Health horizons
Dependency and addiction: a health crisis hiding in plain sight.
Addiction and dependency are on the rise, with the latest statistics showing that more than 310,000 adults have sought help for alcohol or drugs in England alone in the past year. 1
That’s a 7% increase on the previous year and the biggest rise since 2010.2 With one in four people now experiencing a mental health problem each year, this is also a reflection of the complex interplay between dependency and mental health.
However, the real figures are likely to be much higher as the Health Survey for England estimates that 21% of adults — one in five — drink at levels which put their health at risk3 and deaths from alcohol have almost doubled over the past 20 years.4
Hidden crisis
Similarly, the latest Crime Survey for England and Wales confirms that 8.8% of adults aged 16 to 59 — around 2.9 million people — have used a recreational drug in the previous 12 months and 1.8% are frequent users.5
Prescription opiates are also a huge issue, with the UK having the highest prescribing rates in the world in 2019 — when the most recent global figures were collected.6
The broader implications of alcohol and drugs are thought to cost the UK economy more than £30 billion a year7, yet it’s thought that only one in ten people with a substance issue is receiving treatment.8
And it’s estimated that 47% of UK adults have experienced alcohol, drug, medication or gambling dependency, or know someone who has.9
There is often an expectation to work collaboratively in organisations on certain projects, which results in strengthening relationships with colleagues. As social creatures, relationships can greatly impact those who might be suffering in silence. Given the significant amount of time spent at work, personal issues may become apparent. Therefore, it is crucial for employers to have the resources and tools in place for these conversations to occur in a supportive manner.
Toxic impact
Debbie Longsdale, Private Clinical Pathways Director at Priory says, “There is no denying the toxic impact of dependency and addictive behaviour. They drive absence and presenteeism, undermine productivity and increase the risk of accidents in the workplace."
“Yet so much of this can be avoided with proactive mental health support to prevent problems developing and early intervention and treatment if a colleague is struggling. The business case for addressing these challenges is clear.”
Looking specifically at alcohol misuse, a House of Commons Committee reports that success rates for treatment are around 60% and every £1 spent on support immediately delivers a £3 return, and significantly more in the longer term.10
Demographics of dependency
Debbie Longsdale says, “It’s also important to drill down into the data, to understand the demographics of dependency — while recognising that we can only guess at the numbers who are hiding their dependency problems."
“The latest government statistics show that most of those who seek treatment are aged 35 and over, a demographic who are likely to have acquired the experience and seniority that makes them important team players.” 11
According to Bupa’s data, last year 60.3% of claims for dependency and related disorders were made by people aged 30 to 49.
Gender divide
There is also a sharp gender divide with men more than twice as likely to seek treatment, 69% compared to 31% of women.
She says, “This may reflect societal attitudes and gender norms around alcohol and drugs, but it’s also likely that women are more open to seeking mental health support before issues escalate.”
This underlines the importance of tailoring support and messaging to ensure it resonates across your workforce, which Bupa can provide with a suite of evidence-based therapies such as online CBT and resources and guides to support both line managers and their teams.
Uplift in mental and behavioural disorders
One trend which emerges from the latest Bupa data is the high number of claims among younger employees for mental and behavioural disorders caused by the use of psychoactive substances.
Last year 30% of these claims related to 20 to 29-year-olds and 34% were made by employees aged 30 to 39.
Debbie Longsdale says, “Recreational use of cannabis is likely to be driving this increase as there is now strong evidence that its use increases the risk of psychosis and other mental health problems.”12
“And cannabis is particularly problematic when people start using it in their teens and early twenties, when the brain is still developing.”13
Mental health
“This also underlines the strong association between dependency issues and poor mental health, and the importance of addressing issues holistically.”
“And while dependency is undoubtedly a challenge for all organisations, acknowledging the close connection with addiction and the negative impact of our dopamine-driven social environment provides avenue for early intervention and prioritising support.”
So how can organisations achieve this?
Proactive support
Studies and clinical evidence confirm that cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) not only provides the lifetime tools to build better mental health and prevent substance abuse and addiction it also provides effective and easily accessible treatment if problems arise.
Being able to access this support discretely is hugely important as it encourages employees to take action before issues escalate and reach a crisis point.
One of the earliest studies reported success rates of 60%14 and a slew of subsequent evidence reviews have confirmed the value of CBT for a wide range of dependency issues.15
Debbie Longsdale says, “One of the great strengths of CBT is that it builds knowledge and healthy coping strategies which are effective against multiple dependency issues. For instance, one recent study found it CBT improved self-control in teens with internet addiction, there are definitely merits of digital CBT for the right person.” 16
We have an array of digital tools and remote options for mental health support along with specialist pathways for addiction. Our trusted resources through our partnership with JAAQ, are particularly useful because they are available 24-7 and can be accessed discretely and at the time when an employee is most motivated to make change.
Resources
https://takingactiononaddiction.org.uk/support
3https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmpubacc/1001/report.html
4 https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmpubacc/1001/report.html
6https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10278447/#
8 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424859/
9https://takingactiononaddiction.org.uk/
10 https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/40045/documents/195525/default/
14 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2897895/
15 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9948631/
16 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-021-00733-6
