Addiction is a non-discriminatory disease, meaning that it can impact any individual, regardless of where they are from, their upbringing, or their cultural background.
This means that addiction should never be generalised, nor stigmatised due to the countless different effects that it can have on an individual’s life, health, and general wellbeing.
Though there are no confirmed reasons why certain areas may experience higher rates of addiction, this article will focus on addiction specifically in London.
This is not to say that residing in London will cause more individual to develop an addiction but rather will explore the different reasons why an individual in London may experience addiction and how they should best seek support and advice.
What are the statistics for addiction?
In 1971, a paper cited that prior to 1955, there was ‘hardly a problem of drug abuse in England and Wales’, showing how much of a recent issue addiction and its related effects are (1).
For example, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that in the year ending March 2024, there were an estimated 8.8% of individuals aged 16 to 59 years of age who had used substances in the last 12 months, but that this was not an increase from previous years’ statistics (2).
This means that growing pressures and changes in the modern world have been a key drive in the increase of individuals turning to substance use and/or misuse in order to cope with the challenges they face on an everyday.
This can be seen as especially true in busy cities such as London where illegal substances are often more common and residents are faced with a series of unique challenges in their daily lives.
How can addiction affect an individual?
As mentioned previously, there are many ways in which an individual can be impacted by the effects of addiction, but this experience will be different for every individual who struggles with addiction.
This is due to the substance that they are addicted to, the history of their addiction, and any other co-occurring issues – both physical and mental – that the individual is also struggling with.
The following subheadings outline some of the most common effects of addiction, but not all individuals may experience these, and some individuals may experience them more strongly than others.
1. Physical and mental effects
Depending on the substance that the individual is addicted to will cause a range of different effects.
Alcohol, for example, is one of the most common addictions across the UK and can cause serious impairment to an individual’s memory and perception of the world around them when consumed in large quantities.
This is something that can begin to continue into the individual’s everyday life, even if they are not consuming large quantities but are consuming it regularly.
Cocaine, as another example, can cause individuals to feel a ‘boost’ in their mood in the short-term but in the long-term can cause serious changes in the brain and in cognition.
Some studies have linked long-term cocaine usage to decreased cognitive functioning, but this research is still very much under consideration (3).
2. Social effects
As a result of the physical and mental health impacts, there are several knock-on effects that can appear as a result of this.
For example, an individual struggling with addiction may become more withdrawn and secretive about their behaviours – often as a result of feeling shame or embarrassment concerning their addiction.
A decreased social presence and interaction with others is a slippery slope to a vicious cycle, often meaning that individuals spend less time with loved ones and friends in order to engage in addiction behaviours and hide this from those around them.
Getting help for addiction in London
If you or a loved one does find themselves struggling with an addiction in West London (or any other area of the UK), then there are countless different sources of support that an individual can seek, often with far less hassle and judgement than many people may expect.
The remaining subheadings outline some of the most common and easy-to-access support systems that are available across London and the broader region of the UK.
There is no pressure to begin any form of rehabilitation immediately, but addiction is a disorder that can exponentially worsen without the proper support and care, meaning that seeking help should be at the top of ones’ priorities when struggling with the effects of addiction.
1. Inpatient rehabilitation
For most types of addiction, inpatient rehabilitation is the most highly recommended. This is because individuals will reside in a dedicated and specialised centre while receiving care, meaning that they will always have access to the most appropriate and suitable care needed for their situation.
Though inpatient rehabilitation may seem like an extreme form of care, its content is not often so different from the treatments available outside of a dedicated alcohol rehab centre in London. The key difference is just where the individual will live while they are undergoing these forms of treatment and rehabilitation.
More serious forms of addiction such as those to alcohol or heroin should always enquire about inpatient rehabilitation and no form of rehabilitation should be initiated without going over the details of these programmes with a medical professional.
2. Local services
As a first source of support, individuals are always able to reach out to their local doctors’ office or GP’s surgery.
These are medical professionals that are there to support all members of their community, no matter how serious or inconsequential the individual may perceive their addiction to be.
From these sources, an individual will then be recommended a number of different next steps or, if necessary, emergency support and care where needed. These services are often free-of-charge and individuals should always feel comfortable entering these forms of care.
3. Support groups
As an even more local form of support, most communities will have some form of group therapy sessions in the form of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA).
These are support groups that individuals can attend as often as they require. During these groups, individuals will find themselves surrounded by other like-minded individuals who may be struggling with similar issues.
This is an amazing way for individuals to learn more about addiction through the eyes of others, share their own experiences in a freeing manner, and be provided with progress checks and points of reference by the leader of the group and those around them.
These groups can be found all across London and the UK, so find yours today. There are specific groups in London for AA (4) and also for NA across the UK (5).
Finding support for addiction as soon as today
In any case of emergency, the suitable services should always be contacted first. However, those seeking long-term growth, recovery, and treatment should ensure that they find and enter a treatment programme in the world of rehabilitation that is right for them.
Using the resources in this article, as well as from the individual’s own research, it is hoped that all who need help find the right sources of information and support for them.
References
[1] Bean, P., 1971. Social aspects of drug abuse: a study of London drug offenders. The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology, and Police Science, 62(1), pp.80-86.
[2] Office for National Statistics; Drug misuse in England and Wales: year ending March 2024; 12 December 2024; https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/drugmisuseinenglandandwales/yearendingmarch2024#:~:text=A%20total%20of%203.1%25%20of,England%20and%20Wales%20in%202023.
[3] Frazer, K.M., Richards, Q. and Keith, D.R., 2018. The long-term effects of cocaine use on cognitive functioning: A systematic critical review. Behavioural brain research, 348, pp.241-262.
[4] Alcoholics Anonymous London; https://aa-london.com/meetingsearch/
[5] UKNA; Narcotics Anonymous Meetings in the United Kingdom; https://meetings.ukna.org/meeting/search/online
