If your question is not here, why not visit the websites of the two national agencies?
For alcohol issues go to Alcohol Concern
For drugs misuse go to Drugscope
Or have a look at our Useful links page.
ADS can be your first port of call; we provide
easy-to-use, free and confidential expert advice and information along
with specialist treatment services for people with alcohol and drug
problems, their families and community. Every year we receive thousands
of telephone calls and meet more than 10,000 people who have concerns
about themselves or someone else. All our centres have professionally
trained staff with excellent local knowledge of the services available
and direct expertise in helping people with drug and or alcohol problems
and also their friends and families. This help may include sending
them information, arranging for them to use services that we provide,
or to use other services in another area.
Making the decision to seek help is the most important step. So, please phone or call in at a centre. One of our staff will listen to you and also arrange a longer appointment where together we can work out a plan to tackle your problems.
We don't use the word - but we will help you to handle your drink or drug use problems so that you are in charge of your life again.
Nothing. We offer our services free. And if you are referred to one of our residential services, funding will be arranged through Social Services.
Our service is confidential. Only if you have given permission will we inform the relevant people, such as your partner, doctor, social worker or probation officer.
Our staff and volunteers bring a wide range experience and professional background to the service - including social work, nursing and mental health nursing. Additionally they qualifications can include diplomas in counselling. We provide a training and development programme for our staff and volunteers
We are a social care rather than a medical service. We will carry out an assessment when you first come to us to find out what concerns you have about your alcohol and or drug use and to get some history about where and when it started. We can help you find the right medical advice, help and support if that is right for you.
Yes. Your GP is a good person to speak to if you are worried about your own or someone else's drink or drug problem. ADS and other agencies works with some GP practices to offer help at surgeries. Others GPs have links to their local community alcohol and drug services and will know how to make a referral.
We'll do our best. There may not be a counsellor immediately available at the centre you contact, but we will try to find the appropriate person for you to see who relates to gender or other issues. Our counsellors, support staff and volunteers may, if they choose, identify areas which are relevant to their orientation, but as an equal opportunities agency, we don't require anyone to do so.
Every project and programme run by ADS has staff and volunteers who are specialists in alcohol and drug treatment. It makes sense that they also have close links to other treatment and related services in the area - organisations that may be of help to our clients and can provide additional specialist skills.
We help our clients to access a full range of services and activities that can help to regain balance and control in their lives. This may include support for parents, help with housing, employment, training and education, finding a doctor, finding a mental health service, volunteering in the community, addressing legal problems, finding a residential rehabilitation programme, home detoxification, In-patent detoxification, social and leisure activities and so on. Each ADS centre has lots of information on services and activities locally. Our staff and volunteers don't just hand out a phone number and leave you to it: they will explain the services, often have printed material about them and, if needed, they can make a formal referral. We provide referrals at all stages of our service; this can be at the advice and information stage over the phone or in person, or for clients who have engaged in one of our local projects services.
The word "assessment" sounds very formal but it is really just a chance for us to understand directly from you what concerns you have about your alcohol and or drug use and to get some history about where and when it started. To get a full picture we will also ask you some general background information about yourself. Usually this assessment appointment will take about an hour, but because everyone is different and it is really important that we fully understand your situation, sometimes we may need to meet over a few sessions.
After an assessment we will work with you on developing a plan of action, which we call a "care plan". The care plan breaks down all the issues you have told us about into groups and what your goals are on each of them. We then set out the plans to deal with them. In the care plan we also write down who is responsible for what and in what time frame. All professional addiction services now use care plans; they help both our clients and the staff in the project understand your goals and the services you have agreed to use. In some situations your care plan may include the services of a few other organisations or healthcare professionals. The care plan is used throughout your time with a service to help you keep track of your goals and the progress you have made. We also use the care plan to see what other support may be need along the way. Whatever your situation, you are in charge every step of the way, a care plan is something we develop with you not for you. No-one will make you do anything that you don't want to do.
