When you arrive at Detox 5…

… it's Day 1 of the programme. Today you - and your close family, if you are accompanied to the centre - will be welcomed by our nurses. We'll talk through your situation and carry out an initial assessment. This includes a full medical examination and assessment of your physical fitness by our consultant medical specialist*. It will take about 3 hours. Then we'll admit you to your en-suite room, and make sure you're happy and ready to begin the detox process. You don't need to worry.

The treatment starts by putting you into a sleepy state of semi-consciousness, which allows your body to concentrate on detoxification. You'll never be left alone during this time. While under sedation you'll also be under the watchful eyes of our nurses who will make sure you are safe and experiencing the minimum level of discomfort. They can also let close family know how you are doing, day or night. (We think it's important not to allow visitors or phone calls to disturb you during this vulnerable time.)

As your body frees itself of opiates, the best way to manage the transition to health is to continue the process under sedation. So this is a quiet day, still in the privacy of your own room and still under the careful supervision of our nurses and detox specialists. We'll be right by you, at all times.

Over 81% of our patients say that levels of discomfort are not as bad as they expected…

After the sedation phase and a natural period of cold turkey, today we will introduce your body to Naltrexone. This medicine will flush out any remaining opiates in your system and give your body the help it needs to kick-start the 'stay clean' phase. You could be clean and free of opiates from now on.

For most of our patients, this is the day you go home. We'd like you to be collected by a close family member or friend - preferably the person who will be supervising the medication you'll be taking over the coming months. But we want to make sure you're ready, so one of the nursing supervisors will talk you through what happens next and reassure you about the road ahead.

This really could be the day you 'get your life back.'