-down in treatment intensity once you have completed your 28-day inpatient programme. This form of therapy consists of you attending North London for a set number of days each week, depending on the intensity of the support that you require, and taking part in addiction therapy groups alongside current residential patients. However, unlike our residential programme, you will not stay at the hospital overnight and will return home following a day of therapy. Day care is useful for individuals who still require comprehensive support for their addiction, but no longer need intensive 24-hour monitoring.

Trauma reduction programme

We also offer a five-day trauma reduction programme during addiction treatment, which can either take place during the residential Addiction Treatment Programme or be embedded within day care. This workshop has been specifically designed to address traumatic childhood memories and issues, which are quite common in the backgrounds of addicts.

Childhood trauma (which does not need to be sexual or physical), can result in individuals developing a condition known as ‘co-dependency’, as adults. Co-dependency is characterised by an individual developing dysfunctional relationship dynamics such as excessive reliance on other people and an obsession with gaining the approval of others, and has been found to be common in those who struggle with addictive behaviours. The purpose of trauma reduction therapy is to address an individual’s traumatic memories and their resulting co-dependency, reduce the impact of this on addictive behaviours, and crucially, help to prevent relapse.

Whilst trauma reduction therapy at North London is primarily a component of our Addiction Treatment Programme, it can also be used as part of our general mental health treatment programmes, as this form of therapy has also been found to be effective in alleviating the symptoms of conditions such as depression.

Our specialist team’s depth of knowledge and experience ensure that you are in the safest of hands at Priory Hospital North London. All treatment is developed collaboratively with our patients and is personalised according to your individual needs, in order to foster the best possible outcomes.

The Addiction Treatment Programme at North London is mainly led by our expert consultants, but patients also benefit from valuable peer supporter input throughout their treatment journey. Our peer supporters are ex-patients who have been through the North London Addiction Treatment Programme themselves. These individuals choose to return to the hospital and take part in therapy groups, in order to share their positive experiences and offer strength and hope to current patients. Our peer supporters are truly inspirational to our patients, and they offer a different perspective to our patients, allowing them to explore and challenge themselves in unique ways.

We use a comprehensive range of addiction treatment techniques at North London, all of which have a strong evidence base, and have been found to be highly effective in addiction treatment and successful rehabilitation.

Therapy formats

Therapy can be delivered in a number of different formats including:

• 1:1 therapy
• Group therapy
• Family group therapy
• Couples therapy

Types of therapy

Examples of the therapeutic techniques that we use as part of our Addiction Treatment Programme include:

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
• Mindfulness
• Psychodrama
• Equine assisted therapy - for more information on equine assisted therapy, the benefits we see when using horses as part of addiction treatment, and to view our equine therapy video, please visit our equine assisted therapy page
• Holistic therapies such as art therapy, yoga and meditation

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

You can contact Priory Hospital North London directly to enquire about our Addiction Treatment Programme and to arrange your free, no-obligation addictions assessment.

For further information on how Priory Hospital North London can help you to overcome your addiction, call us today on  0800 840 3219, and our dedicated experts will be able to advise on the next steps to receiving treatment. For GPs and referrers looking to make a referral, please click here.