Rehab? It's a Farce ; As Pete Doherty Becomes the Latest Celebrity to Enter an Addiction Clinic, One Ex-Patient Reveals What Really Goes On Inside Tantrums, Casual Sex and Pounds 12,000 Therapy so Useless She Was Drinking Again Eight Weeks Later

Daily Mail › November 12, 2007

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Summary

A BEAUTIFUL, sunny morning in high summer, but the weather is doing little to lift my spirits. I'm sitting in a group counselling session at Clouds House, the rehab centre in Wiltshire where addicts from all walks of life come in the hope of being 'cured' of their addiction.

Deborah, 44, a 'recovering' heroin addict is having another tirade. Jumping to her feet, she grabs her plastic chair and repeatedly slams it against the wall. Shrieking, her face is bursting with rage and her fists are pounding the air.

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Extract

Rehab? It's a Farce ; As Pete Doherty Becomes the Latest Celebrity to Enter an Addiction Clinic, One Ex-Patient Reveals What Really Goes On Inside Tantrums, Casual Sex and Pounds 12,000 Therapy so Useless She Was Drinking Again Eight Weeks Later

No one dares to challenge her. She's frequently shared fantasies about stabbing her parents and isn't one to walk away from a fight. The group counsellor looks at her blankly and says: 'Why don't you sit down and tell the group how you feel?' Deborah curses and storms out while the rest of us breathe a collective sigh of relief. She's discharged days later for abusing the nurses.

I knew rehab would never be easy but I had no idea how common such dramas would be when I checked into Clouds in August 2005 for six weeks to recover from my drink problem. Before entering, I'd had fantasies of healing counselling sessions and inspiring lectures to help me overcome my addiction. I thought it would give me the opportunity...

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