Alcohol and Drug Services run Day Programmes at most of our centres. Most similar services have these types of programmes in other parts of the country. Day programmes are, for many people, a real alternative to residential alcohol and drug treatment - including families and friends. Think of a Day Programme like selecting from a menu: there may be things that you would like to try, such as relapse avoidance courses, assertiveness training, counselling, social and leisure activities and alternative therapies. There may be others that do not suit you, like a support group for stimulant users if you have an alcohol problem. As you make progress your needs will change, so our day programmes have groups and services to match all stages of recovery, all the way to keeping up the changes that you have successfully made. Our clients can attend the day programme as often as every day occasionally, depending on personal circumstances and available time - perhaps you work or go to college? Your assessment and care plan will make sure the activities and services you choose are right for you.
A brief intervention usually involves between one and six sessions to help people who are concerned about their drinking or drug use but are not yet dependant. It means we can rapidly focus on support for the client. Many people are able to successfully reduce alcohol or drug use or sometimes make a decision to abstain altogether through this type of service. A brief intervention service is usually offered after some from of assessment, as they are not suitable for everyone.
The term "detoxification" in alcohol or drug treatment means getting rid of the chemical from the body - usually by taking prescribed medication and using comfort measures to relieve the unpleasant symptoms of withdrawal. Home detox - sometimes referred to as community detox - means that you do this at home rather than in a hospital or clinic; but it could be one option of a range of options suggested after a full assessment and delivered as part of a care plan. How a home detox works will depend on the services available in your local area and whether the detox is needed for an alcohol or drug problem. We offer home detoxification from a number of our local centres for clients who are dependant on alcohol and / or drugs. ADS staff can make referrals and tell you about local home detoxification services in areas where we do not currently provide this service ourselves.
There can be many reasons for using an in-patient detoxification programme. It might be suggested as an option after a full assessment with a specialist alcohol or drug worker - for example, if you are likely to need a place where specialist medical support and nursing care are available 24 hours a day. It might be more agreeable to be treated in your own home through a home detox but in some situations this is just not be possible. In-patient detoxification can take place in general hospitals but it is more likely that a specialist centre will to manage your detox. There are usually separate specialist centres for alcohol detoxification and drug detoxification in every region of the country - these services are still free and are part of the NHS.
If an in-patient detoxification is suggested and you agree, then a worker at ADS will be able to make these arrangements, including sorting out the paperwork. You may be invited to visit the specialist centre or one of their staff may come to meet you. The process can vary depending on where you live, and if you want a detox for alcohol or drugs.
The ADS worker will be able to help every step of the way. After contacting the detoxification service that is right for you, and after they have agreed that this is the best course of action, you will usually be placed on a waiting list - your worker will explain how long you may have to wait and why. The in-patient unit or hospital will contact you about you admission by post or telephone - sometimes beds become available at quite short notice. You will be offered continued support while you are on the waiting list, which will include helping you decide what support you may want to use after the detox. Your counsellor will be able to answer any questions you have and prepare you for the specifics of your admission.
Once you are admitted to the in-patient detoxification unit, a doctor will see you and will prescribe medication needed to safely and comfortably detox you from alcohol or drugs. The types of medication used will be fully discussed with you by your counsellor before your admission and again by the doctor and nursing staff treating you. The doctor and nursing staff will continue to treat any uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms you may have. As you start to feel better you will feel like doing more things; some specialist hospitals are designed to be a bit more homely and also offer services like group counselling and activities to keep you occupied. It is important to remember that detoxification is one of the first steps in recovering from an alcohol or drug problem. It will remove the chemical from your body in a safe way and there is no doubt that you will feel a lot better at the end of your hospital stay - but staying off alcohol or drugs can be a difficult task and most people need some help to do this. The counsellor who arranged your in-patient detox will have developed a care plan with you before your admission to hospital. This plan will include all the things you decided to do during and after your detox to help you to stay away from drinking or taking drugs and keep you on track. This care plan could include using day-care services, structured counselling or a self -help group, as well as help for your family and friends who may be supporting you. The most important thing is to remember how far you have come and to keep up with the commitment you made to yourself by following the plan you made.
Residential care (sometimes called residential rehabilitation) is an option for people who have decided that abstaining totally from alcohol and/or drugs is currently the best way forward - but can't to do this while living at home. Residential rehabilitation services can vary in the way that they operate but most provide a home environment with a structured programme of treatment, in which where you will be living with other people who are in recovery from alcohol and drug use while being supported by each other and qualified and professionally trained staff.
