Routes to RecoveRy
Building
netwOrks
Rehabilitation is
as much about
creating support
networks to feel
sustained within
in the community
as about facing
the past.
THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR SEEKING HELP with addiction in the community,
and various levels of support. Help is available from treatment agencies, projects and
community drug services all over the country.
Options include structured day programmes, counselling, organisations offering advice
and information, and support groups.
People can
self-refer or be
referred. If
accepted for
treatment, a
proven and
effective help
is cognitive
behavioural
therapy.
‘To be treated at CNWL’s national problem gambling clinic, people can self-refer
or be referred. If accepted for treatment, a proven and effective help is cognitive
behavioural therapy (CBT), which is provided on an individual and group basis.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is another option and may be used with those
who have failed to maintain abstinence using CBT methods, or for those who
are clear that there are emotional reasons for their lapses. With the emphasis
also on the family, the clinic offers behavioural couples therapy, while another
option is medication, specifically naltrexone to suppress cravings.’
Jody Lombardini, CNWL and Danny Hames, NHSSMPA
Online OptiOns
There are many specialist support sites to help you with all
kinds of addictions, even if you are just looking for
reassurance that you are not alone.
THE INTERNET HAS OPENED UP A WHOLE NEW WORLD
OF SUPPORT through website advice, forums and
online chat, which can work well to continue the
support beyond rehab.
You can find information and advice from many
sources, including the websites of treatment agencies
and government sites such as www.talktofrank.com.
If you are experiencing problems with addiction
yourself, there are structured interventions on offer,
such as online chat rooms, which provide online
meetings, scheduled in advance, with topics introduced
by a chairperson. Using a microphone and speakers,
you can take part in the live chat, or share in the
discussion by typing your message onto the screen.
If you need support during your addiction or
recovery, sites such as www.smartrecovery.org.uk run
an online community, with 24/7 live chat, online
meetings social networking.
Many of the mutual aid groups, such as Alcoholics
Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics anonymous (NA) hold
online open meetings for those needing support to
maintain recovery based on the 12 steps.
There are many specialist support sites to help you
with all kinds of addictions, even if you are just looking
34 | drinkanddrugsnews | Rehab Guide 2019
for reassurance that you are not alone.
SUPPORT WITH DRINKING
A free online tool has been developed to support
people who are concerned about their alcohol use. It
can be a hard thing to admit if you’re getting worried
about your drinking, but DrinkCoach provides a ‘one-
stop-shop’ for expert alcohol help from health and
social care specialists Humankind. Available at
www.drinkcoach.org.uk, it is the only UK tool to offer
online screening, advice and access to an alcohol
specialist all in the same place.
Seeking help can feel intimidating, but DrinkCoach’s
online sessions allow people to talk to a professional in
the comfort of their own home at a time that suits
them – including evenings and weekends. The 40-
minute sessions are conducted via Skype, which means
no waiting lists and no off-putting clinical settings.
‘We developed DrinkCoach to support people who
are concerned about their drinking,’ says Mark Holmes,
assistant director at Humankind. ‘Evidence shows us
that the earlier we can intervene the better their
outcomes. Our range of tools and services are
designed to support individuals to meet their drinking
goals, whether to reduce or quit, in their own time and
in their own space.’
A SAFE SPACE
‘I believe the group helps with coping strategies, helps women feel more empowered
and gives them a sense of community – a place to relate their personal experiences
and one that provides understanding. Women open up on issues that would otherwise
be taboo in mixed meetings. The “closed” group means only members can see posts,
and it is open to women already in recovery looking for continued support, as well as
those looking for a way out… I believe we need other women in our lives to heal and
stay sober.’
Annalice Sibley, founder of ‘Women Only Recovery’ Facebook group
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com