Welcome to UK Addiction Help

- a discrete, independent, medically

led information and treatment source.

What do we do?

We aim to provide medical information about addictive behaviour

including drug, alcohol, gambling, stimulant, internet food and many others. Treatment services are also available for certain clients. These are based in Edinburgh, Scotland. ( See treatment page).

Please note that we always recommend that you talk to your own doctor if you have concerns.

The views expressed on this site are those of the author.

If you are concerned that you or a loved one could be developing an addiction we can help! We hope to give you the information needed to know what to do next.

ASSESSMENT

Addiction is complex - it can be difficult to know if you even have a problem - "see do I need help". Even if you know you have a problem it is difficult to know what kind of help would be best for you. There is a maze of services - NHS, social services, voluntary, private. Your family doctor can help you find the right help. Remember that private doctors in the UK should only see patients that are referred to them by their G.P. (Family doctor).

If you need specific information or questions answered please contact us we will do our best to reply. Please note that we only reply by email and that your questions help us to shape this site!

Alternatively you can look through the pages on the site that deal with your area of addiction.

Remember the earlier on you recognise that there is a problem the easier it is to change and limit harm.

TREATMENT

Drug addiction is considered byy most doctors to be a chronic relapsing brain disease, but it is not just a brain disease. It is a brain disease that is expressed in behavioural ways and which occurs in a social context. Medical treatments are required along side talking therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, social skills training, family therapy, psychodynamic therapy (eg gestalt, narrative etc). We believe that as the brain is a core part of the problem, then treating the brain must be a core part of the solution.

OPIATE ADDICTION: such as heroin, tramadol, palfium, co-codamol, whether due to initial recreational use or through pain management

Treatment of this type of addiction requires a comprehensive assessment. Due to the way that addiction to opiates usually destroys core stability we recommend that for most people a period on substitute prescribing is essential before attempting detoxification. Currently in the UK two main treatments are used to provide this stability - methadone and buprenorphine. Both of these should be available through your local addiction service. Other opiates can be used to provide stability, but are not licensed for use in this way. We believe that there are many ways to detoxify from opiates and advise you to seek the detox programme according to your needs. After detoxification from opiates it is essential to consider relapse prevention using oral naltrexone or the nalrexone implants.

The death rate following relapse after detoxification is very high and should not be ignored. It is essential that a post detox plan is in place before attempting to detoxify.

ALCOHOL ADDICTION

This is the most common addiction in the UK and the cause of most death! There are treatments which can help including disulfiram (ANTABUSE), naltrexone and accamprosate (Campral).
Because dringking is much more socially acceptable it can be easy to fool yourself into denying that you have a problem. There are many good websites on alcohol abuse. We provide assessment and treatment for alcohol problems. See treatment pages.

SEDATIVE ADDICTION; Benzodiazepines: such as temazepam, valium, mogadon, ativan etc

Addiction to these substances is extremely common. The long term dangers of benzodiazepine use are only now being recognised. Many people can "wean" themselves off these drugs with little problem, however for others it can be very difficult. Often medical support is needed to help detoxify for these people.