In 2013, the Centre of Social Justice classified the UK as the “Addiction Capital of Europe” because of the high levels of addiction there. Substance abuse included alcohol and Class A drugs such as cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens and meth.
Every year, the nation spends around £36 billion on alcohol rehab centers and treatments related to drugs and alcohol abuse.
The Brits Love Their Alcohol
In the UK, records from the Alcohol Concern charity shows that 10.8 million adults are abusing alcohol. From these statistics, around 7.5 million are not aware that their drinking habits can cause serious damage to their body.
In the UK alone, 10% of diseases and deaths are caused by alcohol abuse. This is the reason why excessive drinking is considered to be one of the top three lifestyle risk factors. Another alarming statistic of alcohol abuse is the 2015 record of 8, 000 casualties due to drunk driving, and it includes 220 fatalities.
From the estimated 595, 131 people who are suffering from alcoholism in the UK, less than 1/5 of this number received help. More importantly, out of every 10 patients, four never complete the recovery program.
Long-Term Repercussions
Alcohol is a very dangerous drug. An abuse with this substance can start significant problems with the users as well as his family members. For those who have been in this dilemma for years, there are available treatments and support that they can take advantage of as soon as they have acknowledged their condition.
There is a set of strategies that can be used to overcome alcoholism. Some of the possible strategies are prescription medications, counselling and full-scale rehab that comes with medicated detox. There is no blanket technique for treating alcoholism. Every approach is unique to every individual.
Alcohol addiction must be treated during the early stage of abuse. If an individual wants to stay away from the possible destruction of this addiction, he will need to seek help while he can. If someone fails to ask for a professional treatment with their alcohol problem, the following situations may be aggravated:
- Disease. A liver problem is the primary health issue that you may acquire due to excessive drinking. If the condition gets worse and develops to cirrhosis, this could potentially lead to death. Other health issues associated with alcoholism are heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
- Injury. When you lose control of your faculties because of too much alcohol, you are increasing your risk of incurring serious injuries. As you continue drinking, you may hurt yourself or someone else.
- Broken Relationships. Many broken relationships in the UK is due to alcohol abuse and other addictive substances. If you show undesirable behaviour due to excessive drinking, your family may leave you, your friends may abandon you, and you will be left all alone.
- Financial Ruin. Once you lose control because of alcohol, you are increasing your risk of losing your employment. If you have a business, you may end up mismanaging it and lose all the investments you have made.
Whether you choose to get treatment from the nearest rehab centre or not, the most important thing is you are trying to seek help. Don’t wait until you’ve lost control of yourself and the important people in your life. If you are suffering from alcohol problems or addiction, get help as soon as you can.
