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Who can come to the Centre?
Anyone concerned about their own or someone else's alcohol or drug
use. A doctor's referral is not necessary.
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Do I need
an appointment or can I just call in?
You can call in to the Centre although it is more convenient if
you arrange an appointment first. Telephone us during office hours,
Monday to Friday at (028) 71313232.
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Who will
I talk to?
On coming to the Centre you will be seen by one of our counsellors
who are all trained and experienced in working with addiction. It
is usually best to maintain contact with the same person for your
on-going counselling.
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If I come
for an appointment will they keep me for six weeks?
The first appointment is only for an assessment. The point of the
assessment is to determine the extent of the problem and set about
taking the necessary steps to implement change. It is only when
the person is found to be very broken and defeated by their drinking
that they will be offered the safety and support of the residential
programme.
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Who will
decide if I come in for treatment?
Following the initial assessment the counsellor will make a recommendation
at the weekly staff meeting where the final decision will be made.
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Can I be
"dried out" at the Centre?
No, the Centre does not have a Detox unit. Where a "drying
out" period is required you will be referred to your own GP.
It will be the GP's decision whether to supervise detoxification
at home or to admit you to hospital for a short period.
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What is treatment
about?
Dependency is very complex and the object of all the learning undertaken
is to help the person face the reality of his/her situation. Each
day there are 2 Information Sessions followed by 2 Groups. They
are the core of the day's work. The aim is to have the group members
identify with the information on addiction and to reach the stage
of acceptance and surrender concerning their own dependency. This
requires a high level of honesty and openness between group members.
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Is there
aftercare?
Aftercare is the second phase of treatment. The impetus of Residential
Treatment can fade. When drinking/drug taking is removed there will
be big gaps which will need to be filled. The person leaving Treatment
is still fragile in this and the possibility of still drinking/drug
taking is still there. In treatment people are introduced to AA
which is one accessible and effective way for people with a drinking
problem to remain sober. (We can also put you in contact with Narcotics
Anonymous). We also encourage the person and families to return
to the Centre for counselling on a regular basis.
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My husband/wife/partner
doesn't think he/she has a problem. What can I do?
Help can be given and can be effective. Often the biggest stumbling
block is realising that the person who is drinking is going to get
worse unless something is done to help. You may have to face the
possibility that this person may be addicted and take the opportunity
to talk things over with someone who understands addiction and who
can give you advice on how to help the person realise they have
a problem.
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What happens
when someone comes to Northlands Centre?
Anyone who comes to us, whether out of awareness of their own problem
(with alcohol, prescribed/illegal drugs or substance misuse) or
on the advice of family, friends or employer etc. will be offered
an initial interview with a counsellor. The counsellor will assess
how serious the problems are and, along with the individual, decide
on what would be the most appropriate type of help.
The sooner people get in touch with us the better.
Whether simply through counselling or through intensive residential
care, we can offer knowledge and experience that can benefit anyone
with a drink/drug problem.
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