As a non-discriminatory disease, addiction is a complex disorder which can affect any individual, regardless of their race, gender, sex, or background.
If an individual is struggling with an addiction, it means that they have become dependent on a substance (or behaviour) and will continue to consume it or seek it out, negligent to the consequences that may occur as a result of this.
However, in all cases of addiction, no matter how serious or trivial an individual may feel it to be, seeking support as soon as possible is always recommended (1).
This is because addiction will worsen over time if it is not treated through rehabilitation – a factor which can cause life-threatening conditions in some instances, as well as potentially becoming a lifelong problem for these individuals to cope with.
This article will focus on recognising addiction in others and how to support them going forward through rehabilitation in Worcestershire.
How can addiction affect individuals in Worcestershire?
As addiction is such a complex disorder and can occur as an addiction to a multitude of different substances and/or behaviours, every individual will have a different experience of addiction and therefore different effects.
This means that rehabilitation must be tailored and focussed on each individual case, meaning that there is no ‘standard’ rehabilitation programme in which all individuals go through.
Addiction can lead to both physical and mental health problems, both directly and indirectly, meaning that there are countless different effects that individuals may experience.
In addition, each individual will have personal differences and pre-existing conditions which will also interact uniquely with the effects of addiction itself.
Recognising the signs: what to look out for in family and friends
As the effects of addiction will vary from individual to individual, it is therefore rather challenging to detect an addiction in others.
As an added challenging factor, individuals struggling with addiction are also more likely to be in denial about their situation, embarrassed, or secretive of their behaviours, making this all the more challenging still.
However, there are some key areas of change that those close to the individual may be able to notice – these are covered across the following subheadings. In all cases, it is vital that individuals’ privacy and boundaries are respected, and no sudden action or changes should be made unless the individual becomes a threat to themselves or those around them.
1. Changing appearance
Depending on the substance(s) that an individual is addicted to, these substances may begin to impact how an individual looks.
For example, some skin-altering conditions such as jaundice have been loosely linked to heavy alcohol consumption (2), though this may be due to a number of other factors.
In some cases, addiction may impact an individual’s personal hygiene and upkeep. This may happen as a result of a lack of or lowering of motivation to engage in personal grooming and other hygienic behaviours in favour of addictive behaviours such as drug consumption.
In other examples, individuals may be more likely to stay inside, reducing their contact with the sun and vitamin D, perhaps altering their skin tone in some extreme cases.
2. Behavioural changes
As mentioned previously, individuals struggling with addiction are more likely to display behaviours such as denial and secrecy concerning their activities. This makes it especially difficult for those around them to find out what is wrong.
In cases of close friends and family especially, it is very hard to help a loved one when you are being respectful of their space and how they choose to spend their time – sometimes requiring further treatment to help open the conversation.
As another behavioural change, individuals struggling with addiction are also more likely to lose interest in activities that they may have previously enjoyed – another factor which may be easier to pick up on and investigate respectfully.
3. Aggression/agitation
As addiction becomes such an integral part of how an individual functions and goes about their every day, the absence of the substance or behaviour that the individual is addicted to can cause serious stress, agitation, and (in some case) aggression.
Though it is often thought that addiction is becoming more of a modern issue, there are long-standing stereotypes of individuals not being able to source substances such as alcohol and sometimes engaging in violent behaviour as a result of this.
One study found that this was evident in a population of university students – a demographic that often faces a range of different stressors, adding to the risk of a bad interaction between addiction and aggression (3).
The vicious cycle of addiction – how do we break it?
As can be seen from this article, addiction can be a dangerous condition for individual to struggle with alone.
This is why seeking rehabilitation in Worcestershire is always recommended in order to mitigate these potential future impacts.
The following subheadings outline the key methods in which families and friends of individuals struggling with addiction can offer support to their loved ones in terms of further care.
1. Intervention
If an individual is in denial about their addiction and the impacts of this, then it may be necessary and suitable to carry out an intervention.
During an intervention, the individual struggling with addiction and those around them who have been affected will be able to air their concerns, share their experiences, and make meaningful and helpful suggestions for the future of the individual’s health.
To aid with this, it is always suggested that individuals carry out interventions with the presence of a professional counsellor or mediator to ensure that the next steps that may be created from this process are actually appropriate and suitable for the situation.
2. Rehabilitation
Always recommended for addictions, all individuals should consider rehabilitation to overcome their unique effects.
Either as residential or outpatient rehabilitation, there are countless different options across Worcestershire and the broader UK for all individuals seeking support.
During rehabilitation, individuals will be able to focus on both their physical and mental health, aided in creating their own coping strategies and mechanisms for dealing with their addiction in the long-term and after leaving rehabilitation.
Addiction is a disorder that can never be completely cured, but with the right treatment and support, all individuals can work toward a strong recovery and sober future.
Starting your addiction recovery journey in Worcestershire today
To find out more about addiction recovery in Worcestershire, how to tell if someone is struggling with addiction, and where to start your addiction journey, speak to your local health services or an addiction referral service to start the process today.
Addiction is not something that individuals should be judged or shamed for, so take the first steps and start your addiction recovery process today.
Sources
[1] Delmiati, S., 2023. Implementation of Medical Rehabilitation and Social Rehabilitation for Addicts and Victims of Drug Abuse. Ekasakti Journal of Law and Justice, 1(1), pp.21-29.
[2] Fargo, M.V., Grogan, S.P. and Saguil, A., 2017. Evaluation of jaundice in adults. American family physician, 95(3), pp.164-168.
[3] Rounaghi, M., Pakseresht, S., Asiry, S. and Atrkar Roushan, Z., 2018. Relationship between aggression and addiction tendency among university students. Journal of Holistic Nursing And Midwifery, 28(3), pp.185-191.
Written by Jack Harris