ADS runs two residential rehabilitation services, Bennet House in Manchester and Bridge House in Preston. All residential rehabilitation homes are drug and alcohol free environments, with the main goals being to help you develop skills that will help you make positive improvements in all areas of your life while maintaining a long-term alcohol-free or drug-free lifestyle. Residential rehabilitation services have different lengths of stay, from six weeks to 12 months. They also use different models or theories in the services they provide. If you are thinking of using a residential rehabilitation service it is important to know what model they use and to make sure that this is a good fit for you. All residential rehabilitation services have printed material, and in many cases will welcome you to visit the programme to find out more.
There will be a lot of different activities on offer during your stay there, which should include ndividual and group counselling, life skills courses, building relapse prevention skills, help in improving skills of daily living, education and training and help around deciding what type of work you may want to return to. All residential rehabilitation programmes will also be able help in re-housing you at the end of the programme (if needed) and will arrange supportive aftercare for when you leave.
There are very clear standards that residential rehabilitation services must comply with; this is for your own safety and protection. The majority of homes comply with the Care Standards Act 2000, and both Bridge House and Bennet House are good examples of this. Some residential care homes are registered as independent hospitals and as such they comply with the various Acts and legislation governing hospitals.
Admission to residential services is usually voluntary, but can sometimes be part of a court order. Most residential rehabilitation services will expect you to be drug and alcohol free on your admission or to have completed a detoxification through a home detox or an in-patient detoxification unit.
Admission also depends on what is called a "community care assessment." All ADS centres will be able to advise and guide you as to where you can have a community care assessment. If you are then found eligible by Social Services for residential care this will be supported and funded by them. You will then be supported to find a suitable programme either in your local area or at a residential rehabilitation service in another area.
It is important to keep in mind that you may be staying in the service for up to a year - so take your time choosing a programme that is right for you, understand what services they offer, how they offer them and what kind of rules they have. Your ADS worker will help you with this and you can ask to visit the services you are interested in. Once you have an approved community care assessment and have chosen the residential service that is the best fit for you, they will usually want to either see you. If this it is not possible due to distance then they will speak to you on the phone.
Each residential rehabilitation service will have its own admission guidelines, which will be carefully explained to you. They will ask you questions about your self and your goals as part of their assessment and let you know how long you will need to be drug or alcohol free before you come in. The counsellor helping you to arrange your residential rehabilitation will be well aware of this and will if needed be able arrange a home detox or in-patient detoxification. A few residential rehabilitation services have their own detoxification units within the service.
Once you are admitted to a residential rehabilitation service you will usually be assigned a person called a key worker. This person will be your main counsellor during your stay. In some services they also use a 'buddy' system - usually another resident who has been in the service for a while and made good progress and who will be a good peer support person for you.
At various stages during your stay in a residential rehabilitation service you will be visited by your representative, called a care manager, from your local area Social Services department or specialist alcohol and drug service. This is to see what progress both you and the residential service staff feel you are making, to make sure you are happy with the service you are receiving and to agree on continued funding of your stay. Towards the later part of your stay you will be working on plans for when you leave - you may be returning to your home town or deciding to live elsewhere. Your key worker from the residential service will guide you through this, as housing and arranging supports, like counselling or day programme for when you leave, are an important part of your programme.
Yes. An alcohol or drug problem can have a major impact in many areas of a person's life; this can include missing a lot of school and leaving with few or no qualifications, finding it hard to hold down a job, being fired or let go, passed over for promotion. It can also be a symptom of feeling unhappy or unfulfilled in areas of life, lonely or depressed and trapped.
It makes sense that when people feel better about themselves and more positive about their future then they are better able to cope with life pressures and resist problem alcohol or drug use. When our clients meet see a worker counsellor, their full assessment will include questions about education, employment and training history. As we develop a care plan with our clients we will ask if he or she has any goals for improvements in this area, and develop a step by step plan to help to meet those goals. This will include realistic goal setting, practical help, support and encouragement along the way. Many of our local centres have on-site education and training programmes and all our project staff have excellent local knowledge on what is available, how to get it and will help to arrange it.
