Avoiding Relapse

Smarmore Castle Drug & Alcohol Rehab

Smarmore Offers Unrivalled Facilities and Medically Managed Detox From Drugs and Alcohol.

Treatment includes a three-pronged approach to avoid relapse.We target any underlying factors that have contributed to a patient’s addiction.

Individual therapy – we target any underlying factors that have contributed to a patient’s addiction, making sure that relevant issues from their past and present are addressed in therapy.

Group therapy – specific relapse prevention groups maximise insight into addiction and identify triggers that could cause patients to relapse.

Personalised aftercare plans – include pathways after treatment to sustain recovery.

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Learn more about who we are and why we are the leading private addiction rehab clinic in Ireland.

How to Help Prevent Relapse

Drinking, drug use and other addictive behaviours can be reignited by many factors and it is important to prepare patients for life after residential rehab so they can deal with challenges when they arise. Through the 12 Step programme our expert team of doctors, therapists and nurses equip patients with the skills to:

  • Accept alcohol and drug addiction as a disease – addiction is a chronic illness and you cannot control the amount of drink or drugs you use.
  • Be vigilant for signs of cravings – learn coping skills.
  • Rebuild self-esteem – learn to feel good without using alcohol or drugs.
  • Overcome negativity – deal with guilt, shame, anger, anxiety and depression through therapy.
  • Be honest and open –  hiding feelings and making excuses to justify drinking or taking drugs prevents recovery.
  • Eliminate denial – denial is an elaborate mental system that focuses on the immediate positive effects of drink or drug use and ignores the long-term negative effects of addiction.
  • Avoid isolation – through attending AA/NA meetings.
  • Avoid risky situations – be aware of places, people and situations that increase the temptation to drink or take drugs.
  • Learn about cross-addiction – an initial trigger to relapse is often the use of a ‘safe’, prescribed drug that can reactivate the addiction cycle, e.g. prescribed tranquillisers or sleeping tablets.
  • Get through long-term withdrawal – for some patients, withdrawal from certain drugs (e.g. benzodiazepines) can be a long process, sometimes as long as a year for the brain to return to normal physiological functioning.

Breaking The Cycle

Achieving and maintaining recovery requires continuous effort, during and after treatment. Heavy drinking and drug use changes the functioning of the brain. Addicts’ brains become re-programmed and using drink or drugs becomes compulsive and involuntary. This leads to deeply ingrained negative patterns of behaviour and attitudes that can lead to relapse after treatment. We at Smarmore Castle seek to change these patterns and break the cycle.

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Start Your Recovery Journey with Smarmore Castle
  • How to Access Rehab With Health Insurance

    For those experiencing existing mental health conditions in Ireland, there are private medical insurers who can help you cover treatment. As addiction experts, we know that receiving the appropriate care and support when you have a mental health disorder is pivotal to attaining long-lasting recovery. Below, we will go through the various health insurance options to help you understand your options when it comes to seeking private residential care for substance abuse. Please note that there is no guarantee that you can be covered for all addiction problems as policies are always assessed on a case-by-case basis. Find Out More

  • My Loved One Doesn’t Want Help, What Do I Do?

    You can’t force someone to go to rehab. At the end of the day, it needs to be their decision because they are the ones that need to be open to turning their lives around. There are ways in which you can encourage someone to enter treatment, one of these ways is via an intervention with a trained interventionist, who facilitates an honest discussion between family members and the addict. This is something Smarmore Castle can arrange – contact us today.

  • Which Drugs Does Smarmore Castle Detox From?

    We can detox people from any drugs whether they are illegal drugs such as cocaine, heroin, ketamine; or prescription drugs such as benzodiazepines or zopiclone, oxycodone, zolpidem, klonopin, methadone, cannabis; and legal drugs such as alcohol.

  • How Long Is the Treatment Programme?

    Our treatment programme starts at 4 weeks and is flexible in length, giving you the opportunity to extend for a longer period if you need it.

  • Do You Treat Dual Diagnosis?

    All patients are reviewed by a consultant psychiatrist in the first week and we can diagnose and provide treatment for a number of co-occurring mental health conditions.

  • Do I Need to Be Abstinent Before Admission?

    Our medically managed detoxification with 24/7 medical cover means that we can perform complete and complex detoxes at Smarmore Castle. You don’t need to be abstinent before arrival.

  • How Do I Get To Rehab Safely?

    Smarmore Castle is one hour north of Dublin international airport and we can arrange a driver to collect you and bring you straight to us for free.

    We can also arrange a ‘sober transport’ service with a trusted driver, from anywhere in Ireland or Northern Ireland, at an additional cost.

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