We provide 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 when you drink alcohol in an excessive way, to the extent that you become both physically and psychologically dependent on it in order to function. Without timely, professional treatment, alcohol addiction can cause a whole host of devastating long-term problems and can even result in death.

Drug addiction rehab

Drug addiction may develop as a result of someone frequently taking or administering drugs, until they build a tolerance to the substance and become dependent on it in order to function. People might 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 types of drug addiction that we treat as part of the North London addiction treatment programme. Cocaine is an illegal stimulant drug that usually comes as a white powder, and can either be snorted or injected. Cocaine causes people to experience intense euphoria, which causes tolerance to build quickly and can be highly addictive.

Other common drug addictions that we treat at North London include:

• Cannabis addiction
• Ecstasy/MDMA addiction
• Heroin addiction
• Amphetamine addiction
• Ketamine addiction
• New psychoactive and illicit substance (legal high) addiction

We can also treat behavioural addictions at North London, including:

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

At Priory Hospital North London, we understand that it’s 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 can also address any co-occurring mental health problems that might be triggering your addiction or making it worse.

As well as regularly drinking excessive amounts of alcohol or using substances, the following are all common signs that may suggest you have a problem with substance abuse:

• Being unable to reduce your use, despite trying
• Increased tolerance to the substance you’re using
• Feeling as though you can’t function without using
• Using substances to relieve stress
• Lying to yourself and others about how much and how often you use
• Feelings of anxiety when you’re not using
• Prioritising using over other activities
• Changes in your mood, concentration and productivity, due to using
• Relationship problems due to your substance use
• Social withdrawal, so you can use more often

10 to 14-day, medically assisted detox in North London

If you’re struggling with an addiction to alcohol or drugs, you might need to go through a detoxification or ‘detox’ process, before you start therapy. During detox, all traces of alcohol and drugs will be removed from your system, while helping you to manage your withdrawal symptoms. Detox at North London lasts for 10 to 14 days and is led by our specialist team. You’ll have access to round-the-clock mental health nursing care for the duration of the detox process. In addition, we can offer medical intervention and prescribe medication during detox if this is needed, in order to ensure that you’re physically stable in preparation to start addiction therapy. 

Residential addiction treatment

Once all traces of alcohol and drugs have been removed from your body during detox, you’ll be ready to start your intensive inpatient (residential) treatment and therapy. Inpatient treatment provides you with much-needed structure, 24-hour monitoring, 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 range of 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 coping strategies to improve your lifestyle and ensure a positive and fulfilling future.

At North London, we understand that the thought of residential treatment can be overwhelming. It can be one of the hardest decisions that you ever 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 and we are committed to ensuring 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 need. During day care, you’ll take part in addiction therapy groups alongside current residential patients. However, unlike our residential programme, you won’t stay at the hospital overnight and will return home following a day of therapy. Day care is useful for people who still need some structured support for their addiction, but no longer need intensive 24-hour monitoring.

Trauma reduction programme

We also offer a 5-day trauma reduction programme during addiction treatment, which can either take place during the residential addiction treatment programme or as part of day care. This workshop has been designed to address traumatic childhood memories and issues, which are quite common in the backgrounds of addicts.

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

While 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’re in the best hands at Priory Hospital North London. All treatment is developed collaboratively with our patients, in order to foster the best possible outcomes.

The addiction treatment programme at North London is predominantly led by our expert consultants and therapists. However, patients also benefit from valuable peer supporter input throughout their treatment journey. Our peer supporters are former clients who have been through the North London addiction treatment programme themselves. These people 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, and they offer a different perspective to our patients, allowing them to explore and challenge themselves in unique ways.

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

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 tried and tested therapy types that we use 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 addiction assessment.

For further information on how Priory Hospital North London can help you to overcome your addiction, call us today on 0330 056 6023, 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