What is addiction?

Addiction can be defined as a loss of control over a behaviour to the extent that it becomes harmful. While addiction is often associated with substances like alcohol and drugs, it can also involve behaviours such as gambling, gaming, or watching pornography.

Most people who engage in these activities do not develop an addiction, but for some, these behaviours can become compulsive and difficult to control. This can lead to harm not only for the individual but also for those around them, including family, friends, their community, and society as a whole. The resulting harms can encompass financial, social, and physical and mental health problems.

Treatment is available

Addiction is a complex issue, but the encouraging news is that established evidence shows treatment is effective and can lead to positive change. Successful treatment often involves support from a range of professionals across various settings, tailored to the individual's needs.

Overcoming addictions often involves a combination of approaches, including:

  • Peer support and advocacy: Building recovery-focused communities and relationships.
  • Psychosocial support: Services such as counselling and therapy.
  • Medication: Where appropriate, to assist with withdrawal and stabilisation.
  • Relapse prevention: Developing long-term strategies for sustained recovery.

Treatment settings

Addiction treatment can take place in various settings, including:

  • Community Services: providing accessible, local support.
  • Residential rehabilitation: Offering structured, immersive programmes.
  • Hospital settings: addressing acute medical and mental health needs.
  • Criminal justice settings: Supporting individuals involved with the justice system.

In the UK, addiction treatment is available through a variety of pathways, including:

  • Peer Support and Advocacy Groups
  • Public sector services
  • Charities and not-of-profit organisations
  • Private sector services

Each pathway offers unique resources and services to support individuals on their recovery journey.

Recovery is often a lifelong process, with many individuals benefiting from ongoing support tailored to their needs.

Peer support and advocacy

Peer support and advocacy groups, led by individuals with lived experience of addiction, play a significant role in helping people overcome addiction and build fulfilling lives. These groups aim to address the root causes of addiction while fostering recovery-oriented cultures that offer alternative communities and activities for lifelong support. Many peer support networks also promote giving back to the wider community through volunteering.

Free peer support networks include:

Drug and alcohol treatment services

In the UK, public sector community services offer free treatment for drug and alcohol problems. Access can be obtained via a GP referral or by contacting the services directly. Some GPs provide treatment from their surgery.

These services aim to:

  • Reduce harm and stabilise individuals.
  • Support people to reduce or stop problematic substance use.
  • Promote recovery through access to peer support and advocacy.

Services typically include:

  • One-to-one support: addressing factors contributing to addiction and its impact, such as financial, social, employment, and housing issues.
  • Medical services: detoxification and prescribing interventions.
  • Counselling and group work: access to therapeutic services and peer support networks.
  • Referral for residential rehabilitation: for individuals requiring more intensive care.

Assessment and referral: All services involve an assessment process, and will refer on to other services. Some referrals may require funding applications for specific treatments, such as residential rehabilitation or inpatient detoxification.

For legal advice on drugs contact Release

Find local services:

 

Counselling and therapy

Many counsellors are trained, skilled and experienced in supporting people with addictions.

Counselling aims to help individuals address emotional issues and gain a deeper understanding of themselves and others. While some drug and alcohol services offer free counselling, private sector counsellors are widely available across the UK. They can offer an important service to people experiencing addiction problems and their families.

Important Considerations for private sector counsellors:

Counselling is unregulated in the UK, so not all practitioners are required to have formal training, qualifications, or professional registration. We advise that you:

  • Check if the counsellor is a member of a voluntary professional register, such as Addiction Professionals who are the only register offering accreditation to counsellors working with addictions
  • Ask about:
    • Training qualifications.
    • Criminal record disclosure (e.g., Disclosure and Barring Service check in England and Wales). They should be happy to share this with you
    • Experience and approach to working with addictions.
  • Organisations can also become affiliate members of voluntary professional bodies, and it is worth checking to see if this is the case. To see if an organisation is a member, check our Affiliate Directory or contact us.

Residential rehabilitation

Traditional models of rehab involve the person having a complete break from their current circumstances and staying at a centre that is away from their home and environment where they developed their addiction. Newer models of residential treatment include supported housing provision linked to structured treatment and other local services.

