Houghton House
Alcohol addiction treatment in Joburg
Medical detox, alcohol rehab, psychiatric treatment, and holistic aftercare — all under one roof.
At Houghton House, we understand that alcoholism or alcohol use disorder is a medical condition, and alcohol addiction affects people from every background. A way to relax or cope can easily develop into full-blown alcohol dependence.
As a licensed private psychiatric hospital, we’re fully equipped to address the root causes of alcohol addiction alongside the physical alcohol dependence. Our holistic alcohol rehab programme provides the clinical care, structure, and accountability needed to support your long-term recovery from alcohol addiction.
Understanding alcohol abuse and dependence
Alcohol addiction, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is a progressive condition that affects both the body and the brain.
Over time, drinking stops being a choice and becomes a compulsion driven by neurobiological forces. Repeated alcohol use rewires the brain’s reward and stress systems, increasing alcohol tolerance and causing powerful cravings.
As alcohol dependence develops, most people find they need to consume more alcohol to feel the same effect. When you stop drinking, withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, sweating, tremors, and nausea are common, making it even harder to stay sober.
Like other substance use disorders, alcohol addiction rarely exists in isolation. Most people struggling with alcoholism struggle with co-occurring mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, or trauma. In many cases, drinking problems originate from using alcohol to self-medicate.
When to seek help for alcohol addiction
When does drinking alcohol become a drinking problem? Many people drink socially or to relax, but it can be difficult to recognise when alcohol use becomes alcoholism. A harmless habit can slowly transform into full-blown alcohol dependence that affects every part of your life.
Warning signs of alcoholism or AUD include:
- Needing more alcohol to feel the same effect
- Drinking more often, in larger amounts, or different types of alcohol than intended
- Struggling to stop or cut back, even when you want to
- Feeling anxious, irritable, or unwell when not drinking
- Neglecting your responsibilities or losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
- Drinking despite health issues, relationship strain, or work problems
- Hiding how much you drink or feeling guilty about it
If several of these signs feel familiar, it may be time to seek professional alcohol treatment in a rehab setting. At Houghton House, we provide confidential assessments and compassionate rehabilitative treatment to help you begin your recovery with the right support.
Alcohol addiction treatment and psychiatric care under one roof
Psychiatric conditions often lie at the heart of alcohol dependence. We firmly believe that treating our clients’ mental health alongside their addiction gives them the best chance of lasting recovery.
Our treatment approach is known as dual diagnosis treatment. This means our rehab programme combines a peer support model informed by the 12-Steps of AA, with clinical care and professional substance abuse counselling, ensuring treatment addresses every aspect of the person in recovery’s problem.
Houghton House is licensed as both a psychiatric hospital and an addiction treatment centre. This means our team can treat co-occurring mental health issues and also safely manage alcohol withdrawal via medically-supervised detox, if needed.
What to expect from our alcohol rehab programme
Our inpatient alcohol rehab programme provides a full day of structured therapeutic activity from 6 am to 8 pm, with almost no gaps. Group therapy, individual sessions, psychoeducation, and 12-step work fill every hour except mealtimes.
The rapid pace is deliberate. Keeping patients occupied and engaged from morning to night is part of the treatment. Sustained alcohol use alters brain chemistry in ways that take time to reverse, and the brain benefits from consistent therapeutic engagement while it recovers. Full cognitive and emotional function typically doesn’t return until around 90 days of abstinence. This means the first month of alcohol addiction treatment lays the foundation that the rest of your recovery depends on.
The daily programme at Houghton House is one of the most rigorous in the country, and the clinical team considers that a point of distinction.
The alcohol treatment programme includes:
- Medically-supervised alcohol detoxification with 24-hour nursing support
- Management of alcohol withdrawal symptoms
- Individual and group therapy sessions
- CBT, DBT, and motivational therapy
- 12-step work facilitated by recovery experts
- Family therapy to rebuild trust and communication
- Biokinetics, mindfulness, and nutritional support
- Medication management by an in-house psychiatrist
A structured programme built around accountability
Quitting alcohol and staying sober in the long run means doing the work.
Our evidence-based programme will give you the tools and daily practice to change your life in a lasting way.
You’ll learn new ways to cope with stress, manage your emotions, and navigate relationships.
The process is demanding but deeply rewarding.
Our team provides guidance, accountability, and genuine care at every step of the way.
Holistic, evidence-based alcohol treatment
Recovery involves more than just giving up alcohol. During your treatment, you’ll come to understand the root causes of your addiction.
You’ll learn to recognise your triggers, interrupt your patterns, and build healthier coping mechanisms to regain control over your life.
