"Misguided and mismanaged"

I spend a total of 9 weeks (in stays of 4, 1 and 4 weeks) as an in-patient and 28 days on a day-care program. I relapsed after each stay and after the daycare. I have since learned how to stay clean. While there, I received detoxes and an opportunity to attend 12-step, Anonymous fellowship meetings each day. These were helpful. But I could have got them for free, without The Priory's help. I was also subject to considerable unwanted and badly unmotivated interference in personal relationships, and pressure to spend more time and money there than I had planned to or wished to. I know of many others who have experienced similar problems. Two of my friends walked out in disgust, against their care teams' advice, and have remained clean since then. I wish I had had the courage to walk out and not return. It seemed to me also that people there in responsible positions of management were quite unable to handle situations in anything resembling a proper professional manner. I speak as someone with four years experience as a senior manager. I would not have accepted such highly unprofessional and simply bad behaviour from anyone working under me and would have made sure it did not occur. I would strongly recommend any alcoholic or addict to look for some alternative. Your doctor can advise you about detox and should also facilitate your introduction to local 12-step and other so-called ‘mutual aid’ organizations (under NHS National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guideline 115). You can also get a free introduction to an appropriate Anonymous fellowship by calling their helplines.