Rehabs are usually abstinence-based and provide an intense programme of support and care aimed at people who have difficulty overcoming their addiction in the community. They have a range of philosophical approaches, but all aim to support the end of the addiction and to develop an addiction-free lifestyle. 

Residential rehabilitation centers provide more intensive residential treatment, with programmes lasting from a few weeks to several months. These centers may include:
•   Residential services/care:  A structured, immersive environment for detox, therapy, peer support, and counselling, designed to support clients through their recovery journey."
•    Tailored treatment plans: individualised care and holistic treatments tailored to each individual specific addiction need including art therapy, yoga, and alternative therapies.
•    Aftercare services: Follow-up support after rehabilitation is a key component, often provided by residential rehabilitation to help prevent relapse.

Accessing rehab

You may be able to access residential rehabilitation via your Community drug and alcohol treatment service for free. If you are considering paying for rehab, you should check the following:

  • All residential rehabilitation centres are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Check the rehab's  CQC report. 
  • Ask about their approach and the services that they offer to make sure it will meet your needs.
  • Rehabs can become affiliate members of voluntary professional bodies, and it is worth checking to see if this is the case. To see if a rehab is an Addiction Professionals Affiliated Organisation check our Affiliate Directory or contact us.

Find residential rehabs

Other private sector services

There are a range of private sector services that are offered by practitioners including coaching/mentoring, medical services including detoxification, and a range of other one-to-one support. When seeking private sector support provided by an individual we advise you to check the following:

  • Ask whether whether they are a member of a professional body. For some practitioners (for example counsellors) there is not a requirement to be a member of a voluntary professional body, but it is considered good practice. It means that practitioners agree to adhere to standards of conduct and ethics, achieve a specified level of training to perform their role, and agree to adhere to a disciplinary procedure from their voluntary body if they fall below standards.
  • If they are not a member of a professional/voluntary body ask to see their training qualifications
  • Ask to see a copy of their criminal record disclosure (for example the Disclosure and Barring Service in England and Wales). 
  • Ask about their experience and approach for working with addictions to make sure you are getting a service that suits you.
  • Organisations can also become affiliate members of voluntary professional bodies, and it is worth checking to see if this is the case. To see if an organisation is a member check our Affiliate Directory or contact us.

For specific roles membership of a professional body is required and you should check registers, including Addiction Professionals  to verify that the practitioner is a member

  • To practise as a nurse in the UK you must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
  • In order to practise, pharmacists in the UK must register with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
  • In order to practise as a psychologist in the UK you must be registered with the HCPC as a practitioner psychologist.
  • Doctors are required to be registered with the GMC in order to practise in the UK.
  • Social workers must be registered with the relevant professional bodies in England  Scotland Northern Ireland and Wales in order to practise in a formal role within local authorities, and it is good practice to maintain this registration if working in another sector.

 

Peer support and advocacy

A range of groups and services are led by individuals with lived experience of addiction. While peer support and advocacy services vary in their approaches, their primary aim is to help people overcome addiction and build a life no longer centred around it.

These services focus on:

  • Exploring underlying issues: Helping individuals identify and address the factors that contributed to their addiction.
  • Fostering recovery cultures: creating supportive, recovery-oriented communities and activities that offer lifelong connections and encouragement.

A key philosophy of peer support and advocacy is giving back to the community, often through volunteering, which helps to strengthen both personal recovery and the wider recovery community.

How to access peer support and advocacy

There are a number of peer support networks which are free to access, including including SMART Recovery,  Gamblers Anonymous England Wales and Ulster and Gamblers Anonymous Scotland and GamLearn. You can find peer support and advocacy services in the directory of services on the GambleAware website.

Charities and support services

There are charities and support groups that offer free, confidential support to people who are gambling, and their friends and family.

  • The National Gambling Helpline (run by GamCare) – call 0808 8020 133 for free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for free information, support and counselling
  • GambleAware – the National Gambling Support Network service
  • ChapterOne – a charity that can provide advice and support for anyone experiencing gambling-related harms.

