Drug and Alcohol Services - Camden

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Get support for benzodiazepine use in Camden

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REST (Recovery Experience Sleeping Tablets and Tranquillisers) is our service for Camden and Islington residents aged 18 and over, who are experiencing dependence and withdrawal from benzodiazepines.  

We work with people who are prescribed these medications as well as those who purchase them illicitly.

REST is not a prescribing service and we do not prescribe benzodiazepines. However, we do work with the services involved in the prescribing of benzodiazepines and drugs with similar action.

How we help 

If you wish to stabilise, reduce or withdraw, we can give you information, encouragement and support to do so as comfortably as possible.  

Our services include: 

  • Advice and information 
  • Advocacy 
  • Three-way meetings with GPs to support the development of detox/dose reduction plans
  • Training for GPs and other professionals 
  • Two weekly support groups (online and face-to-face) 
  • Counselling 
  • Mutual aid 
  • Access to Change Grow Live’s Atlas group sessions  
  • Mindfulness  
  • Complementary therapies 
  • Relapse prevention 
  • Support for family members and partners.

For more information and harm reduction advice, please visit our benzodiazepines page.

I finally felt listened, heard, respected and - more importantly - believed about what I was going through. I couldn't believe it; I could breathe again. Wow! I felt relieved to be with people that understood and validated how I was feeling with warmth and empathy.

- Feedback from someone who accessed our service.

Eligibility 

Adults living in Camden and Islington who are:

  • Taking z-drugs or benzodiazepines as prescribed.
  • Taking z-drugs or benzodiazepines illicitly, including in combination with other drugs or alcohol.
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Training for professionals

REST offers information and training for GP staff and other partner agencies in Camden.

We support professionals who may come across benzodiazepine dependency to gain a better understanding of the difficulties caused by the drug’s action and the compounding of those problems in withdrawal. This may take the form of presentations or training sessions.

To find out more or request training, please email [email protected].

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Get support

We are open to all adults living in Camden and Islington who are having problems with their use of minor tranquillisers and sleeping pills, and their families.

To request support, please complete our short online form. If you are a professional who would like to refer someone you work with into our service, you can do so via the form on our professionals page.

If you would like to discuss the service in more detail, please email [email protected].

Opening Times

REST is open by appointment from 9.30–17.30 Monday-Wednesday, with one evening support group. The service is not open on Fridays, weekends or Bank Holidays.

  • Monday 09:30 - 17:30
  • Tuesday 09:30 - 17:30
  • Wednesday 09:30 - 17:30
  • Thursday 12:00 - 20:00
  • Friday Closed