Action on Addiction | Blog

17 December 2018: The importance of family mealtime

Nicky Adams, Families Programme Leader at Action on Addiction, discuss the importance of family mealtimes in building support networks and strengthening relationships.Read more

3 December 2018: Successful treatment lies in the assessment

The latest NHS statistics released last week on drug misuse in England show that Class A drug use has increased from 6.2% in 2011/12, to 8.4% in 2017/18, mainly driven by an increase in powder cocaine and ecstasy use.Read more

21 November 2018: What to do if your child has a gambling addiction

When a child has a problem with gambling it can be extremely frightening, confusing and traumatic for parents. Communication may break down so individual needs do not get met and as consequence relationships fall apart.Read more

4 October 2018: Experts gather around family resilience

Following on from our roundtable discussion, Graham Beech, Action on Addiction’s Chief Executive, calls for a distinctive policy approach to building family resilience.Read more

26 September 2018: Calling all writers: An essay competition about addiction

Residential treatment provider Castle Craig has launched an International Essay Writing Competition to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Intended for students of medicine, psychology, nursing, psychotherapy and social work, entrants are being asked to submit an essay of no more than 3,000 words on the subject of addiction.Read more

14 September 2018: Sarah's story: Addicted to shopping

Former Clouds House resident Sarah talks to us about her addiction to shopping and the treatment for her process addiction at Clouds House.Read more

30 August 2018: Dr Simone Yule: To avoid opioid abuse we need to re-think our relationship with pain

An opioid pandemic is on the horizon for the UK unless doctors can rethink how they handle pain management and relief - but heavy workload is making this hard to achieve, says Action on Addiction adviser Dr Simone Yule.Read more

24 August 2018: Raise money for Action on Addiction while you shop

We rely heavily on funding raised by our wonderful supporters – from major donors to corporate sponsorships and our committed – and often heroic – fundraisers.Read more

16 August 2018: Addictions counselling graduates: Sian Hitchcock

After finishing her A-Levels, Sian wanted to study a degree which would lead to a career helping people. The more she read about the addictions counselling degree course, the more she became fascinated with the psychology of addiction.Read more

8 August 2018: Recovery experts: Matt Serlin, Tutor and Families Counsellor

Matt specialises in the areas of family interventions and working with children affected by parental addiction. Matt’s dual role of tutor/counsellor means that his practice informs his teaching and his teaching informs his practice.Read more

Latest

17 December 2018: The importance of family mealtime

Nicky Adams, Families Programme Leader at Action on Addiction, discuss the importance of family mealtimes in building support networks and strengthening relationships.

3 December 2018: Successful treatment lies in the assessment

27 November 2018: Free family support sessions this Christmas

Action on Addiction is offering free family support sessions in the run-up to Christmas for adult family members that are struggling with a loved one’s addiction.

27 November 2018: Annual reunion celebrates five years of community recovery Essex

Action on Addiction celebrated five years of its Essex community recovery programme for people addicted to alcohol and drugs at its annual reunion in Chelmsford on Friday, 23 November 2018.

Clouds House

Our clients speak of the power of peer support and the richness of a diverse, committed recovery community. We are committed to safety, effectiveness and quality of service.

Residential treatment: Clouds House

Clouds has been providing high-quality treatment, including detoxification and rehabilitation, for sufferers of addiction since 1983. Our treatment model provides a rich and safe environment in which clients gain valuable insights into issues around their addiction their relationships with themselves, other people and the substances or behaviours of their addiction. We also run a bursary scheme for clients who cannot obtain funding from any other source.

Community-based treatment: Clouds in the Community

We take the best of what we offer at Clouds and make it available to people who require treatment for addictions in their own neighbourhoods. Remarkable outcomes have been achieved at our Self-Help Addiction Recovery Programme (SHARP). Independent evaluation of one of our programmes, commissioned by Essex County Council, showed that less than 25% of clients returned to any treatment service upon completion of the scheme.

Degree courses

Whether you are a college leaver looking to make the transition into higher education, a qualified professional seeking a career change or someone in long-term recovery from addiction, a degree from The Centre for Addiction Treatment Studies is likely to be the perfect solution for you.

Jobs

Our Job Board shows any current vacancies to join our dedicated team at Action on Addictions. We are always trying to find quality people who will really make a difference to our organisation and thousands of lives every year. Please review the job opportunities and contact us for more information.

In the grip of addiction, reach for safe hands

We are a national charity which offers high quality, effective residential rehab and community based addiction treatment. Action on Addiction provides residential and day treatment for addictions to drugs, alcohol, gambling and other behaviours. For more information, visit this page.

Family support

Around three million children live with adults who suffer with alcohol and/or drug addiction. We help children talk about their feelings and experiences, in a safe environment.

Our patron

Action on Addiction was one of four charities of which The Duchess became Patron in January 2012. The Duchess' patronage continues to be pivotal in helping us develop and promote practical solutions which enable more and more people to live their lives free from addiction, and to challenge the stigma that surrounds it.

13 December 2017: Mary Parkinson

We are very sorry to hear of the death of our friend and colleague Mary Parkinson who died on 10 December 2017. Mary was an amazing ambassador for Action on Addiction. She worked tirelessly to raise the charity’s profile and generate funds in support of our life-saving work.

Degree courses

Our degree programme provides a magnificent gateway to a rewarding career. We offer both a foundation degree and a BSc honours in addictions counselling, and many of our graduates become accredited practitioners, certified by FDAP. The degree programmes are studied on a full time basis, combining blocks of taught and work-based learning.

Get help for an addiction

If you or someone close to you requires help for an addiction reach out to one of our experts and give yourself or someone you know the chance of stable recovery. We treat all forms of addiction including: alcoholism; drug addiction (prescribed and non-prescribed); gambling; gaming; and sex. We also treat some food related disorders. When you call us you will speak directly to a highly qualified member of our team and not to a third party agent. Read more