Burton Addiction Centre (BAC)

The Burton Addiction Centre (BAC) in Burton-on-Trent and its sister organisation, The O'Connor Centre in Newcastle-under-Lyme, provide rehabilitation to people with a drug and/or alcohol misuse problem in their own community via an abstinence-based, structured day care programme.

The day care programme, which involves a number of therapeutic and educational interventions, is five and a half days a week, for a minimum of twelve weeks. It is followed by an aftercare programme which is available for at least two years after graduation.

A supported housing programme allows the Centres to house and rehabilitate a particularly vulnerable population of clients, and is often the core of these individual's recovery.

Stephen's story
Unfortunate circumstances meant that Stephen missed out on a university place and a football contract. He used drugs to fill the void, and soon became addicted to heroin.

Alison's story
Alcohol and heroin addiction had serious emotional and physical effects, and affected Alison's relationships with family and friends. It was only when she lost contact with her son that Alison acknowledged to herself that she had a problem and sought help.

Phil's story
Phil's drug use spiralled out of control due to a number of family bereavements. Initially, he "Didn't think gear was as bad as people made out." He soon found that this was not the case.

Anita's story
Due to her heroin addiction, Anita lost her children and her house. Her mental and physical health deteriorated seriously.

Steph's story
Steph's alcohol addiction had a severe impact on her mental health. She was admitted to psychiatric hospitals on a number of occasions.

Margaret's story
Margaret drank alcohol to numb the psychological pain caused by issues in her life. This became a vicious circle, as she soon found that she needed to drink to alleviate withdrawal symptoms.

Ryan's story
Ryan experienced schizophrenia-like symptoms during the time of his heroin addiction.

Gareth's story
Gareth saw alcohol as, "A good thing, a way to help me get through the days and nights." However, he soon found that alcohol took over his life.

Joe's story
Joe initially started using drugs because, "I didn't have a care in the world. I didn't want to deal with my problems so the drugs seemed like a good idea at the time."

John's story
John's addiction had severe effects on his mental and physical health, as well as his personal life. Prior to seeking treatment, he had reached the stage where, "I'd had enough. I was suicidal; I could just see no way out."

Geoff's story
Geoff feels that his alcohol addiction completely took over his life: "I just didn't know who I was."

Michael's story
Michael feels that his drinking began due to social drinking with work colleagues. However, as the decades progressed, "I just used to drink for the sake of drinking."

David's story
David feels that he has, "Virtually approached all my problems, and am getting them sorted" since seeking treatment at the BAC.

Paul’s story
Paul believed he was “different to everyone else” and wouldn’t get addicted to heroin. Experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms for the first time proved to him that he wasn’t “in control.”

Chris’ story
Chris grew up around drugs and his life soon came to revolve around them. He was left with just “the clothes on my back.”

Claire’s story
Claire had never enjoyed drinking alcohol, but drank through loneliness and isolation. A serial binge drinker, she persistently denied having a problem until she started experiencing physical symptoms she couldn’t ignore.

Kate’s story
Kate started drinking to overcome the boredom she experienced when her children grew up. It has had a serious effect on her physical and mental health, particularly her memory.

Susan’s story
Susan has “liked alcohol from the start.” Her excessive alcohol use put an end to her career as a nurse and caused her to miss her own mother’s funeral. Despite numerous “new starts”, she has been unable to get away from the grip of alcohol.

Peter’s story
Peter comes from a family of alcoholics. Using alcohol to “forget” the pain caused by physical and sexual abuse as a child worsened his existing depression.