Alcohol treatment centres?

wwotw

Hi guys, someone very close to me has a serious drinking problem and we are now looking into the strong possibility that they will have to go to a treatment centre. I know these treatment centres do great work but I obviously want to chose the right place for this person. Does anyone have any experience with any of the centres in Ireland, if so I would really and truly appreciate some feedback. Thanks.

I do have one centre in mind but id prefer to not mention the name here, if you would be willing to discuss please pm me.

Shauna_N

The brother of a friend of mine recently had treatment in St Patrick's hospital. He was in there for 4 weeks, after ending up in hospital and almost dying. He has been home a few weeks now and is still sober.

But unless the person who needs the help is seeking it for him/herself, then no treatment centre will work. Sometimes they have to hit rock bottom before accepting that they need help.

Usually your Doctor will recommend a place, and I'm sure with the right frame of mind, they will all be a success.

JCDUB

I know somebody in a very similar situation, but he won't admit or accept that he has a problem.
What can you do with somebody who will not admit it but seriously needs help and quickly?
If he doesn't get help soon he will end up in prison, dead or seriously injured.

The root cause of his drinking are psychological issues spanning back 20 years, so he needs psychologial help along with or possibly even before help for his alcoholism.

He won't accept this either, so what can be done?Can he be signed in somewhere by his family?
If so, will it do any good if he doesn't accept the fact that he needs help?

Hi its Me

Bruree House in Bruree, Co Limerick, is an excellent facility, they will also give you information.
Take Care, Good Luck

af_thefragile

I don't really know any such centres but just to throw in some food for thought:

An alcoholic will not give up drinking until he truly believes he's not an alcoholic (he's not bound to the alcohol) and he has full control over his actions and can give up alcohol whenever he likes.

I don't believe alcoholism is a disease. Its what most AAs say, but i don't think it is. You always have the control in your body to give up alcohol whenever you're ready for it. The only problem is most people can't get themselves ready to give up alcohol cuz of many underlying psychological issues where they still link alcohol to a major part of their life and link pleasure to drinking and pain to the process of giving up.

Till the person finds the process of giving up drinking painful, tedious and difficult, he's not gonna give up drinking. He'll only give up drinking when he has managed to disassociate drinking from any sort of pleasurable sensations and has managed to link pleasure to the process of growing out of his drinking habits.


ANyway, i don't know how helpful my post is, but its just some food for thought if you'ld like to give this person some advise on giving up...

hungryhippo

The Stanhope Centre have a range of programmes from alcohol awareness course to a residential programme. You can set up a meeting/arrange an appointment with one of the counsellors there and talk about what would be best for your relative. You don't need to bring this person along in the first instance, they will advise you on the best course of action.

Slaygal

The Rutland Centre on Pearse Street in Dublin is supposed to be very good for treatment of Alcoholism. Unfortunately I can't remember the name of it but a college friend of mine went for treatment in a centre in Galway, they had tried and failed to stay sober but after a couple of months in this centre they are still sober and living life to the full.

mazcon

Hope House in Foxford Co Mayo is very good. They give great support to the families as well and their aftercare programme is excellent.

Slaygal I think the place in Galway may be Cuan Mhuire ?

af- the fragile..... I can't make sense of what you are trying to say at all. You are of course entitled to your opinion regarding the acceptance of alcoholism as a disease, but the medical profession has long been of the opinion that it is. My own experience of supporting someone through recovery has been that until that person totally accepted that they were powerless over the hold alcohol had on them they couldn't recover. Once they accepted it , they made great strides and got sober.

wwotw

Hi,

I appreciate all the responses and the recommendations, so thanks everyone. I think like most things in life it is unfair and inaccurate to generalise, or to put things in nice neat compartments to make it easier for us to understand. I agree that everyone is entitled to their opinion and I completely respect that, Alcoholism is however such a complex issue, no two cases are the same and no two solutions are the same. Whether it is a disease or not, the resulting impact upon the person and the family is devastating. I have had it thrown in my face by the alcoholic that it is a disease, and that their father had it so it wasn't really their fault. Now that is where I can see calling it a disease leading to serious problems.

Ill leave it there, I'm in the midst of dealing with this as I write so there is a conflict of emotions battling away inside my head, for fear of ranting on, ill end post and just say again thanks to all who replied.

Queen-Mise

Aiseiri (cahir & wexford), rutland centre (dublin), bushy park (limerick ish), Tabor lodge (cork), Aislinn (Ballyraggert, if they are under 21) are all excellent treatment centres.

they have something like a 60% success rate, and 90% for people who complete (1 or 2 years aftercare, not sure).

the smaller the treatment centre the better for the person really.

mazcon

OP even if the alcoholic refuses to get help there is help out there for you.
I would recommend alanon as a support for you. It is a sister group of AA and is for family and friends of alcoholics. Often, when the family start to get help for themselves, the way they relate to the alcoholic changes and it is this change which prompts the alcoholic to seek help. Certainly that was my experience. I was in alanon about 18 months when the alcoholic in my life started in recovery. Pm me if you need any info. Take care of yourself.....it may be a long time before the alcoholic looks for help but you can get well in the meantime. There is great support there for you from people who understand exactly what it is like to live with this. You deserve this help, noone should put their own life on hold in the hopes that some one else will change, the change can start with you.