Yes. One of the main issues faced by our clients is finding ways fill the gaps once taken up by using alcohol and drugs. It may be that life has been focused around drinking or drug taking, and it is hard to imagine living differently, perhaps it seems boring or lonely, or frightening?
Our project staff and volunteers help our clients discover new enjoyable ways to experience life without the use of alcohol. Building up a new social and leisure life is a really important part of recovery and can help to build confidence, self-esteem, new friendships and interests and fill gaps that were once occupied by drinking or drug taking. Social and leisure activities are really important not only in early recovery but in helping keep up with positive changes.
Many of our clients start using social and leisure activities provided by our centres. In our day programmes this can include social groups to help build self-confidence. Some centres have mini-gym facilities, pool tables and run games and quiz days. Many run group outings.
We also run service user forum groups out of all our centres, for clients to tell us what they want - this is open for anyone to join. As confidence grows our clients are given practical help and support to by each other, our volunteers, mentors and staff to find specific local social and leisure activities that are enjoyable - some might register for a course at college, others join the local gym or self help group.
Yes. In many of our services staff are backed up by fully-screened, trained and supported volunteers. They are people who have personal qualities like being open minded and patient, are good listeners, are sensitive and discreet and are committed, reliable and enthusiastic. After intensive training, our volunteers could be placed in local centre or residential care services. These schemes can have different groups of clients, but have the same general aims. Volunteers act as valuable extra support to our clients in recovery by helping to rebuild their lives in their own localities. They can help with practical things like getting to appointments, budgeting, dealing with rent arrears and debt, finding and checking out interesting things to do the locally. Our volunteers help clients to become part of their local community as they return to independent daily living. Click here for Volunteer Opportunities
There are many ways that ADS can help clients to regain control over their lives. Each person we see brings different life experiences and concerns about their drinking or drug use. We believe that personal choice is essential in tackling a drug or alcohol problem. Our staff and volunteers make our clients aware not only of the services we deliver but of other alcohol and drug treatment services available locally. These include 12 step meetings such as those run by Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, which are available in most areas. Other 12 step meetings, like Cocaine Anonymous or Methadone Anonymous are available only in large cities. However, if you have access to a computer you can attend on-line meetings at www.aaonline.net or on the Narcotics website.
Because 12 Step meetings follow a set format, with members being at various stages of recovery, it is possible anyone with a drug or alcohol problems to walk into any meeting around the UK or world and be welcomed. There is no contract to sign and no commitment to make and people attend for many different reasons - some to listen or gain support, others to follow the steps of the programme, sometimes with the help of a sponsor. Being a sponsor is an important role and this person acts as an extra support person to the meeting. 12 step programmes are a valuable option for many, and offer friendship, support and encouragement. Click here to find a meeting in your local area.
12 step programmes use the principles of the 12 steps to guide the structure of the treatment programme. Some day programmes and residential rehabilitation programmes use all or parts of the 12 steps in their work with clients. ADS offer a 12-step programme within some of our abstinence services. This 12 step day programme is also different from attending meetings as it provides a number of other structured activities, like individual support and group work that are delivered by trained and qualified staff and volunteers.
No - our approach is different. First, we don't describe people as alcoholics - we aim to help people when drink is causing problems in their lives or if they feel they are drinking too much. Giving up altogether is only one of the options. You will see a counsellor in private before you join one of our groups so you wouldn't have to tell your story to the group if you don't want to. However, many people have found support from AA and their meetings. You can find out more at www.alcoholicsanonymous.org.uk
First, we don't describe people as alcoholics - we aim to help people when drink is causing problems in their lives or if they feel they are drinking too much. We won't make you do anything - we will work out a plan together. Whether you continue to drink will be your choice - but we'll help you to make that decision by giving you all the information about what alcohol does to you.
Everyone's experience is different. But the first step is to talk to us so we suggest ways in which you might persuade her to see us.
