Therapies for addiction at Smarmore Castle, Ireland

Detox is the first part of addiction treatment, but it only addresses the physical aspect. Addiction is an illness with physical, mental, emotional, and social aspects, and all need attention for recovery to hold.

Around 1 in 4 people with a serious mental health condition also live with a substance use disorder. This includes both alcohol and drug dependencies.

Two conditions existing together is called comorbidity. It can make both conditions harder to treat because of how they interact and fuel each other. For example:

• Anxiety or depression could drive substance use
• Substance use can then make anxiety and depression worse.
• Anxiety and depression can then worsen, driving increased substance use. 

Treating only one means the other continues to create the distress that makes drugs or alcohol seem necessary.

Therapy addresses what is underneath the addiction so there’s no longer a reliance on substances to cope.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a highly researched approach in addiction therapy methods. It works by identifying the thought patterns that lead to addictive behaviour and changing the response to them. CBT has been shown by research to work both on its own and as part of a broader programme.

Trauma-informed therapy is used when addiction is rooted in unresolved trauma. For many people in treatment, substance use began as a way of managing pain that had no other outlet. Therapy that addresses the trauma directly can make recovery sustainable by helping you resolve or manage the distress differently.

Group therapy sessions take place every day and are at the heart of everything we do. Hearing others describe what you’ve been through often accelerates emotional work that individual therapy takes much longer to reach. They also help patients bond and create a sense of community.

Alongside these clinical approaches, Smarmore Castle offers complementary therapies for people who open up more easily when they’re doing something rather than talking.

For example, art therapy lets you express what you’re experiencing through something creative, rather than needing words to explain. Mindfulness teaches you to stay present with difficult feelings without acting on them.

On arrival, you’ll go through a comprehensive assessment covering your medical history, mental health, trauma history, family background, and personal circumstances.

The assessment is reviewed by a multidisciplinary team, including psychiatrists, therapists, and nursing staff. Different addiction therapy approaches are then chosen based on what the assessment finds.

For instance, if addiction is rooted in unresolved loss, grief therapy will be a key part of their plan. This is decided on a person-by-person basis.

In European treatment settings, it’s estimated that between 42-90% of people with a substance use disorder have or have had a co-occurring mental health condition. Among people with serious mental illness attending mental health services, it was estimated that 30-50% also have a substance use disorder.

These numbers mean that treating addiction without addressing mental health is rarely enough. The two conditions affect each other, so when only one is treated, the other tends to undermine recovery.

At Smarmore Castle, the initial evaluation identifies co-occurring mental health conditions on day one. This allows us to plan therapy effectively and treat all conditions at once.