🔗 Share this article

A recent study involving 2,000 respondents has found that a quarter of people in the United Kingdom fear that a partner, relative, or friend consumes excessive alcohol. Additionally, a sixth of participants expressed concern about a family member's reliance on substances.

Increasing Substance Misuse Crisis

The results tend to emphasize what many specialists refer to as a increasing "problem" of substance misuse to alcohol or drugs such as cocaine use and marijuana.

National figures indicate that the National Health Service in England is providing care for more than 310,000 patients per year for drug or alcohol disorders – the most significant statistic since over a decade ago. Liquor-related mortalities are at record levels.

"The issue of drink and substance consumption is increasing. The government states we're consuming less alcohol, but I don't see that," noted a psychiatrist focusing on dependency.

The group commissioning the survey has seen a 40% rise since 2019 in the figure of individuals seeking help for dependency, featuring a higher proportion of females.

Important Research Results

• Ten percent worry that themselves drink too much and one in twenty that themselves overuse substances.
• One in four express concern that a spouse, relative, or close person has excessive alcohol intake.
• 16% are concerned about a close person's reliance on narcotics.
• Individuals that have an income exceeding fifty thousand pounds a year are three times more prone to have a person with an addiction problem.

Family Substance Misuse

Furthermore, a seventh of those surveyed reported that dependency had affected several family lines of their family. Specialists indicated that genetics might account for that, and some people may be imitating the actions of one or both of their mother and father.

A campaign titled Stop the Pattern is being launched to showcase how prevalent family dependency can be.

Authority Reaction

An official for the Department of Healthcare and Social Care stated that they were revitalizing National Health Service substance and drink care programs in England after an extended time of underfunding.

"The government has allocated an extra £310 million in the upcoming financial year to upgrade substance and drink support systems and recovery support in England, in addition to the public health grant. Our plan for progress will move medical care towards proactive measures, such as through timely support, to assist residents to extend lifespan, improved well-being across the United Kingdom," they said.