Last Updated:

January 30th, 2026

Addiction

Addiction is a recognised medical condition where something that starts as a choice becomes a compulsion. The easiest way to describe it is when a substance or behaviour controls you rather than the other way around. Understanding addiction means recognising it as a genuine illness like asthma or arthritis. This means that it can happen to anyone, regardless of background or willpower, and it also means that there is treatment available to anyone who needs it.

woman in addiction sitting on sofa

What is addiction?

Addiction is a condition where you continue using a substance or engaging in a behaviour despite serious negative consequences. Your brain adapts to expect whatever you’re addicted to, and stopping creates physical discomfort, psychological distress, or both. Over time, you need more to get the same effect, and life increasingly revolves around obtaining and using the substance or repeating the behaviour.

Repeated substance abuse and even activities like gambling can change brain chemistry and structure, particularly in areas governing reward, motivation, and self-control. These changes explain why people continue using substances or doing certain behaviours even when they genuinely want to stop.

Why does understanding addiction matter?

In England, more than 600,000 adults are dependent on alcohol, while drug-related deaths have reached record levels, with 5,565 registered in England and Wales in 2024. Alcohol harm alone costs England an estimated £27.44 billion annually, including £4.91 billion to the NHS. Drug misuse adds a further £10.7 billion in costs from healthcare, crime, and lost productivity.

These addiction statistics represent real people, and crucially, not just the person with the addiction. Families are left dealing with constant crisis, children grow up in chaos, and countless others are left vulnerable due to the strain addiction places on healthcare systems and other social services.

What are the types of addiction?

Addiction falls into two broad categories: behavioural and substance addictions.

Drug Addiction

This covers illegal substances, including cannabis addiction, cocaine addiction, heroin addiction, crack cocaine addiction, ketamine addiction, MDMA addiction, and meth addiction. Different drugs create different patterns of addiction, some causing severe physical withdrawal and others intense psychological cravings.
Drug Addiction

Legal high addiction

This involves synthetic drugs designed to mimic illegal substances, and includes Benzo Fury addiction, Spice addiction, and mephedrone addiction. These drugs can be particularly dangerous because their chemical composition is unpredictable.
Legal high addiction

Alcohol addiction

This is the most common substance addiction in Britain. Alcohol is legal, socially accepted, and everywhere, which makes problem drinking easy to hide. Physical dependence develops with heavy regular use, and alcohol withdrawal can be medically dangerous and even life-threatening.
Alcohol addiction

 

Other Common Drugs Addiction

This includes psychoactive and plant-based substances such as ayahuasca, magic mushrooms, psilocybin, peyote, iboga, and DMT. Regular or unsupervised use can lead to psychological dependence and mental health risks. Treatment focuses on understanding use patterns and restoring stability.
Other Drugs Addiction

Prescription Drug Addiction

Medications prescribed for pain, anxiety, or sleep can all lead to addiction even when taken as they’re supposed to be. Prescription opioid addiction, benzodiazepine addiction, antidepressant addiction, stimulant addiction, and sleeping pill addiction are all common and potentially very dangerous.
Prescription Drug Addiction

Behavioural Addiction

This is also called “process addiction”, and while it doesn’t involve substances, it follows the same patterns of compulsion and loss of control. Gambling addiction is the most recognised, but sex addiction, gaming addiction, and compulsive buying addiction can be equally destructive.

Substance addiction can involve countless legal and illegal substances.

Behavioural Addiction

What are the signs of addiction?

Recognising the signs of addiction early improves the chances of successful treatment. Addiction symptoms vary by substance and individual, but certain patterns appear consistently:

Psychological addiction signs

  • Constant preoccupation with the substance or behaviour
  • Finding it difficult to focus on anything else
  • Mood changes like irritability, anxiety, or depression, when not using
  • Addiction denial in the face of clear and obvious issues

Physical and behavioural addiction signs

  • Changes in sleep patterns, appetite, weight, and appearance
  • Neglecting responsibilities
  • Withdrawing from friends and family
  • Lying about drugs, alcohol, or behaviours
  • Legal, personal, or financial issues due to addiction
  • Losing interest in activities that once mattered
  • Continuing to use substances or do certain behaviours despite mounting problems at work, home, or with health.