Our approach to alcohol addiction treatment rehabilitates the whole person, helping you heal your body, mind, and soul.
You’ll discover how to show up authentically in your relationships, and emerge as a better version of yourself.
Life after rehab: Ongoing alcohol recovery support
Recovery from alcoholism is a lifelong journey, and we’ll walk it with you.
Once your inpatient treatment ends, you’ll have access to ongoing relapse prevention support through our aftercare programme.
This includes regular 12-step meetings, evening sessions, group counselling, and outpatient therapy.
If you need a more gradual transition into independent living, our York halfway house provides a temptation-free bridge back to everyday life.
Medical aid cover for alcohol addiction treatment
Under South Africa’s Medical Schemes Act of 1998, all registered medical aids are legally required to offer certain prescribed minimum benefits (PMBs). This includes cover for the diagnosis and treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs) — including alcoholism — and specific psychiatric conditions.
Houghton House Addiction Recovery Centre is dual-licensed as both a psychiatric hospital and a rehabilitation facility, which means your care is 100% covered under PMBs, no matter which medical aid plan you’re on.
What this means for you:
- 3 days of hospital-based medical detox
- Up to 21 days of inpatient psychiatric care
- Up to 21 days of inpatient alcohol dependence treatment
- No upfront payments (except a once-off admission fee of R1,850)
- No co-payments or shortfalls
All our services are billed at medical scheme rates and delivered by registered professionals, and our team handles pre-authorisation on your behalf.
We work closely with all major medical aid schemes, including Discovery Health, Bonitas, Fedhealth, and Momentum, among others.
What our patients say about alcohol addiction treatment at Houghton House
Frequently asked questions about alcohol rehab
You may need professional help if your drinking has become difficult to control, causes relationship or work problems, or continues despite negative consequences. Withdrawal symptoms, morning drinking, and secrecy around alcohol use are also warning signs.
If you’re unsure whether your drinking qualifies as alcoholism, this AUD self-screening questionnaire can help you gauge the severity of the problem.
Our admissions team can guide you through a confidential assessment and help you take the first step toward recovery.
Quitting alcohol can be difficult, especially once dependence has developed. Over time, the body and brain adapt to alcohol, and stopping suddenly can cause uncomfortable or even dangerous withdrawal symptoms.
The first step is to seek professional support. A medically supervised detox ensures that withdrawal is managed safely and that your physical and mental health are monitored throughout the process. Once detox is complete, structured therapy helps address the emotional, psychological, and behavioural aspects of addiction.
At Houghton House, our alcohol rehabilitation programme combines on-site medical care, individual and group therapy, and relapse-prevention planning. Clients learn to manage triggers, build healthier coping strategies, and develop long-term recovery tools that extend beyond abstinence.
If you or someone you care about needs immediate help, you can contact Houghton House for a confidential assessment at +27 11 787 9142, or reach us on WhatsApp at +27 79 770 7532.
Treatment begins with a medical detox to safely manage withdrawal, followed by therapy to address the psychological and behavioural aspects of addiction. Clients participate in counselling, CBT, DBT, group sessions, and relapse-prevention work, all supported by medical and psychiatric care.
The length of treatment for alcohol addiction varies depending on individual needs, but a 30-day rehab stay is typical. Most people complete 24 days of inpatient care in our primary care facility, including medically-supervised alcohol detox. This is followed by six days in our secondary care or step-down facility, which can be extended to 18 days if necessary.
After inpatient treatment, you’ll transition into our aftercare programme, and we strongly recommend that you continue to attend regular AA meetings until you’re at least one year sober.
Yes. Since alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be severe and potentially life-threatening, Houghton House provides supervised medical detoxification as part of our inpatient alcohol rehabilitation programme.
Our specialised medical detox unit offers personalised detox treatment in a safe, supportive environment. Our clinical team monitors your physical and emotional wellbeing and manage your withdrawal symptoms with the help of appropriate medications to ensure your safety and comfort during withdrawal.
Recovery continues through our aftercare programme, AA meetings, outpatient treatment, and halfway houses, which are also known as ‘sober living houses’.
These resources provide therapy, accountability, and community support to help clients maintain sobriety, rebuild their lives, and avoid relapsing.
Absolutely. Family participation is encouraged in recovery. Our highly qualified counsellors offer family therapy and education sessions to help the loved ones of addicts understand the nature of addiction and how to create a supportive recovery environment.
We hold family support meetings every Thursday at 17:30 – 19:00 at 420 York Avenue, Ferndale.
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