Psychoactive ‘legal high’ addiction treatment

Formerly known as ‘legal highs’, new psychoactive and illicit substances are synthetic substances which, when consumed, result in a wide variety of psychoactive effects. These substances are made up of a range of different chemicals, which haven’t undergone testing to determine the short and long-term effects that they can have on the human body. Illicit substances are substances that are easy to get hold of and result in psychoactive effects when they are misused e.g. sniffing solvents and glue.

New psychoactive substances are often incorrectly referred to as ‘legal highs’ because it was previously legal to possess them. However, it is now illegal to supply, produce or import these drugs for human consumption, since the introduction of the Psychoactive Substances Act in 2016. Also commonly referred to as ‘designer drugs’, new psychoactive and illicit substances are usually designed to mimic the effects of illegal drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy/MDMA. Like these illegal drugs, they can also result in addiction, serious harm and death.

The dangers of "legal highs"

No matter what type of so-called ‘legal high’ is being consumed, repeatedly misusing these substances can result in the development of a dangerous addiction and a whole host of negative physical and psychological consequences. New psychoactive and illicit substances are particularly dangerous for two key reasons:

1. Many people may still believe that these substances are legal, which can often mean that they mistakenly believe that taking these substances won’t result in any real harm or detrimental effects. This can therefore encourage people to take the drugs in higher doses and on a more frequent basis
2. These drugs are relatively ‘new’ which means that there isn’t yet a thorough understanding of the chemicals that make up these substances. This can therefore mean that emergency medical professionals are unable to deliver effective treatment in the event of an overdose as they can’t be sure what type of chemicals have been consumed

In addition, each batch of a ‘legal high’ can also vary because the strength and ingredients can change without warning. This means that even though people might think they know what they’re taking (because they’ve taken it before), in reality, the same type of drug can actually contain a whole host of unknown chemicals and products.

At Life Works in Woking, we are able to offer comprehensive, specialist treatment for your 'legal high' addiction. Without professional and timely intervention, addiction to these substances can become gradually worse, affecting your health and wellbeing, causing untold problems with your relationships and performance at work, and essentially, taking over your life. Additionally, untreated addiction to ‘legal highs’ can even lead to you developing additional substance addictions such as alcohol addiction and other drug addictions, and compulsive behaviours such as gambling, which can cause a whole host of additional problems.

Legal high addiction rehab at Life Works in Surrey

Despite the hugely detrimental impact that these substances can have on all areas of your life, the good news is that so-called ‘legal high’ addiction is treatable. The most important step towards rehab, recovery and wellbeing is to seek help. Our highly trained addiction experts at Life Works are committed to delivering bespoke addiction treatment within our beautiful and relaxing environment.

As an initial step, you can benefit from our free addiction assessment. This provides you with the chance to explore your new psychoactive and illicit substance addiction with a member of our team, ask any questions that you might have on the rehab process, and begin to understand the journey that you will be taking towards the healthy, fulfilling and drug-free life that you deserve.

We are also able to offer an intensive medically assisted detoxification programme for your addiction. Detox is the process by which all traces of the so-called ‘legal high’ are removed from your system in a carefully controlled environment. This involves:

Legal high detox process

• Round the clock clinical support from experienced medical professionals who will ensure that your safety is a top priority
• A substance-free environment to prevent the possibility of relapse
• Controlled medication can be prescribed if required, to help to alleviate any discomfort that you may experience as part of the withdrawal process

We are able to deliver a broad range of therapeutic approaches to treat your new psychoactive and illicit substance (‘legal high’) addiction at Life Works. Through intensive therapy, you will be empowered to address the underlying triggers and causes for your drug-use, improve your sense of self-worth, and take steps towards a better quality of life. Essentially, the goal of all therapy at Life Works is to help each of our clients understand what drives them to use 'legal highs'. Once you understand why you use, you can then develop strategies and coping mechanisms to help you to end your addiction and eliminate the need for drug use.

This page was reviewed by Robin Clayton, Primary Therapist, (BACP, ATSAC) in September 2021.