World class drug addiction treatment at Priory Hospital Roehampton

Our collaborative and bespoke Addiction Treatment Programme is delivered by world renowned experts who possess extensive experience in the treatment of a wide range of drug addictions. Our specialist team are also able to prescribe medication and provide medical intervention as part of your drug addiction treatment programme, if necessary.

Our team is mainly led by specialist addiction consultants, but patients at Priory Hospital Roehampton also benefit from peer supporter input. Our peer supporters are ex-patients who have been through Roehampton’s Addiction Treatment Programme themselves; these individuals attend drug addiction therapy sessions to share their insight, guidance and positive experiences with our patients.

There are a wide variety of drugs that people may become addicted to; these may be illegal substances such as cocaine or heroin, or people may also become addicted to legal prescription drugs. Illegal drug addiction often develops due to peer pressure or curiosity, whereas prescription drugs are usually taken for a legitimate medical reason, before a dangerous addiction develops.

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

• Cocaine addiction – cocaine is a powerful stimulant drug which is usually snorted as a white powder, although it is also possible for it to be injected. Taking cocaine results in users experiencing intense feelings of euphoria which often causes people to become addicted quickly and develop a high tolerance to the drug
• Crack cocaine addiction – crack cocaine, which is sometimes known as simply ‘crack’, is the crystal form of cocaine. The drug is heated and smoked, and its name is taken from the cracking or popping noise that it makes when it is exposed to heat. The onset of euphoria is much more rapid in crack cocaine when compared to cocaine, but these effects often peak quickly and stop after only a few minutes
• Heroin addiction – heroin is a form of opiate drug and is most commonly injected, although it can also be snorted or smoked. Heroin is derived from the strong painkiller, morphine, and due to its anaesthetic properties, this substance can be highly addictive. This causes tolerance to heroin to build quickly, which means that people need to take more and more of the drug in order to experience the desired effects
• Amphetamine addiction – amphetamine, also known as ‘speed’, is a dangerous stimulant drug that comes in powder form and often looks like small crystals. Amphetamine can be snorted, smoked, injected or dabbed onto the gums, and results in euphoria, intense bursts of energy, alertness and confidence
• Cannabis addiction – cannabis, which is also widely known as ‘marijuana’ or ‘weed’, is taken from the cannabis plant and is usually smoked, although it can also be cooked or baked in different foods, or even brewed into tea. Cannabis can cause people to feel relaxed and peaceful - effects which have likely contributed to this drug being one of the most widely abused substances in the UK
• New psychoactive and illicit substance (legal high) addiction – new psychoactive substances, also commonly known as ‘legal highs’, are powerful psychoactive substances that typically contain a wide range of unknown chemicals that haven’t gone through sufficient testing to understand their effects. Illicit substances are substances that are easy to obtain and can cause psychoactive effects when they are used in a certain way e.g. sniffing glue and solvents. New psychoactive and illicit substances typically mimic the effects of illegal drugs and can cause significant harm and even death
• Prescription drug addiction - prescription drugs are often prescribed by medical professionals in order to offer short-term pain relief following an injury or operation. However, these drugs are known to cause feelings of euphoria and tranquillity which can be very addictive to some people

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 drug addiction:

• Increased tolerance towards the drug(s); finding that you need to take more of this in order to experience the desired effects
• Taking the drug(s) for stress relief
• Focusing more and more time on getting 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
• Lying to loved ones about your drug use
• Driving or engaging in other risky behaviours when under the influence of the drug(s)
• Increased temper and irritability
• Social withdrawal
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Sleeping more or less than usual
• 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

Read more about the signs and symptoms of drug addiction.