What are the causes and risk factors of addiction?

We have come a long way in our understanding of addiction, and we now know that it develops through a combination of factors. No single cause explains why one person becomes addicted, but some of the most common causes include:

 

Brain changes
Addictive substances and behaviours flood the brain with chemicals like dopamine, creating intense pleasure. With repeated exposure, the brain adapts, reducing its natural chemical production and sensitivity. This means you soon need more to feel normal, let alone good.
Genetics
Research suggests genetic factors may account for approximately 40-60% of addiction risk. Therefore, if you have close family members with addiction problems, you’re more likely to develop them yourself.
Environment and social factors
Growing up around substance abuse normalises it and makes early experimentation more likely. Easy access also increases risk, as does peer pressure, especially in adolescence. Poverty, lack of opportunity, and social isolation can also contribute, as they increase stress and limit alternative ways of coping.
Trauma and mental health
Many people with addiction are also dealing with mental health conditions, including depression and addiction, anxiety and addiction, ADHD and addiction, and bipolar disorder and addiction. Childhood trauma, abuse, and neglect also significantly increase addiction risk because substances offer a temporary way to numb painful emotions.

young woman in Codeine addiction

Side effects of addiction

Addiction affects every aspect of life, with both serious short- and long-term risks.

Short-term effects
Short-term effects vary by substance but commonly include overdose risk, high blood pressure and heart rate, breathing dangers, increased risk of infections, impaired judgment, risky behaviour, accidents, and problems at work or school. Even behavioural addictions cause immediate problems like financial losses from gambling, or relationship damage from compulsive gaming or sex.
Long-term effects
Long-term substance abuse damages organs, particularly the liver, heart, and brain. Mental health can also deteriorate, relationships can break down, and careers and educational opportunities can be destroyed. Financial ruin can become common as money goes toward feeding the addiction rather than paying bills, and all the most important relationships come under extreme pressure.

Treatment and support options for addiction

The earlier that addiction is addressed, the better the outcomes.Required treatment also tends to be shorter and more successful when problems are caught early. The three main stages of treatment are:

1. Detox

Alcohol detox and drug detox provide medical supervision whilst your body clears out all the substance and breaks its dependence on substances. There are both illegal and prescription drug detox programmes available, but all require careful medical planning.

2. Rehab

This includes alcohol rehab, drug rehab, prescription drugs rehab, and behavioural rehab to address the psychological aspects of addiction. Programmes usually range from 10-day package options to a 28-day package or a 90-day package. Specialist programmes may also cater to specific groups, including rehab for professionals and rehab for teenagers.

3. Ongoing support

At the end of a treatment programme, you will usually work on relapse prevention strategies to help you recognise triggers and maintain progress. Post-treatment, getting local support through groups like AA Meetings, NA Meetings, or Gamblers Anonymous provides community and accountability for many years to come.

Finding help for addiction

Recovery.org can help you understand your options and find appropriate treatment. If you or someone you care about is struggling, contact us today to talk through your situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 4 C’s of addiction?
The 4 C’s describe core features of addiction: Compulsion to use despite wanting to stop. Cravings that dominate your thoughts. Consequences that continue to mount without changing behaviour. Control that has been lost over use.
How to break free from addiction?
Breaking free from addiction typically requires professional help. Start by acknowledging the problem, then reach out to a treatment provider, your GP, or Recovery.org. They can help advise you on the best course of treatment and the support you will need for recovery.
What is the most effective treatment for addiction?
The most effective treatment combines medical care for physical dependence with psychological therapy for the underlying issues. When choosing a programme, look for a combination of individual and group therapy, evidence-based approaches like cognitive behavioural therapy and motivational interviewing, complementary holistic therapies, and full aftercare services.

(Click here to see works cited)