Three month wait for rehab
Every year around 2.000 individuals are admitted to treatment clinics for alcohol and drug addiction in Iceland Mbl.is/ Heiðar Kristjánsson
According to Þórarinn Tyrfingsson, director of the SAA -National Center of Addiction Medicine in Iceland many Icelanders seek help for their addictions at the beginning of January and wish to go to rehab. Every year around 2.000 individuals are admitted to treatment clinics for alcohol and drug addiction in Iceland in addition to those seeking help in outpatient units.
"On January 10th the waiting list counted 150 individuals," explains Tyrfingsson. "I expect the list will reach 300 at the end of the month." He adds that those who are going to rehab for the first time are prioritized, and that each case is assessed for the severity of the situation.
The needs of these patients are evaluated at Vogur Hospital and those seeking help are then directed to the appropriate treatment venues. Thus around half the patients went on to an outpatient unit after a short stay at Vogur Hospital, but the other half continued their treatment program at the two SAA Rehabilitation Clinics, at Vik and Stadarfell.
