Written by:

Medically Reviewed by:

Dr Mateen Durrani – MBBS, DPM, MSc, BCPsych

Last Updated:

March 12th, 2025

Alcohol rehab

Alcohol is one of the most difficult drugs to overcome. It can feel like everywhere around us, we are constantly being inundated with messages encouraging us to drink. This can make the prospect of alcohol rehab seem like an impossible task.

However, it is important to know that you are not alone and that there is real help available. The best way to achieve sobriety is at a professional alcohol rehab centre where you will receive the support you need during difficult moments and acquire the necessary tools to live a happy and healthy life free of alcohol.

On this page, we will explain everything you need to know about alcohol rehab so that you can take the first and most important step towards recovery.

Why is alcohol rehab important?

It is important to understand that alcohol rehab is not a guaranteed cure but it will provide you with the chance to address the underlying causes of your addiction and take steps to overcome it. Rehab for alcoholics offers a safe environment where you will meet others who are going through a similar experience.

As our client Richard explains, this supportive community is incredibly important:

“You are understood and accepted straight away by both the staff and the other residents. This is a revelation because you’ve spent so long before thinking nobody understands you.”

It is crucial to note that alcohol rehab can only help when you are ready to make a change and stop drinking. If you are fully committed, it is an opportunity to tackle your situation head-on and come out the other side having laid the foundations of a new life.

Different options available for alcohol rehab

All forms of alcohol rehab will fall into one of two categories: inpatient treatment or outpatient treatment. The main difference between the two is that inpatient treatment requires you to stay at a residential treatment centre for the duration of your treatment process, whereas outpatient treatment only requires visits to the clinic for appointments. Some people prefer this option, as it allows them to be in their own home and not take time away from work or other responsibilities. However, it is difficult to focus on a recovery plan when you are still exposed to alcohol and may have people around you encouraging you to drink.

At UKAT, we provide all of our clients with comprehensive inpatient treatment programmes. We believe this is the best way to provide the immersive recovery environment that is so important for effective alcohol treatment.

Our inpatient alcohol recovery programmes will provide stability and constant care throughout your time in alcohol rehab, from coping with withdrawal symptoms during alcohol detox to providing aftercare to support you post-treatment. Being away from your normal routine also gives you time to reflect on your options and focus all your attention on your recovery. Many of our therapists have actually been through alcohol rehab themselves so they can understand exactly what you are going through and the help you need.

All addictions thrive when they are able to isolate a person and cut them off from their loved ones. To ensure that you are never left to deal with your situation alone, our recovery approach is centred around support and connection. Living in an inclusive environment with others on the same journey creates a trusting family unit that cannot be achieved through outpatient treatment.

What does the UKAT programme involve?

There are three distinct stages to alcohol recovery:

Detox
Treatment
Ongoing support

Alcohol detox involves stopping drinking altogether and giving your body the chance to heal from the physical damage caused by alcohol.

The treatment stage is designed to help you understand the reasons behind your addiction and to give you the tools required to live an alcohol-free life going forward. The therapies used will depend very much on your circumstances and needs, but will usually include group therapy as well as individual addiction counselling. You may also be able to access yoga, guided meditation, art and music therapy, all of which can help to provide a focus away from alcohol. UKAT alcohol rehabs provide all of these, alongside workshops, family support and treatments such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help change your relationship with alcohol and build a new life 100% free of drinking.

Aftercare and ongoing support are just as important as the other two stages in alcohol recovery. For patients who have been in a residential treatment programme, returning to everyday life where they will be exposed to alcohol again can be a scary prospect. Ongoing support is needed to help prevent relapses and give confidence to patients trying to rebuild their lives after alcohol rehab.

Our aftercare programmes involve group therapy sessions for up to a year, which can be vital in helping you to get through difficult moments when you may experience alcohol cravings. We also have our unique Alumni Network , where we organise regular social events, message groups and phone calls to extend the supportive community beyond the walls of our alcohol rehab centres.