There are many ways that ADS can help clients to regain control over their lives. Each person we see brings different life experiences and concerns about their drinking or drug use. We believe that personal choice is essential in tackling a drug or alcohol problem. Our staff and volunteers make our clients aware not only of the services we deliver but of other alcohol and drug treatment services available locally. These include 12 step meetings such as those run by Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, which are available in most areas. Other 12 step meetings, like Cocaine Anonymous or Methadone Anonymous are available only in large cities. However, if you have access to a computer you can attend on-line meetings through Alcoholics Anonymous find a meeting Narcotics Anonymous website
Because 12 Step meetings follow a set format, with members being at various stages of recovery, it is possible anyone with a drug or alcohol problems to walk into any meeting around the UK or world and be welcomed. There is no contract to sign and no commitment to make and people attend for many different reasons - some to listen or gain support, others to follow the steps of the programme, sometimes with the help of a sponsor. Being a sponsor is an important role and this person acts as an extra support person to the meeting. 12 step programmes are a valuable option for many, and offer friendship, support and encouragement. To find a meeting in your local area . .....put in web address..........
12 step programmes use the principles of the 12 steps to guide the structure of the treatment programme. Some day programmes and residential rehabilitation programmes use all or parts of the 12 steps in their work with clients. ADS offer a 12-step programme within some of our abstinence services. This 12 step day programme is also different from attending meetings as it provides a number of other structured activities, like individual support and group work that are delivered by trained and qualified staff and volunteers.
THC stands for, Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the main active ingredient t in marijuana but is naturally produced to varying degrees in nearly all varieties of hemp.
Back to topWe understand how difficult it can be to stop using alcohol or drugs. Our project staff are professionally trained and qualified to work in this field and many of them also have specialist training and expertise in specific areas. This includes having knowledge on up to date research about effective treatment approaches.
All our clients are treated as individuals and the best way to understand your alcohol or drug problem and how it affects your life is though a full assessment. Different people using different drugs can benefit from both standard and specialist support - one size does not fit all! In the case of stimulant problems (generally cocaine or amphetamines) research shows that a range of very specific support is very effective.
Our day programmes have staff with expertise in helping people with stimulant problems and some of our local centres have services specifically designed to help with this. Those that clients find particularly helpful include: immediate access to services, staff trained in using specific structured counselling techniques for stimulant problems, alternative therapies, relaxation techniques and relapse avoidance courses. After an initial assessment our staff will be able to help develop a plan of action called a care plan, and will work with our clients every step of the way.
No - it's not helpful and we don't make judgements about people's lives. If you have come to us because using drugs is causing you problems, we'll work with you to find ways to improve your life, your health and your self-esteem.
We can help you. Both to understand what his problems are and to suggest ways in which you might persuade your partner to come to see us as well.
Yes. Think of this as an opportunity to make decisions about your drug use. Getting treatment will show the court that you're motivated to tackle the problem that's caused you to offend in the first place. In some cases we may be able to provide the court with a report on your progress that could help you. Whatever happens this time, if you don't get help you could re-offend and get into even worse trouble the next time.
Yes. If you recognise that alcohol is causing problems in your life (such as driving when you've been drinking), we can work out a plan - together. Getting treatment will show the court that you want to tackle your drinking. In some cases we may be able to provide the court with a report on your progress that could help you. If you don't get help you could re-offend and get into even worse trouble the next time.
Yes. Our team of Prison Link Workers can help both men and women in prison who voluntarily want to tackle a drug problem. Many prisons now have drug treatment services on site. Our staff are in daily contact with them, meeting prisoners who are coming toward the end of their sentence and have asked for help to tackle their drug problem.
An assessment by the prison drug treatment service is given to our Prison Link Worker, who will then have regular contact with the client and help develop an after-release care plan. Prison Link Workers have excellent local knowledge of services and will be able to make any number of arrangements on the client's behalf to help the client tackle their drug problem on release. This will include arranging ongoing support such as day programmes, counselling or self help groups. We can also make arrangements with local drug teams for prescribing of Naltrexone , help with benefit claims or finding a job, education or training and also aid in finding somewhere safe to live.
After release, the Prison Link Worker will continue to meet the client to make sure that all the services set up are helpful and useful. We will only end contact when the client feels he or she is settled into other support services. If you have a drug or alcohol problem that you would like to tackle and are reading this while in prison or have a family member with a drug or alcohol problem in prison and would like some advice and information then click here to find a service near to you.