I t is a misty Monday morning in the Swiss Alps and I am trying to spot Lake Geneva, 800 metres below me, through the fog. I have just arrived at Clinic Les Alpes, a swish wooden chalet in the mountains, which costs £40,000 a week. My suitcase is taken from me and whisked up to my room.

Each guest’s luggage is unpacked for them, not as a luxury perk, but to check whether they have hidden drugs or alcohol in their bags. Clinic Les Alpes is not a swanky five-star hotel but one of the most expensive rehab facilities in the world. The elite clientele who come here can afford the £160,000 bill for the recommended 28-day stay.

Some need so much help that they.