🔗 Share this article Study Indicates One in Four UK Citizens Fear a Family Member Has Alcohol Issues A recent survey of 2,000 adults indicated that a quarter of people in the United Kingdom worry that a spouse, family member, or friend drinks too much. Additionally, 16% of participants were anxious about a close person's reliance on narcotics. Rising Dependency Issue This data tend to underline what several professionals label a rising "epidemic" of dependency to drink or substances such as cocaine use and cannabis. Government statistics show that the NHS in England is providing care for more than 310,000 individuals per year for substance or drink problems – the most significant statistic since 2009 to 2010. Drink-related mortalities are at an all-time high. "The epidemic of alcohol and drug use is getting worse. The government claims people are consuming less alcohol, but this isn't evident," said a specialist focusing on substance abuse. The organization overseeing the survey has observed a significant jump over the past few years in the number of people requesting assistance for substance issues, including a higher proportion of females. Key Research Findings 10% worry that they have a drinking problem and five percent that themselves overuse substances. 26% are anxious that a spouse, family member, or friend overindulges in drink. Around a sixth worry about a close person's consumption of substances. Families that have an income exceeding fifty thousand pounds a year are triply more likely to contain a person with an substance issue. Family Addiction Furthermore, one in seven those surveyed indicated that dependency had affected more than one generation of their household. Experts indicated that genetics might account for that, and a number of respondents may be repeating the actions of one or both of their parents. A program called Stop the Pattern is being started to showcase how common family substance misuse can be. Authority Statement An official for the Department of Health and Welfare said that the department were revitalizing National Health Service drug and alcohol treatment services in England after years of underfunding. "We have provided an additional £310 million in the upcoming financial year to enhance drug and alcohol treatment services and help services in England, on top of the health funding. The strategy for improvement will move healthcare towards early action, featuring through timely support, to help individuals to extend lifespan, better lives across the nation," they said.