NHS gambling clinics

In England you can go to a specialist NHS gambling treatment clinic. They have a team of psychiatrists and psychologists who can:

  • treat you if gambling is causing you problems
    support you with your recovery
    provide therapy for any complex health needs you have related to gambling
    support your family or friends if they need help

You can self-refer to a gambling clinic near you, or you can ask a GP for information on services in your area.

Find out more about what’s offered and how to self-refer at:

There is also the Primary Care Gambling Service – a national service providing support for anyone experiencing gambling-related harms.

You can find a directory of services on the GambleAware website.

Counselling and therapy

Counselling aims to help individuals address emotional issues and gain a deeper understanding of themselves and others and private sector counsellors are widely available across the UK. They can be a valuable service for people experiencing addictions, and their families and loved ones.

Important considerations for private sector counsellors:

Counselling is unregulated in the UK, so not all practitioners are required to have formal training, qualifications, or professional registration. We advise that you:

  • Check if the counsellor is a member of a voluntary professional register, such as Addiction Professionals who are the only register offering accreditation to counsellors working with addictions
  • Ask about:
    • Training qualifications.
    • Criminal record disclosure (e.g., Disclosure and Barring Service check in England and Wales). They should be happy to share this with you
    • Experience and approach to working with addictions.
  • Organisations can also become affiliate members of voluntary professional bodies, and it is worth checking to see if this is the case. To see if an organisation is a member, check our Affiliate Directory or contact us.

Residential rehabilitation

Traditional models of rehab involve the person having a complete break from their current circumstances and staying at a centre that is away from their home and environment where they developed their addiction. Newer models of residential treatment include supported housing provision linked to structured treatment and other local services.

Rehabs are usually abstinence-based and provide an intense programme of support and care aimed at people who have difficulty overcoming their addiction in the community. They have a range of philosophical approaches, but all aim to support the end of the addiction and to develop an addiction-free lifestyle. 

Residential rehabilitation centers provide more intensive residential treatment, with programmes lasting from a few weeks to several months. These centers may include:
•    Tailored treatment plans: individualised care and holistic treatments, including art therapy, yoga, and alternative therapies.
•    Aftercare services: Follow-up support after rehabilitation is a key component, often provided by residential rehabilitation to help prevent relapse.

What to look for in a rehab

  • All residential rehabilitation centres are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Check the rehab's  CQC report. 
  • Ask about their approach and the services that they offer to make sure it will meet your needs.
  • Rehabs can become affiliate members of voluntary professional bodies, and it is worth checking to see if this is the case. To see if a rehab is an Addiction Professionals Affiliated Organisation check our Affiliate Directory or contact us.

Other private sector services

There are a range of private sector services that are offered by practitioners including coaching/mentoring, medical services including detoxification, and a range of other one-to-one support. When seeking private sector support provided by an individual we advise you to check the following:

  • Ask whether whether they are a member of a professional body. For some practitioners (for example counsellors) there is not a requirement to be a member of a voluntary professional body, but it is considered good practice. It means that practitioners agree to adhere to standards of conduct and ethics, achieve a specified level of training to perform their role, and agree to adhere to a disciplinary procedure from their voluntary body if they fall below standards.
  • If they are not a member of a professional/voluntary body ask to see their training qualifications
  • Ask to see a copy of their criminal record disclosure (for example the Disclosure and Barring Service in England and Wales). 
  • Ask about their experience and approach for working with addictions to make sure you are getting a service that suits you.
  • Organisations can also become affiliate members of voluntary professional bodies, and it is worth checking to see if this is the case. To see if an organisation is a member check our Affiliate Directory or contact us.

For specific roles membership of a professional body is required and you should check registers, including Addiction Professionals  to verify that the practitioner is a member

  • To practise as a nurse in the UK you must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
  • In order to practise, pharmacists in the UK must register with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
  • In order to practise as a psychologist in the UK you must be registered with the HCPC as a practitioner psychologist.
  • Doctors are required to be registered with the GMC in order to practise in the UK.
  • Social workers must be registered with the relevant professional bodies in England  Scotland Northern Ireland and Wales in order to practise in a formal role within local authorities, and it is good practice to maintain this registration if working in another sector.

