Critical Evaluate Available Uk Treatments for Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Critical Evaluate Available UK Treatments for Drug and Alcohol Addiction

Addiction can be described as a complex disease, which is a persistent, compulsive dependence on a behaviour, substance or thing. (Hanson, Venturelli & Fleckenstein, 2010). In terms of substance misuse, the World Health Organisation (WHO) of the United Nations described it as,

“A state of periodic or chronic intoxication detrimental to the individual…which is characterised as an overwhelming desire to continue taking the drug and to obtain it by any means.” (ibid, 2010)

Addiction in the UK is unfortunately a widespread problem which has a profound effect not only on the individual but on society as a whole. Whether it is through the misuse of drugs or the misuse of alcohol, addiction can ruin the lives of its users and their families and more often than not it will demolish any chance they may have at leading a normal life. (Stimmel, 2002) According to the BBC it is estimated that round two million people in the UK suffer from some sort of addiction (www.bbc.co.uk) and in 2010/2011 alcohol was believed to be responsible for 8,790 deaths and drugs being responsible for 2,652 (BBC, 2012). It is a topic that frequently claims the headlines and is an issue which the government is motivated in trying to eradicate through the use of policies which are committed to reducing supply, reducing demand and building recovery. (Home Office Review, 2012)

The purpose of this essay will be to evaluate the main approaches to treatment and the types of treatments available in the UK for addiction with particular focus on drug and alcohol addiction.

In the UK the main body which deals with substance misuse is the National Treatment Agency (NTA) which is part of the NHS and was established in 2001 as a way to improve the availability, capacity and effectiveness of drug and alcohol treatments in the UK. (Raistrick et al. 2006) According to the NTA there are two main approaches that they use in tackling substance misuse, these are known as pharmacological and psychosocial approaches.

Pharmacology refers to the actions of drug mechanisms in the body. So a pharmacological approach to treating substance misuse is simply by doing so using medication. (www.forcon.ca). One of the first pharmacological agents used against addiction was nicotine, through nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine gum, transdermal patches, nasal sprays and inhalers and nicotine lozenges. These replacement therapies are used to relieve withdrawal symptoms in people who are trying to give up smoking. They work by providing users with a lower dosage of nicotine with less sever physiological alterations than tobacco. (Gossop, 2007) These replacement therapies are also more beneficial to the individual as they have less abuse power as they do not produce the pleasing effects of tobacco products. (Silagy