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Addiction
Addiction is defined as not having control over doing, taking, or using something to the point where it could be harmful to you and to others.
Adapted from source: NHS
If you or your family member are experiencing addiction, it’s important to know that there is help available. You are not alone, and there are plenty of free resources available to support you. There is no shame in admitting to having an addiction. The most important step is to recognise that you have a problem. If a loved one has a problem, they must recognise this and want to seek help.
Higher risk alcohol use and problematic drug use are significant issues in Scotland, causing damage to people’s lives, families, and communities, and contributing to violence and crime.
Source: Scot.Gov
It’s possible to form addictions to anything. On this page we will focus on four key areas of addiction that are commonly associated with crime: alcohol, drugs, gambling and porn.
The guidance on this page is designed to signpost you to support services and should not be taken in isolation.
Withdrawing from certain addictions can cause serious health problems and therefore should be done under medical supervision. It is important, therefore, that you seek medical advice so that your healthcare provider can help you to create a plan of action.
With any form of addiction, you will need support to recover, which is why it’s always a good idea to seek professional help and advice. You don’t have to be alone, there is always someone who will understand.
You can seek advice and support for your addiction from many places including your GP, healthcare provider, pharmacist, plus a variety of charities and organisations who are there to support you and your family members.
Find more information about the type of support you can access in the different sections of this article, as well as in the resources list at the end of this page.
Alcohol
If you are worried about your own or someone else’s drinking there are lots of organisations available to help.
NHS Addiction Services
These provide confidential assessments, treatment plans, and support groups tailored to individual needs. They offer a range of therapies, medication management, and harm reduction strategies.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
The peer support group offers a 12-step program for individuals seeking recovery from alcohol addiction. AA meetings provide a safe space for sharing experiences, offering encouragement, and finding strength in community.
Find online meetings or phone their national helpline number 0800 9177650.
Alcohol Helpline
Alcohol Helpline can provide advice and support if you’re over 50 and are worried about your own or someone else’s drinking. You can book an appointment online or phone 0808 801 0750, Monday to Friday, 12pm to 8pm and Saturday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm.
With You
With You run Drinkline Helpline Scotland, offering advice for anyone who is worried about their own or someone else’s drinking – Phone 0800 731 4314, available Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm and Saturday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm.
Drugs
NHS Scotland
There are many health services that can provide support for people affected by drugs. The NHS are able to provide talking therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). They are also able to provide substitute drugs, such methadone or buprenorphine, that can support withdrawal and a are safer than buying street drugs.
Crew
This public health charity focuses on reducing harm associated with psychostimulant drug use. They offer harm reduction services, education, and advocacy for people who use drugs and their communities.
Crew offers digital drop-in services for under 25s.
Phone 07860 047501, Monday to Saturday, 1pm to 5pm (Thursday, 3pm to 7pm).
FRANK
This confidential service provides information and advice about drugs and their effects. They offer a helpline (0300 123 6600), online chat, and resources on various drugs and their associated risks.
Scottish Drugs Forum
Scottish Drug Forum provides a map of where the following services can be found across Scotland:
- Injecting equipment providers (IEPs)
- Pharmacy services
- Naloxone dispensers
- Drugs and alcohol support
Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a community of people who support each other to achieve and maintain a drug-free life. This peer support group offers a 12-step program for individuals seeking recovery from drug addiction. Similar to AA, NA provides a supportive community and shares experiences for mutual encouragement and accountability.
Phone 0300 999 1212, Monday to Sunday, 10am to 12am.
Cocaine Anonymous (CA)
Cocaine Anonymous (CA) is a group where people share their experiences with each other to help aid recovery.
Email helpline@cauk.org.uk or phone 0800 612 0225.
Know the Score
Know The Score provides support if you’ve taken drugs, are thinking of taking them, or are just curious and want to know more.
Use their webchat or phone 0800 587 5879, Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm and Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 4pm.
Porn
Porn addiction, while not officially recognised as a disorder, can significantly impact an individual's life in various ways. Porn can include magazines, books, videos, movies, graphic novels, or any other medium in which sexual acts and or sexualised images are explicitly depicted.
Excessive pornography use can lead to compulsive behaviour, causing neglect of responsibilities, work or relationships. The brain's reward system becomes accustomed to the intense stimulation of porn, leading to desensitisation and a need for increasingly graphic content, potentially impacting real-life intimacy and satisfaction.
Mental health issues like anxiety, depression and shame can arise due to guilt surrounding porn use or unrealistic expectations based on portrayals in porn. Additionally, strained relationships and financial difficulties can occur due to excessive spending on porn or concealing porn use from loved ones.
Recognising these potential consequences and seeking support are crucial for overcoming porn addiction and regaining control.
(Sources: Pornography Addiction - Addictions UK
WebMD, Verywell Mind, Medical News Today)
The UK Government has acknowledged the relationship between online pornography use and harmful sexual behaviour.
Source: The relationship between pornography use and harmful sexual behaviours (HTML) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Remember, seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Don't hesitate to reach out for support. There is help available.