LegacyUser

queen-mise wrote: »

Aiseiri (cahir & wexford), rutland centre (dublin), bushy park (limerick ish), Tabor lodge (cork), Aislinn (Ballyraggert, if they are under 21) are all excellent treatment centres.

they have something like a 60% success rate, and 90% for people who complete (1 or 2 years aftercare, not sure).

the smaller the treatment centre the better for the person really.

Aiseiri is the best in my opinion but thats because my dad went there, he had a very serious problem for years ever since I could remember as a child. He went there when I was 13 and spent a month there. They go through individual counseling and family counseling (which is really good for everybody involved because it gives you a chance to say how their drinking has affected you). They do have the after care as well and it lasts for bout two years. My dad is now sober 10 years and is still quiet involved with Aiseiri as they hold many functions for those who have previously stayed there.

Hope this helps best of luck.

LegacyUser

Im going there tomorrow and Im terrified.

mazcon

Unregistered wrote: »

Im going there tomorrow and Im terrified.

I'm sure you are terrified. It takes enormous courage to look for help. The people there are fantastic, you will come home in a month a new person. The best of luck, you have a long road ahead but it will be worth it in the end. One piece of advice (if you don't mind) keep going to the aftercare programme. The support during the early days is essential. I really hope it all goes well for you.

LegacyUser

Just a quick message to say my mother went to 3 of the treatment centres already mentioned. She is still drinking after countless efforts to help her. Some people just cant be helped. It's a horrible situation for anyone to be in. I wish I could get her into a clinic of some sort on a permenent basis as she is killing herself. I really believe the likes of Aiseiri can change some people's lives, just not those determined to drink themselves to brain damage/stroke like my mother.

wwotw

I do hope you get this, but maybe you have gone already. Please let go of your fears, worry not about tomorrow and think not of the past, do this for you NOW, from the very minute you go through the doors of Aesiri be positive about this huge step you are taking to a better life. My mum was in Aesiri, and I spent alot of time there with family groups, one on one meetings and it is a very special place. You will be fine, you really will, believe in yourself and reclaim your life back. My one piece of advice from what I experienced with my mum, is really embrace what you are going to go though. I wont lie, it is going to be difficult at times, but trust me there is a very bright light at the end of the tunnel. You just need to turn and face all that guilt and shame that you have been feeling, turn around and give it all a good kick up the ass, the counsellors will help. Then turn around again and face your future without all that guilt and shame and without that monkey scratchin at your back. Your life awaits you, and what a gift that is, you can do this.

LegacyUser

im going there 2moro for assessment and im terrified , thank god im not d only 1 that feels this way

wwotw

I posted this original thread ages ago, reaching out looking for help as the daughter of an alcoholic mother. Many months later, and after being thru the Aesiri programme, Im back in that helpless state as I just found out that my mum is drinking again. Just as I was sitting here a notice came in my email of your reply to the post. All I can say at this point, is firstly you have to want to do this for yourself, but also if you have family please please please think of them as you start out on the road to recovery. I know this may not mean much to you, as you will im sure relate to someone who has been through the program better, and I cant begin to understand what it is like to face treatment. But I do know what it is like living with an alcoholic mother, and I would give anything for her to stop drinking so I can feel the love of a mother again. I wish you future health and happiness.

Karen_*

Unregistered wrote: »

im going there 2moro for assessment and im terrified , thank god im not d only 1 that feels this way

Everyones terrified going into these places but you'll get through it and you'll have a wonderful life if you give it your best shot. You don't have to go through the hell you've been through ever again. Best of luck tomorrow and remember the darkest hour is just before the dawn.

LegacyUser

hope this helps...

Drug Rehab

boobar

Queen-Mise wrote: »

Aiseiri (cahir & wexford), rutland centre (dublin), bushy park (limerick ish), Tabor lodge (cork), Aislinn (Ballyraggert, if they are under 21) are all excellent treatment centres.

they have something like a 60% success rate, and 90% for people who complete (1 or 2 years aftercare, not sure).

the smaller the treatment centre the better for the person really.

I second Aiseiri, a close relative went there for treatment for gambling and alcohol addiction and it helped a lot.

LegacyUser

Hi,

You could check out "the Forest" in Wicklow, expensive but good apparently, as well as the Rutland and all the others that have been mentioned, dont know if its appropriate or not but you could also go down the route of control drinking, if your loved one wished to give this a try, there are a number of addiction counsellors who will work with people who wish to try and get some control over their alcohol use, a good website is www.moderation.org, it is good for some advice and explains the rationale of control drinking pretty well, I am not saying that this is the way to go but it may be a viable option, I think it was einstein who said the defination of insanity is "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" it may be an option, good luck and look after yourself

Smallbit

OP - I work in addiction rehab, but I would still recommend speaking to the family GP for advice. Ok, displaimer out of the way in my opinion treating alcoholism is a complex area and the right choice for a person depends on many factors.

For example if there is an underlying issue with depression, this is important in determining the treatment and only St Patricks hospital offer dual-diagnosis treatment. They really are the gold standard and it's where many of the most successful practioners are trained.

The Rutland is also a good place to go. In my own experience, the private institutions are less successful.

You should also take into account the person's intellect. Though it's not PC to say this, it is however an accepted fact among rehab workers that intelligent people are far more likely to be successfully treated.

The AA have a fine track record, however many people cannot deal successfully with their addiction by invoking a 'higher power' or treating it as a disease.

So I suppose my point is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.