Drug and alcohol addiction

Sabbir’s family owns a group of companies, and he was meant to join the board after his degree. It started with yaba before exams, to stay awake. Then for the energy, then because without it he could not face the day. Watches have gone missing from his father’s dressing room. His father has shouted, prayed and threatened. Sabbir says, every time, that he can stop whenever he wants.

An illustration drawn from common experience. The people are invented; the pattern is not.

Understanding drug and alcohol addiction

Addiction, which ICD-11 describes as substance dependence, is a health condition in which a person keeps using alcohol or drugs despite clear harm, with craving, loss of control, and often tolerance and withdrawal. It changes how the brain’s reward system works, which is why willpower alone so often fails. Many people who struggle with addiction also live with depression, anxiety, ADHD or trauma, and treating those is part of recovery.

How common is drug and alcohol addiction?

About 400 million people worldwide live with alcohol use disorders, WHO reported in 2024, and alcohol caused some 2.6 million deaths in 2019; drug use caused another 0.6 million.

Signs and symptoms of drug and alcohol addiction

• Using more, or for longer, than intended; failed attempts to cut down
• Craving, and spending much time getting or recovering from substances
• Problems at work, study or home; money or valuables going missing
• Withdrawal symptoms such as shaking, sweating or agitation when stopping

Treatment for drug and alcohol addiction

Treatment starts with an honest, respectful assessment, including physical health. Stopping some substances suddenly, especially alcohol and sedatives, can be dangerous, so withdrawal may need medical supervision. Motivational interviewing, a structured way of helping people find their own reasons to change, has been tested in more than a hundred studies and produces modest but durable improvements. It is combined with other psychotherapy, family work, and treatment of any underlying mental health conditions.

What getting better can look like

Sabbir’s recovery may not run in a straight line. It might begin with a single week, then a month, then a family dinner where nobody is watching his hands.

Common questions about drug and alcohol addiction

Is it dangerous to stop alcohol or drugs suddenly at home?

It can be. Stopping some substances suddenly, especially alcohol and sedatives, can be dangerous, so withdrawal may need medical supervision. An honest assessment with a doctor, including physical health, is a safer first step than stopping alone.

How can I help a family member with addiction who refuses treatment?

Families can come for help on their own first, which is often where change begins. Addiction is a health condition, not a moral failure, and shouting or threats rarely work. Motivational interviewing, a respectful way of helping people find their own reasons to change, has been tested in more than a hundred studies and produces modest but durable improvements.

When to see a psychiatrist

If alcohol or drugs are costing you or someone you love their health, relationships or future, treatment can start with a conversation. Families can come on their own first.

Care here is personal: built around your history, your health and what you want to change, and reviewed with you as it goes.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Sources

• World Health Organization, Global status report on alcohol and health and treatment of substance use disorders, June 2024
• Lundahl et al., Research on Social Work Practice, 2010