Drug Addiction

Drug addiction predominantly includes:

• Cocaine – including Crack Cocaine
• Heroin
• Marijuana
• Prescription Drugs
• Formerly Legal highs
• Ketamine
• GHB
• MDMA
• Ecstasy
• Cannabis

Many factors may be responsible for an addiction to drugs and these predominantly include genetic predisposition, trauma, environment, coexisting mental illness, and many attachment issues. Drug addiction generally occurs when an individual becomes psychologically and/or physically dependent on substances, which may include illegal drugs or prescription medication.

Like those with alcohol addiction, people who suffer from drug addiction will experience a strong compulsion to use drugs despite negative consequences. Chronic drug abuse can have catastrophic effects on an individual’s mental and physical health, while also destroying families, impacting finances, jeopardizing careers and leading to behaviours that may affect our own moral compass.

Thankfully, through scientific advances we know more than ever about how drugs can affect the brain and as a consequence of this the opportunities for treatment and sustained recovery have also improved.

Do I Have A Problem With Drugs?

Addiction to drugs is progressive, and it can begin at a “compulsive” stage where we start to become aware that our drug use is causing problems. However, despite these problems we simply appear unable to cut back.

We may soon find that more drugs are needed, or the frequency of the drug taking increases, to have the desired effect. At this stage a change in our tolerance levels occurs.

Wanting to use drugs begins to take more and more space up in our heads, maybe we begin to think about using drugs much earlier in the day, or planning a binge, or a reward to get through a challenge, or even for prolonging a pleasurable experience.

This is where we begin to obsess about using drugs.

At this point, our relationship with drugs becomes impaired, and we find it difficult to stop, or put the drug down for a period of time, particularly without feeling withdrawal symptoms (including cravings or urges).

Around this time, it may have been identified by loved ones that there is a problem, and we begin to use our drug of choice in secret.

Maybe we start to lie about the amount we are taking in order to cover up, or we hide it. Drug taking in isolation becomes more appealing as we start to experience feelings of shame and guilt.

Usage increases further, and the relationship with drugs begins to seep out into other areas of life. Perhaps it impacts on our relationships, or our careers, or our finances, or our morals and ethics, or our health further.

Despite increasing consequences that become more difficult to hide, we continue to use drugs, simply because once we have started, it becomes too difficult to stop, and we lose control of sensible and healthy choices.

Drug Treatment At Strong Hope

Depending on the type of drugs used or the level of dependency it may be necessary to initiate a medical detox before embarking on the psychotherapy part of the drug addiction programme – but there is no reason why the two cannot operate in tandem once someone is physically well enough to engage.

Through the drug addiction programme clients will begin by looking at the underlying causes of their drug addiction, which may be related to a genetic predisposition, individual life traumas, environment, coexisting mental health issues or early attachment issues. It is vital that these underlying issues are identified and addressed as they are important to the prevention of relapse.

We explore these through a range of talking and non-talking therapies, so clients understand why they do the things that they do but equally importantly then learn new skills and coping strategies to do things differently in order to remove the need to rely on drugs on discharge. This we do through individual 1:1 work and group work for those who prefer.

For those clients choosing a 12-Step model of treatment this will be delivered alongside access to external 12-Step meetings on the island.

One aspect of our programme that is key to recovery is for clients to learn to experience “joy” and “pleasure” without using drugs once more. We do this through adventure therapy and using the natural resources that the island has to offer, and as such clients can begin to de-align pleasure from substance.

All clients work to a daily schedule that is tailored for the individual in relation to their treatment plan and consists of a balanced programme of psychotherapy, complementary therapies, adventure therapy, health/nutrition and fitness. Clients will be expected to work on therapeutic assignments based on issues that are identified as part of their treatment, which they do outside of the core face-to-face hours, and present these in their sessions with their therapist. As clients come to the end of their treatment they will work with their primary therapist and therapy team to produce a relapse prevention plan, which Strong Hope will support through the aftercare programme that we offer.

Each client will have an experienced and fully trained primary addiction therapist, and this therapist will support and coach them throughout their stay even though the client may engage with other members of the therapy team according to need.

Programme Duration

Strong Hope offers a range of drug addiction programmes from just 14 days up to 42 days depending on client availability and need. For those clients staying 28 days or more we also offer an inclusive family programme towards the end of the client’s stay.