Below are some links to information and organisations who can assist with porn addiction.
Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA)
This peer support group offers a 12-step program for individuals struggling with sexual addiction. SLAA provides a safe space for sharing experiences, offering support, and finding strength in community.
Lucy Faithfull Foundation Scotland
1-1 intervention support and group work for:
- Adults who are at risk of sexual offending, including those who are under investigation for online offences.
- Families and friends of people who are at risk of sexual offending or have been arrested for online offences.
- Children and young people (under the age of 18) who have displayed harmful sexual behaviour or have been arrested for online sexual offences.
StopSO
StopSO believes prevention is better than cure, so StopSO provides specialist therapy across the UK to sex offenders and those who have yet to act on their ‘troubling thoughts’.
They also work with families, helping them come to terms with being related to someone convicted of a sexual offence.
Gambling
Gambling can begin as a pastime but, for some, it can spiral into a dangerous addiction. Fortunately, Scotland offers a robust network of support for individuals and families battling gambling harm. Below we highlight resources and avenues of help available to those struggling with this issue.
Gambling addiction can be subtle, often masking itself as harmless entertainment. Signs like financial difficulties, neglecting responsibilities, increased isolation, and emotional volatility can indicate a deeper problem. If you recognize these signs in yourself or a loved one, seeking help is crucial.
National Gambling Helpline
This 24/7 service, offered by GamCare, provides confidential information, support, and counselling.
Dial 0808 8020 133 for free, anonymous assistance.
GambleAware
This organisation champions responsible gambling and runs the National Gambling Support Network.
Visit their website for resources, tools, and self-assessment quizzes.
Citizens Advice Scotland
Citizens Advice Scotland staff members can provide practical and emotional support, alongside referrals to specialist treatment services.
NHS Scotland
Local NHS services offer valuable help through GP consultations and referrals to specialised gambling addiction clinics.
Visit your local NHS website or GP surgery for more information.
GamAnon Scotland
Gam-Anon is a fellowship of men and women who are husbands, wives, relatives or close friends who have been affected by the gambling problem. If you are seeking a solution for living with this problem, we would like you to feel that we understand, as perhaps few can. We too are familiar with worry and sleepless nights and promises made only to be broken. Our thinking had become confused and unreasonable.
Gam-Anon can offer you a new way of life. Their purpose includes:
- To welcome and give assistance and comfort to those affected by the gambling problem
- To learn to understand the gambling problem and its impact on our lives
- To give encouragement and understanding to the gambler when they join Gamblers Anonymous
- To use the programme and its problem-solving suggestions as aids in rebuilding our lives
GamAnon meetings are usually held on the same nights as GA meetings but in separate rooms. The two fellowships do not share experiences or information about each other.
Online Forums and Local Communities (Recovery Cafes)
There are many more online platforms that connect individuals struggling with gambling addiction. If you use a search engine like Google you will find many different options.
In your local community you may also find in-person support services, often called Recovery Cafes, that bring people together to offer peer support, shared experiences and valuable resources.
General Addiction Support
The following support services cover more than one addiction. Please see the descriptions on this page, or click on individual websites to find out more about the services they provide.
SMART Recovery
Smart Recovery online meetings help individuals recover and help them lead meaningful and satisfying lives using science-based therapy.
SMART (Self Management and Recovery Training) is a programme that provides training and tools for people who want to change their problematic behaviour, including addiction to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, gambling, food, shopping, Internet and others.
Guided by trained facilitators, participants come to help themselves and help each other using a variety of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and motivational tools and techniques.
Peer Support
Local communities have recovery cafes and other activities online.
Further details of mutual aid and recovery communities can be found via the Scottish Recovery Consortium or on the Recoverist Network Twitter or Facebook pages.
Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs
If you are concerned about the effects of drug use in your home, and the impact this is having on you or other family members, there are organisations that can help.
Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs can:
- help you understand more about substance use in the family
- provide ways to stay safe
- offer advice and support on how to keep others in your household well
Email helpline@sfad.org.uk or phone 08080 101011, Monday to Friday, 9am to 11pm (a call-back service is available on weekends).
With You
With You provides a range of support for alcohol, drugs and mental health via a local service or online. These are free and confidential services
Young Scot
Young Scot provides information for young people.
Action on Addiction
This national charity offers residential and day treatment programs for drug and alcohol addiction. They provide a range of evidence-based therapies, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and relapse prevention.
Cruse Bereavement Care
While not specific to addiction, this organisation offers bereavement support that can be valuable for families coping with the emotional turmoil caused by addiction.
Additional support
- Childline 0800 1111
- Women’s Aid Scotland 0800 027 1234
- Abused Men in Scotland
- National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0800 027 1234
- Carers Scotland 0808 808 777
- FearFreeLGBT+ support
- National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) 0808 800 5000
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of resources available in Scotland. Many other organisations offer support and services for individuals struggling with addiction. You can find more information by visiting the websites of the organisations listed above or contacting your local NHS Addiction Service.
Signposting
The following organisations offer support on this topic.
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