Statistics for drug-related deaths in the UK have reached an all-time record high and have been on the rise for over the past decade. The sad fact is that the UK government’s 2010 drug strategy, which severely lacked in drug rehabilitation, has caused thousands of tragic and untimely deaths; illicit opiates being the leading cause of drug poisoning and overdose.
There were 3,744 drug poisoning deaths involving both legal and illegal drugs in England and Wales registered in 2016; this is 70 higher than 2015 (an increase of 2%) and the highest number since comparable statistics began in 1993.
Source: Office For National Statistics
2010 saw the implementation of a new NHS drug treatment strategy, that forced thousands of opiate dependent drug addicts to detox with very little medical support or rehabilitation. This resulted in those that had stopped using illicit class A drugs and stabilised on methadone, to return to Class A illicit drug use.
The results have been devastating, to say the least, and the government is yet to step up to stop the growing numbers of drug-related deaths in the UK.
Drugs In The UK Are Stronger Than Ever
The sharp rise in deaths from those returning to opioid use is due to the following factors:
- Drugs are stronger than ever since the introduction of Fentanyl into the UK’s Heroin market
- Relapse on heroin often results in overdose due to the fact that tolerance levels have dropped
- There has been a calamitous rise in blood-borne viruses/diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis
- As a result of reduced government funding, there are fewer professional staff, less drug rehabilitation services and less money available for drug treatment and harm minimisation in the UK than ever before.
Unless you are able to pay to go private or have the correct medical insurance to access a reputable drug rehab, drug rehabilitation in the community is proving highly ineffective and insufficient on the NHS.
Why Drug Rehabilitation Is So Important
It is evident from the government’s actions, that there is a distinct lack of understanding of how addiction works and what addiction is.
Taking away the drug does not cure addiction or treat it! It merely clears the body of the substance. If detox is not carried out with the correct medical and psychological therapeutic support, drug cravings soon become overwhelming, resulting in relapse.
Having a methadone script reduced and stopped when you have become stable and have created a life, albeit based on harm minimisation, would have comes as a devastating blow.
Opiate withdrawal symptoms and lack of professional rehabilitation and support drove a large percentage of methadone dependent addicts to return to illicit drug use.
Addiction, of any kind, regardless of the drug or substance involved, is classified medically as a “chronic relapsing brain disease”. This means that whilst it is treatable, it is not curable.
How To Treat Drug Addiction
Addiction to drugs needs to be treated with a full drug rehabilitation programme in order that the individual suffering can learn new coping skills and strategies.
There is also a vital need for a profound change in thinking and behaviours to take place if they are to sustain abstinence-based recovery.
The UK’s harm minimisation and drug treatment strategy only provide some relapse prevention techniques and support, which is nowhere near intense enough or bespoke enough to have any lasting effect.
An addicted brain essentially needs to be rewired through intensive evidence-based cognitive and psychotherapeutic methods; this is the only way that addiction can be successfully rehabilitated. It is also an ongoing process of practical application and support. There is no quick fix for treating addiction.
Where Can I Access Drug Rehabilitation in the UK?
If you or a loved one are struggling with an abuse problem, dependence or an addiction to drugs, it is vital that you seek the correct rehabilitation treatment and help immediately.
Addiction is a life-threatening disease and will only ever get progressively worse over time.
Free drug rehabilitation in London and across the UK is VERY thin on the ground, due to substantial financial cuts to this sector. This means that the most vulnerable of addicts will be looking for affordable, low-cost drug rehab.
Rehab Today by PCP provides affordable drug rehabilitation through CQC-registered rehabs located throughout the UK. We offer what the NHS can’t in terms of addiction treatment, bespoke rehabilitation and intensive medical care.
Bespoke Drug Rehabilitation and Detox
Rehab Today by PCP has four exemplary and established drug rehabs, that offer full medical detoxes and bespoke rehabilitation programmes for alcohol and all manner of legal and illicit drugs. We have kept our UK rehab costs low, whilst maintaining an exceptionally high standard of quality and care.
Our drug rehabilitation programmes in the UK use only evidence-based medical and psychotherapeutic addiction treatments, delivered by highly qualified doctors, nurses, counsellors and therapists. We can also facilitate immediate admissions.
By contacting us for a free of charge consultation, your rehabilitation from drugs could start today. There is a way out and a life that is both enriching, attainable and sustainable without the need or want for drugs. Call us today to find out more!
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