For people across Scotland, addiction treatment options may include NHS support, community services, private detox, outpatient treatment and residential rehab. Recovery Scotland can help you compare routes before speaking with providers.
Enter your phone number and a member of our team will call you back to discuss your recovery.
Picking up the phone is often the hardest part, so here’s what to expect once you do.
We’ll ask a bit about your situation, at whatever pace feels comfortable. There’s no script and nothing you need to prepare in advance. From there, we’ll talk through the options that seem relevant, answer any questions, and, if you’d like, help you take the next step with a suitable provider. Nothing moves faster than you want it to.
Scotland-wide rehab decisions often involve balancing clinical need, travel, privacy, cost, waiting times and aftercare. This page explains how to compare detox, residential rehab, outpatient support and ongoing recovery planning.
Once you have an idea of your choices, the next thing you need to do is find a rehab centre. A good rehab provider should be happy to answer any question you ask, and answer it fully.
Start by getting the basic information, which may include questions such as:
Don’t be afraid to ask for more details on how they guarantee confidentiality will be respected, what happens if withdrawal symptoms start to get worse than expected, and what support is available when you leave the rehab centre – not just while you’re there.
At Recovery Scotland, we only work with reputable rehab centres that are trusted and regulated. We’d be more than happy to help you get all of this sorted out before you even make any calls.
Outpatient or community support may suit people with lower withdrawal risk, a stable home and enough support around them.
Residential rehab may be considered where withdrawal risk is higher, home life isn’t appropriate for early recovery and repeated relapse has occurred, or a more structured environment would be helpful. Useful starting points include private drug and alcohol rehab, detoxification, drug rehab and alcohol rehab information.
Stopping drinking after a period of heavy or regular use isn’t always straightforward, and for some people, it can be genuinely risky to do without support.
Alcohol is one of the substances where withdrawal can cause serious symptoms, alongside benzodiazepines, opioids and certain prescription medications. This is why detox should always be planned with medical advice, never attempted alone based on willpower, and it’s not something we’re able to supervise or manage ourselves.
What we can do is help you understand what’s out there, and point you toward the right kind of support. For some people, a supervised detox at home is appropriate. For others, especially if they have been struggling with alcohol addiction for some time, a supervised detox as part of residential treatment is the safer route. A provider should assess you properly before recommending either, and if you’re not sure where you currently sit, that’s a good first question to ask us, or your GP, before you go any further.
It’s also common for addiction to sit alongside other mental health difficulties, anxiety, depression, trauma or ongoing stress, among them. Sometimes it’s hard to know which came first, and often it doesn’t matter; what matters is looking at both together. This is usually called a dual diagnosis approach, and it means a provider assesses your mental health and your substance use as connected, rather than treating one and hoping the other resolves on its own.
If this feels relevant to you or someone you’re supporting, mention it when you contact us, and we’ll factor it into who we suggest you speak to.
You can read more in our guides to alcohol detox before you speak to us or a rehab clinic.
The cost of rehab in Scotland is understandably one of the very first queries we hear often. It can be a concern, but pricing does vary depending on the rehab clinic. We don’t set the costs ourselves, but what we do try to do is help you ask the right questions and find the right clinic to match your care needs and also your budget. Typically, the price depends on how long treatment is going to last, whether or not medical detox is included and the level of care and therapy that’s on offer. If you go the NHS or community route, then treatment is free, although waiting times can vary depending on where you live.
The admissions process can also be different depending on the rehab clinic. Some will be able to accommodate an assessment rapidly, usually within a day or two, while others might take longer. We will ensure you have a good understanding of the next steps before placing you in touch with rehab providers so that you have some idea of what to expect.
Aftercare is just as important as the treatment itself. Maybe even more so, because that’s what helps keep recovery sustainable after the formal part of treatment is done. This can look like continuing with one-on-one therapy, group support, or just having someone to talk to about relapse prevention, support for family members, or just checking in to see how things are going.
Most providers we work with offer 12 months of free aftercare after a residential programme is completed.
Watching someone you love struggle with alcohol is very difficult and it’s common to feel stuck between wanting to help and not knowing how. Especially if they’re not ready to accept it themselves.
We can’t make that decision for anyone, but we can talk you through how families and friends often approach these conversations, what support is available for you as well as them, and what a referral looks like if and when they’re ready.
You don’t need to have it all figured out before you get in touch. Whether you’re ready to talk about treatment today or you’re just trying to understand your rehab options in Scotland for now, we’re here to listen and help you work out what comes next.
Call us today on 01475 303998 for advice. Everything discussed with our team is completely confidential and free, and there is no obligation to go any further.
If you’d rather not call right away, fill in our contact form, and we’ll get back to you at a time that suits you.
If there’s immediate danger, overdose risk or severe withdrawal, call 999. For non-emergency medical advice, contact NHS 24 on 111.
Anyone affected by drug or alcohol addiction in Scotland, whether that's you personally, or you're worried about a friend or family member.
No. Recovery Scotland is a confidential guidance and referral service. We are here to help you understand your options and connect you with a suitable, qualified treatment provider.
Yes. Whatever you share with us stays private, and you're in control of how much or how little you tell us. We're here to listen, not to judge.
Not at all. Plenty of people who get in touch are still working out whether they're ready, or what kind of support might even help. That's a completely normal place to start and we're happy to just talk it through.
No, getting in touch with us is free, and there's no obligation to go any further. Any costs relate to the treatment provider you're eventually referred to.
We'll help you understand your options and what each one involves, but the actual clinical assessment and treatment recommendation is always made by the rehab provider's own qualified team.
This depends on the rehab you choose. If you decide to seek treatment from a rehab provider that offer aftercare packages, an experienced team will ensure that you have access to ongoing support, usually for the first 12 months in recovery. Local support available to you will also be identified.
Outpatient treatment is when individuals access addiction support through appointments without staying at a clinic. This means that treatment is received whilst staying at home. If you cannot commit to an inpatient treatment programme for various reasons, your GP may recommend you seek help as an outpatient. From there, you will have access to local services and therapy sessions, but you will be required to undertake your detox at home without professional supervision. To access outpatient treatment programmes, you will need to visit your local GP, and they can advise on what treatments are available in your local area. For those looking for alternative resources that can be used along with seeking outpatient treatment, there are also free support groups that run on a daily basis, such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. These groups can help you overcome substance use disorders locally, are free of charge and can be attended both online and across Scotland. Outpatient treatment may work best for those with responsibilities they cannot abandon, such as work or caregiving duties, and need flexibility in managing their healthcare schedule while maintaining their daily life.
Inpatient or residential rehab means staying with a provider for a structured period of treatment. Length, detox arrangements, therapy, costs and aftercare vary, so ask each provider what is included and whether the programme is suitable after assessment.
We know that once you've made the decision to seek help, waiting can feel like the hardest part. Waiting times do vary, between NHS, community and private providers, and it's completely understandable to want a clear answer straight away. Private assessment can sometimes move faster, but how quickly you're actually admitted depends on a few things: clinical suitability, whether detox is needed first, provider availability, payment arrangements and travel. So while we can't promise a specific timeframe, we can promise to be upfront with you about it. When you speak to us, we'll help you understand what's realistic for your situation, and we'll always encourage you to ask any provider to explain their timescales clearly before you commit to anything. You shouldn't have to guess, and you're not expected to navigate this on your own.
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