Drug addiction

We have all heard of drug addiction, yet if you were asked to explain exactly what it means, the answer might not come so easily. Most people would point to someone who cannot stop taking a substance, but that is only scratching the surface.

A drug addiction is a state where the pull of a drug begins to override choice, slipping from casual use into something that feels necessary just to get through the day. The body can adapt to the presence of the drug, creating tolerance where higher amounts are needed for the same effect.

Alongside this, the mind can start to cling to the relief, escape or rush that the drug brings, until life without it feels almost unbearable. What makes this so difficult is that people often realise the harm long before they are able to stop, leading to a cycle of use that carries guilt, frustration and despair.

For those watching a loved one go through this, it can be painful to see how powerful the hold becomes. For those living it, the battle is not about weakness or lack of willpower but about trying to fight something that has taken root in both body and mind.

It’s essential to examine closely the substances being used in the UK and the number of people using them. This does not mean that everyone who takes a drug will develop an addiction, but the first step toward addiction always begins with use. Once we understand the scale of consumption, we can see the potential scope of the problem that could follow.

In 2023, around 8.8% of adults reported using an illicit drug, which equates to almost three million people. Cannabis was by far the most common drug, used by about 6.8% of adults, while powder cocaine, MDMA and hallucinogens each hovered around the 1-3% mark. These figures show that while cannabis leads in terms of volume, harder substances are far from absent.

When broken down further, younger adults between 16 and 24 are significantly more likely to use drugs than older groups, with usage more than double the rate of those aged 25 to 59.

Frequent use, which means taking drugs more than once a month, was recorded at around 1.8% of adults, amounting to over 600,000 people. This group is smaller in number but represents a higher risk of slipping into patterns of dependency.

So now we know how many people are using drugs in the UK, the next step is to see how many of those people have reached the stage of needing treatment. By putting usage data alongside treatment figures, we start to see a clearer picture of addiction in the country.

It is worth remembering that not everyone who struggles with addiction will ever enter drug addiction treatment, so these figures only represent a fraction of the full scale.

• In 2023–24, over 310,000 adults were in contact with drug and alcohol services in England. 
• Nearly half of these were seeking help for opiate addiction, which continues to dominate the treatment landscape. 
• Alcohol-only cases were the next largest group, making up about 30% of all patients. 
• Non-opiate drugs such as cannabis and powder cocaine also made up significant portions of people entering treatment

These numbers underline that while heroin and alcohol remain at the heart of treatment demand, other drugs are steadily pulling people into services as well.

Spotting the signs of drug addiction matters because the earlier they are recognised, the sooner something can be done. The challenge is that in the early stages, signs are often easier to cover up. People can disguise habits behind routines, excuses or even humour, which makes it harder for others to notice what is really happening.

That is why educating yourself on what to look out for is one of the best ways to cut through the uncertainty.

If you notice these signs in yourself, it is worth pausing to reflect on your relationship with the drugs you are using. That reflection can be uncomfortable, yet it has the power to give you real clarity. In the next section, you will find a questionnaire designed to help you look more closely at where you stand.