About addiction 

Addiction can happen to anyone and it is not a choice, but recovery is possible with the right support. 

An addiction can take over your life, affecting your health, work, study, relationships and finances.  

Many view addiction as something that only affects the users themselves, but in reality, addiction impacts entire communities and society as a whole.  

Different types of addictions 

• Alcohol 
• Caffeine 
• Tobacco 

• Prescription drugs (for example codeine and other painkillers, sedatives, sleeping tablets) 
• Street drugs (for example heroin, marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine) 
• Solvents (for example sniffing paint thinners, petrol or glue) 
• Activities like gambling, shopping, computer games, exercise or eating. 

The Princess of Wales Patron of the Charity Forward Trust talks about the stigma of addiction in this short video. Click here to watch.                                                                                    

Addiction can be treated with: 

• Counselling (online, by telephone or in-person) 
• Motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)   
• Medication 

• Group therapy (including support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous) 
• Family therapy 
• Detox programs in a hospital or at home 
• Rehabilitation in a hospital or at home. 

What causes addiction? 

No one ever plans to become addicted. There are countless reasons why addictions begin. Some are driven by curiosity and peer pressure, while others are looking for a way to relieve stress or anxiety. Children who grow up in environments where drugs and alcohol are present have a greater risk of developing a substance use disorder (SUD). In the case of drugs, alcohol and nicotine, these substances affect the way you feel, both physically and mentally. These feelings can be enjoyable and create a powerful urge to use the substances again. 

Gambling may result in a similar mental "high" after a win, followed by a strong urge to try again and recreate that feeling. This can develop into a habit that becomes very hard to stop. 

Alcohol is a major part of British culture. From a pint at the pub after work to a night out on the town with friends, alcohol is deeply ingrained in the social fabric of the UK. However, behind closed doors, a quiet crisis is unfolding. It can be useful to sense check your own alcohol consumption - Alcohol self-assessment test | Drinkaware. 

Being addicted to something means that not having it causes withdrawal symptoms, or a "come down". Because this can be unpleasant, it's easier to carry on having or doing what you crave, and so the cycle continues. There is a clear link between mental health illness and addiction.  Over two-thirds of people starting treatment for addiction said they had a mental health need (70%).   

Signs and symptoms  

At the start, you might start to notice problems with close relationships and your moods. 

As addiction gets worse you might: 

• Need more to get the same effect. 
• Have withdrawal symptoms or feel sick if you stop. 
• Sometimes use more than you mean to. 

• Prioritise addiction over other things. 
• Keep going even though you know it is bad for you or others you care about. 
• Try to cut down but can’t. 

If you are worried about yourself or someone you know, even if you aren't sure if the problem is ‘an addiction’, it’s important to seek help. 

Help Available 

Addiction is a treatable condition. The sooner you recognise a problem and get help, the easier it will be to recover. Don’t think that you have to hit rock bottom before seeing someone.       

You could see your GP for advice or contact an organisation that specialises in helping people with addictions. There is lots of help available and a huge list of resources is available HERE. 

Support for the family and friends of people who use drugs 

Lots of families in the UK have a loved one who is using or trying to recover from an addiction. In the recent Matt Willis – Fighting Addiction documentary, Matt opens up about his past and takes an extensive look into his battle with drugs and alcohol, how it has pushed him to the edge, and his daily struggle to keep himself clean and sober.  

Our Health and Wellbeing EDI Network member Clare Davis (People, Skills, and Talent Team - Business Advisor) has kindly volunteered to include a brief insight into the impact having a loved one with an addiction has had on her and the family: 

‘Trying to support a family member with a drug addiction is heart-breaking. Drug addiction has torn through my family destroying everything in its wake and it’s a tornado that is on a continuous path of destruction. As soon as you pick up the pieces it’s back on the horizon threatening to destroy everything all over again. You never think that drug addiction or indeed any addiction is going to happen to you or someone you love and it’s terrifying when it does. 

I have found opening up about my situation was difficult but worthwhile. My line Manager has proved to be very supportive and I have found the EAP very useful, as hard as it is to ask for help it’s 100% worth it in my experience’. 

If you're the parent, partner, child or carer of someone who has an addiction, you may feel worried, frustrated and alone. It's important to recognise this and get the help and support you need. Getting help for yourself will put you in a better position for supporting your loved one. Here are some tips for those concerned Tips-for-concerned-others.pdf (smartrecovery.org.uk). 

Employee Assistance Programme 

GC offers you wellbeing support and structured counselling services via the Employee Assistance Programme Health Assured – Employee Assistance Programme | GC Hive (rewardgateway.co.uk) 

Health Assured are an independent external organisation that works to a robust professional code of strict confidentiality and GC will not be made aware of employees accessing this service directly. 

The service provides the following: 

• Free, confidential telephone helplines 24/7, assisting with relationships, work, bereavement, family, stress, financial, drug and alcohol matters 
• An online health and wellbeing portal with engaging and useful online tools 
• Telephone counselling sessions  

• Face to face counselling sessions (maximum of 8 sessions per issue) 
• Serious illness and accident support – individual advice and support from GP / nurse practitioner 

The scheme covers the employee and their immediate family members who reside at the same address. This excludes face-to-face counselling, which is available for colleagues only. 

You can contact the helpline by telephone on 0800 030 5182 or visit the online support tools via the health portal ( Username: Growth, Password: Company). 

Don’t suffer in silence, reach out for support. By talking about addiction, we can break down taboos and change attitudes. 

Further Support and Resources 

• Alcohol Addiction Services 
• Drug Addiction Services 

• DrugFAM offers phone and email support to people affected by other people's drug or alcohol misuse. Contact DrugFAM or call the helpline: 0300 888 3853 
• Families Anonymous is based on the same principles as Alcoholics Anonymous. It runs support meetings for the family and friends of people with a drug problem. Email: office@famanon.org.uk or call the helpline: 020 7498 4680 
• FRANK is a support service that provides information about drugs, plus advice for people who use drugs, and their parents or carers. Find support near you on the FRANK website. Call the Frank helpline: 0300 123 6600 
• GambleAware®: Gambling Help & Gambling Addiction | BeGambleAware  
• NHS Resources - Addiction support - NHS (www.nhs.uk) 

• NHS - Advice for the families of people who use drugs – NHS - NHS (www.nhs.uk) 
• Release offers free, confidential advice on drugs law for people who use drugs, and their families. Email: ask@release.org.uk or call the helpline: 020 7324 2989 
• The Adfam website offers families help with finding support. Find an Adfam support group near you