What to expect in alcohol rehab

A day in an alcohol rehab centre is highly structured to help you get the most out of your time in treatment and to build relationships with the staff and other residents. Our client Ellen explains a typical day during her stay:

“The entire day was all planned out for us. We’d wake up at seventy-thirty-ish, then go down for breakfast and then do a guided meditation. After a coffee break, we would then do our morning activities which might be Pilates, drama therapy or one-to-one therapy. After that, we would have lunch and then start our afternoon activities which might be group therapy or twelve-step activities. Then we would all have dinner together before gathering in the living room to watch a film, read a book or play board games.”

Who benefits from alcohol rehab?

Alcohol rehab can work for anyone who is committed to stopping drinking, but recognising you need help is often more complicated than it sounds. Addiction is an incredibly cunning and manipulative condition and it can convince you and others around you that you are fine and that your compulsive drinking is not a problem. If you are worried that you or someone you know may require alcohol treatment, here are some quick questions to ask yourself:

Do you have a need to drink more alcohol than before to get the same results?
Are you neglecting your responsibilities at home or at work because of your alcohol use?
Do you feel like you need to drink alcohol to function or to steady your nerves?
Do you arrange your social life around alcohol and/or become nervous about alcohol-free social situations?
Have you lied to your loved ones about your alcohol use or hidden evidence of your drinking?
Have you tried to quit drinking but found that you can’t?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, it is worth speaking to an alcohol recovery expert to find out if you need help. Contact our admissions team to discuss whether you could benefit from alcohol rehab.

Relapse and prevention

Relapse is an ever-present danger for anyone who is going through alcohol recovery, with as many as 90% of people relapsing at some point after leaving an alcohol rehab clinic. Some of the most common reasons for people drinking again include boredom, anxiety and loneliness, so it is important to identify your triggers and put measures in place to avoid them:

Lean on your support networks, such as your family and friends or UKAT’s Alumni Network, after you leave alcohol rehab.
Find healthy ways to occupy your time by taking up a new hobby or joining a club that can help to take your mind off alcohol and give you something else to focus on.
Stay away from old drinking buddies and social situations that could trigger a relapse.
If you do relapse and have one drink, don’t beat yourself up about it. One slip-up does not mean that you have failed, it just means that you need to get back on track and continue with your recovery journey.

Advice for loved ones

Addiction does not just affect the individual but the people closest to them too, and if you have a loved one who is going through alcohol rehab, it can be a difficult time. The important thing is that you offer them your support and understanding so that they know they are not alone and can focus on their recovery. Here are some things that you can do to help:

Visit them in alcohol rehab if they are open to it and offer your support.
Encourage them to participate in therapy and other treatment programmes.
Talk to them about their plans for after they leave alcohol rehab and how you can help them to stay alcohol-free.
Attend family support and conjoints (special sessions organised by UKAT for clients and families to connect and discuss their feelings)
Be there for them when they leave alcohol rehab and offer them a safe and supportive home environment.
Encourage them to attend aftercare appointments and stay in touch with their therapist or counsellor.

What to do next

Excessive alcohol consumption puts an enormous strain on your body, mental health and the people around you. Rehab for alcohol will help to unburden you of all that strain and enable you to begin taking control of your life again.

Get in touch with us to find out more about UKAT’s treatment programmes and to find the best alcohol rehabilitation centre for your recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does alcohol rehab cost?

The cost of rehab varies depending on the alcohol rehab centre you choose and the length of your stay. However, some private insurance policies cover some or all of the costs of rehab so you should check with your provider to see what assistance they can provide.

When should you go to alcohol rehab?

You should go to alcohol rehab if you are unable to stop drinking or you compulsively drink even though it is causing negative consequences to your health, work, school life or relationships. If you are worried about yourself or a loved one, you should get in touch with an alcohol rehab centre as soon as possible.

How quickly can rehab help you recover from alcohol?

When you stop drinking, the physical cravings for alcohol will subside within a couple of weeks, but you may still experience mental cravings for months or years after you finish treatment. Alcohol rehab will provide you with the tools you need to deal with these cravings so that you don’t need to use alcohol as a coping mechanism.

Is a private rehab the same as a luxury rehab?

Private rehab refers to any rehab that is privately funded. In other words, clients pay for their recovery treatments. The cost of private rehab varies depending on the location, centre and course of treatment. Typically luxury rehab refers to a more high-end type of private rehab and usually costs a little more as it invests in additional amenities for the client’s satisfaction.