Service users, families and carers

Treatment services and other local health services, such as GPs and pharmacies, will provide advice and information to help reduce the risks of your drug use.  This could include: information about the effects of drugs and alcohol; support to help stop using drugs and alcohol, and to stay clean; information about reducing harm; and how to get help with other problems linked to your drug use, such as health and housing. 

Back to top

You can get specific help to reduce the risks of drug use; this is called harm reduction.  Most harm reduction is about preventing infections from needle sharing (particularly hepatitis A, B, C and HIV), avoiding overdose and preventing other medical problems. (More information) 

Back to top

The most common treatment for people who use heroin (or similar drugs) is substitute prescribing. This usually involves a doctor prescribing a substitute drug – usually methadone or buprenorphine (Subutex®) – to take instead.

Some drug users agree to be prescribed less and less medication over time to get them off drugs – this is called community detoxification. Others may be kept on a steady dose for longer – this is known as maintenance. You and your doctor will work out how much substitute medication you need.

Your treatment should be more than prescribing alone – you should be getting other services to help you, which should all be in your care plan.

Talking therapy is much more than just a friendly chat. It should be carried out by a trained and competent professional, who will help you face your problems, suggest ways to resolve them and give you clear goals. 

Back to top

Structured day programmes usually run a series of activities.  You will attend the service at fixed times (usually 3-5 days a week).   
These programmes often include group work, talking therapy, education and life skills, and creative activities. 

Back to top

People often go into residential treatment because they want to get drug-free and stay clean.  There are two main types of residential treatment – inpatient treatment and residential rehabilitation. 

Rehab Online is a directory of residential rehabilitation services for adult drug and/or alcohol misusers in England and Wales. It will give you information about these services, whether you are a member of the public, a professional or a service user.

The aim of aftercare is to support you when you leave treatment.  Aftercare should help you to hold on to the successes you have made in your treatment and help you to get back to a more normal life. 

Back to top

There are many different types of self help or mutual aid groups, with varying approaches and set ups for different groups of people. The most widespread are the ’12-step’ fellowships (Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous, Families Anonymous, Marijuana Anonymous etc), but there are also SMART Recovery Groups, Intuitive Recovery and Secular Organisations for Sobriety, to name but a few. These supportive networks span the country, at times and in places where a large number of people can access support. 

More information