Drug Rehab
At Abbington House, drug rehab takes place in a small residential setting, with no more than 21 people at any one time. Detox is managed on site from the start, and you’re supported by a consistent team throughout. Treatment focuses on what’s driving the drug use, not just the substance.
Reviewed by Michael Williams, Treatment Manager, Abbington House.
If drug use has reached a point where you know something needs to change, this is what treatment here looks like, and who’ll be supporting you.
What Drug Rehab at Abbington House Involves
For many people, drug use has been managing something else — anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD. That’s where treatment here starts. Not with the substance, but with what’s underneath it. Where drug use sits alongside a mental health condition, both are addressed together from the beginning. Focusing only on the drug use without looking at the wider picture rarely holds.
Treatment begins from the moment of admission. For some people, that includes an initial period of medical detox, managed on site with clinical support throughout. Once physically stable, the therapeutic work begins — understanding what’s been driving the use and addressing the patterns underneath.
Therapy is both individual and group-based, trauma-informed, and shaped around the person. There isn’t a fixed process that everyone follows. The work adapts to how you think, how you process, and what you’re actually dealing with.
Treatment typically runs for 28 days, though length of stay is assessed individually. Full detail on what residential treatment involves day to day is covered on our residential rehab page.
When Medical Detox Is Needed
Not all drug addiction requires a medical detox. Whether detox is needed depends on the substance, the level of physical dependency, and how long use has continued.
For opioid dependency including heroin, methadone, codeine, and tramadol, withdrawal can be severe, and medically supervised detox is usually the first stage.
The same applies to benzodiazepine dependency, where withdrawal carries serious medical risk and should not be attempted without clinical support.
For substances such as cocaine, cannabis, or ketamine, there may be no requirement for a formal detox, and treatment can begin with full therapeutic and emotional support.
Where detox is required, it is medically supervised throughout at Abbington House, with clinical monitoring, prescribed medication where appropriate, and round-the-clock support.
Why People Choose Abbington House
Why People Choose Abbington House
Most rehabs offer similar therapies and structures. The difference here is who delivers it, and how small the setting is.
The team includes people who have lived through addiction and recovery themselves. That shapes how conversations happen, how difficult moments are handled, and how trust is built from the start.
With no more than 21 people at any one time, the environment stays contained. Group work is manageable. The staff know your name, your situation, and where you are in the process.
You're not moving through a system here. You're being supported by people who are paying attention to your needs.
Abbington House holds a Doctify Patient Experience Award (2026) and is rated Excellent across patient reviews on Doctify and Google.
Types of Drug Addiction We Treat
We treat all forms of drug addiction. If you’re looking for information specific to your situation, the following pages cover what treatment looks like for each substance:
Involving Family
Drug use often affects more than just the person going through it. Relationships can become strained, and communication can break down over time.
Where appropriate, a 16-week family support process can form part of treatment. Involvement is always guided by the individual. Not everyone wants or is ready for family involvement, and that is respected.
When it is included, the aim is not to place blame, but to support better understanding on all sides.
Aftercare and Continuing Support
Recovery doesn’t end when residential treatment finishes. Returning home and navigating the same environment in a different way is where the real test begins.
Abbington House provides structured aftercare, including ongoing contact with the Abbington Community team and support with transition.
For more detail on how support continues after treatment, see our aftercare page.
Getting Started
Admissions can usually be arranged within 24 to 48 hours, depending on your situation. The process begins with a confidential conversation to understand what you need from treatment.
Abbington House is a private residential rehab in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. Treatment is self-funded, meaning it can begin without waiting lists or referral processes.
For information on treatment costs, see our rehab costs page.