 

 

Other behavioural addictions can include a wide range of behaviours including gaming and pornography. You can seek support for compulsive behaviours from your GP, who may refer you for counselling via the NHS. 

NHS talking therapies

The NHS offers Talking Therapies which uses cognitive behavioral therapy which includes compulsive behaviours. Depending on the nature of your problem your GP may refer you, or you can self refer via the NHS website

Counselling

Counselling aims to help individuals address emotional issues and gain a deeper understanding of themselves and others. While some drug and alcohol services offer free counselling, private sector counsellors are widely available across the UK. They can offer an important service to people experiencing addiction problems and their families.

Important Considerations for private sector counsellors:

Counselling is unregulated in the UK, so not all practitioners are required to have formal training, qualifications, or professional registration. We advise that you:

  • Check if the counsellor is a member of a voluntary professional register, such as Addiction Professionals who are the only register offering accreditation to counsellors working with addictions
  • Ask about:
    • Training qualifications.
    • Criminal record disclosure (e.g., Disclosure and Barring Service check in England and Wales). They should be happy to share this with you
    • Experience and approach to working with addictions.
  • Organisations can also become affiliate members of voluntary professional bodies, and it is worth checking to see if this is the case. To see if an organisation is a member, check our Affiliate Directory or contact us.

Residential rehabilitation

Residential rehabilitation centers provide more intensive, residential treatment, with programmes lasting from a few weeks to several months. These centers may offer:
•    Tailored treatment plans: individualised care and holistic treatments, including art therapy, yoga, and alternative therapies.
•    Aftercare services: Follow-up support after rehabilitation is a key component, often provided by residential rehabilitation to help prevent relapse.

If you are considering paying for rehab, you should check the following:

  • All residential rehabilitation centres are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Check the rehab's  CQC report. 
  • Ask about their approach and the services that they offer to make sure it will meet your needs.
  • Rehabs can become affiliate members of voluntary professional bodies, and it is worth checking to see if this is the case. To see if a rehab is an Addiction Professionals Affiliated Organisation check our Affiliate Directory 

Other private sector services

There are a range of private sector services that are offered by practitioners including coaching/mentoring, medical services including detoxification, and a range of other one-to-one support. When seeking private sector support from an individual we advise you to check the following:

  • Ask whether whether they are a member of a professional body. For some practitioners (for example counsellors) there is not a requirement to be a member of a voluntary professional body, but it is considered good practice. It means that practitioners agree to adhere to standards of conduct and ethics, achieve a specified level of training to perform their role, and agree to adhere to a disciplinary procedure from their voluntary body if they fall below standards.
  • If they are not a member of a professional/voluntary body ask to see their training qualifications
  • Ask to see a copy of their criminal record disclosure (for example the Disclosure and Barring Service in England and Wales). 
  • Ask about their experience and approach for working with addictions to make sure you are getting a service that suits you.
  • Organisations can also become affiliate members of voluntary professional bodies, and it is worth checking to see if this is the case. To see if an organisation is a member check our Affiliate Directory or contact us.

For specific roles membership of a professional body is required and you should check registers, including Addiction Professionals  to verify that the practitioner is a member

  • To practise as a nurse in the UK you must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
  • In order to practise, pharmacists in the UK must register with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC).
  • In order to practise as a psychologist in the UK you must be registered with the HCPC as a practitioner psychologist.
  • Doctors are required to be registered with the GMC in order to practise in the UK.
  • Social workers must be registered with the relevant professional bodies in England  Scotland Northern Ireland and Wales in order to practise in a formal role within local authorities, and it is good practice to maintain this registration if working in another sector.

 

Addictions can take their toll on family and loved ones who may experience problems with relationships, finances, and mental and physical health. Help is available for family and love-ones of people with addictions, including peer support and advocacy, and a range of one-to-one and group support from charities.

For support with alcohol and drug problems

If you are in England and Wales visit Adfam,  DrugFam, and Smart Family and Friends

If you are in Scotland visit Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs and Smart Family and Friends

For support with gambling problems

Visit GamAnon and Smart Family and Friends