ONE OF IRELAND’S leading addiction treatment centres has reported a “significant increase” in cocaine and gambling addictions.

The Rutland Centre also reported a significant increase in “poly-addiction” cases, which is when people are struggling with three or more substances or behaviours.

The findings come from the Rutland Centre’s 2023 annual report which was released today.

The Rutland Centre is based in Knocklyon, Dublin 16, and recorded 5,213 bed nights last year, its highest on record.

Some 16% of service users at the Rutland Centre sought help for cocaine addiction – the centre said this mirrors national trends of increased cocaine use.

A recent report from the Health Research Board (HRB) found that a record 13,104 cases were treated for problem drug use in Ireland last year, and cocaine was the most common drug reported in cases, listed as the main problem in 4,923 cases.

Meanwhile, 20% of the Rutland Centre’s service users last year sought help for gambling addictions.

It provides treatment on an outpatient basis and it aims to provide a gambling-specific outpatient program by 2025.

Alcohol remains the predominant addiction at the centre, and 65% of in-patient clients sought help for alcohol addiction last year at the Rutland Centre.

However, the report highlighted a “dramatic surge in the complexity of addiction cases” – 62% of individuals presented with multiple addictions last year, a significant increase from 48% in 2022.

There has been a sharp rise in poly-addiction cases where people are struggling with three or more substances or behaviours.

Around 20% of individuals at the centre last year struggled with three or more substances or behaviours.

The Rutland Centre said “this alarming trend highlights the urgent need for more comprehensive and multifaceted treatment approaches”.

The centre added that its report also showcases its “significant achievements for addiction treatment and recovery”.

For example, Rutland Centre reported a 93% completion rate for its Residential Program last year and an 83% completion rate for its Outpatient Program.

The Rutland Centre is also expanding its services to include specialised programmes for gambling addiction and plans to introduce a new detox facility to better serve individuals with multiple addictions.

The centre adds that in an effort to “recognise addiction as a family disease”, it has bolstered its family recovery programmes, including weekly family days and five-week family workshops.