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Early intervention works. Hear Harry Judd’s story.

Musician Harry Judd talks about recognising he had a problem with marijuana, and the steps he took to stop it from escalating.

Transcript

Who are you?

I'm Harry Judd, and I am first

and foremost, I'd say I'm a dad.

That'd be my most important job these days.

I'm a husband, I'm a drummer in a band,

and I also love to exercise.

I particularly love running, so I wouldn't

say I was a runner.

That makes me sound like maybe I think I'm an elite,

but it's definitely a big part of who I am.

What is your family life like today?

My family life.

Well, I can only imagine that.

Well, I can only hope that it's a bit like everyone else's.

Pretty noisy. It's very chaotic.

It's full of emotion, drama, love,

tears, difficult times

and magical times.

It's possibly the most challenging

experience I've had having children.

I've got three of them, and

I wouldn't have it any other way.

It's, it's a privilege to have three beautiful,

healthy children and I love it.

But I do moan my way through it as well at times,

because it is, yeah, it's very challenging.

But yeah, I'm very lucky.

What is the most challenging part of being a dad?

What are you most grateful for?

I'd say ultimately that my family are happy

and healthy and safe.

I feel very grateful that I have my mom and dad

and my brother and sister, and my wife and my children,

and a good set of friends.

I feel very grateful for that.

I feel grateful for my career as well.

I've been very lucky looking back, I think a lot

of advice I give to people is just about being in the right

place at the right time, but then making the most

of those opportunities.

And I feel I've done that,

but I feel grateful for having had the right people

around me in my career.

So yeah, I'm grateful for my family

and my friends.

How old were you when you joined McFly?

So I was 17.

I had just finished my first year of sick form

and I think it was 2003.

Do you still get nervous before performing?

I do get nervous before performing.

Not always, but most of the time.

And as everyone always says, it means you care.

So I think it's a good thing.

Yeah, I know Dougie gets nervous as well.

I know the other do too, but me

and Dougie often have that moment backstage

before a show of like, Ooh, it is a mixture

of nerves and excitement.

But so far, we're 21 years in and so far so good.

Nothing's gone too bad.

So there is finally, at some point along the way, a level

of confidence I think appeared.

But yeah, I still do get nervous.

Have you ever suffered with imposter syndrome?

What has been your past relationship with marijuana?

Not a good one.

I think my younger naive self,

in a way, it felt part of my identity

when you're 16, 17.

I mean, it sounds very cringe to say,

but it's like, it's like, yeah, yeah, I do.

Yeah, I smoke. You think it's cool?

It's like people are kind of impressed by it.

Oh, he's crazy. And

it was all tied into what I was into with music

and the way you dress, and it was just

part of kind of an identity.

And there was this whole kind of rhetoric around it, about,

oh, and it's chilled.

It's fine. It's not addictive. It's not like a hard drug.

It's fine. It's good for you and all that.

But I think I knew very early on, actually,

although I struggled to admit it to myself, that it soon

very quickly became a problem

and I was very reliant on it,

and it became a daily habit,

and it became frightening

because I didn't know how I would ever

get out of this habit.

I remember when I'd feel good about it, I'd think, Ooh,

all I need is that, and I'll be happy in life.

There was a time when someone close

to me was going through the same thing

and we said, let's go to this place we're going to,

and let's not take any,

because let's just go have fun without it.

Just like we used to a couple of years ago.

And we went there

and then within an hour we were back to London to go

and go get some.

So I think there's this misconception that it's not serious,

but for me it was.

And it was a real problem. Yeah.

I mean, couldn't really, couldn't sleep without it.

I mean, yeah, it was a problem,

and then it all kind

of came crashing down for me, really

in the worst possible way.

But that scenario ended up being an absolute blessing

because it was the reason why I then never went there again.

So.

What were the signs you were struggling with smoking marijuana?

I think just the fact that I couldn't get away from it.

It was just an everyday cycle.

It was more exciting than anything else I was doing,

and I knew that that was actually quite sad

that I wasn't just being present

and enjoying such an exciting time.

And also I needed it to sleep. I couldn't sleep without it.

Nothing really seemed that fun without it, everything.

I wanted to only listen to music if you're doing, it was

so tired in the mornings.

Just things like that that I knew weren't right.

But yeah, and also I was experiencing feelings of anxiety

and not really knowing what that was.

So yeah, there was definitely effects that were there.

How did you feel when you recognised you had a problem with smoking marijuana?

I think at first I was like, wow,

that happened quickly.

That dependency on it happened so quickly,

pretty much straight away.

I remember when I left home

and it's like, oh, I can smoke marijuana.

I live, live in a house, it's fine.

And then immediately it was like, oh,

I want to do this every day.

And then it became, I need to smoke every day.

I can't sleep without it. Nothing seems that fun without it.

And then as time went on, that became quite frightening

and you feel quite trapped

and like, oh, how am I going to get out of this?

And actually it feels like I can't see

how I would ever get out of this cycle.

So yeah, you feel it's quite daunting

because you're like, oh God.

So not only do you not think you can break that sort

of cycle yourself, but then you've also got the barrier

of having to tell someone.

And that feels like a huge barrier

and all the shame and all of that.

So it is quite overwhelming.

But I think I probably just didn't try and overthink that.

And it's fine. I'm fine, I'm fine.

When, yeah, I clearly wasn't so.

How was marijuana impacting your everyday life?

I was young, I was 17,

and that's often an age where you are trying things out

and it starts off kind of fun and exciting and innocent,

and then it kind of quickly became something that was

happening every day and was something that I was enjoying.

And I think looking back, sadly enjoying

that more than maybe the exciting things

that were happening in my life.

But I'd left school, I'd left home.

I was young to begin with.

It was all kind of exciting and rebellious.

Yeah. But it did kind of quickly become like,

oh, this is a problem.

What do I do? I'm a bit trapped.

But yeah, thankfully for me, I was lucky in

that it was a kind of short period in my life.

Yeah. But it was definitely very prevalent.

Did the pressures of being in the public eye impact your relationship with drugs and alcohol?

Not really.

No. I think I was more just concerned about people

finding out really.

That was my main fear,

I guess, in a way.

It kept me quite insular, quite away from all of that.

I just wanted to get home and be doing that.

So, no,

my biggest fear was it coming out in the press

and feeling shame and oh my God, that fear.

But no, I was lucky.

I was around good people, great band mates.

I still look back on that time in the band

of very fond memories as well.

So thankfully I wasn't feeling the pressure

of the kind of success and attention and fame and stuff,

and yeah.

How often would you use marijuana?

Every day.

Yeah. Unless we were touring abroad,

and so that would just be no sleep for me for

A week.

Yeah. So those were really

Difficult times.

But yeah, every day

How did you recognise you might have an unhealthy relationship with marijuana?

Well with the marijuana very early on

because I just couldn't grasp the concept

of having a day without it.

And yeah, I just so vividly remember that

the end of each day, having that first joint

and instantly just like all the worries

or the stress

or excitement of getting to that point would just disappear.

And so then you'd feel good,

and then you'd forget about the worries

of being stuck in that cycle.

But yeah, I spoke to

very close family member a lot about it.

And

you felt very trapped.

I had no idea of how I was going to get out of this cycle.

I knew it wasn't good. I was very frightened of the

potential mental health effects,

but at the time, I was okay.

And I was just in that sort of cycle, but scared

because I didn't know how I was going to get out of it.

Did marijuana have an impact on your mental health?

Definitely.

Absolutely. I remember the first time I

felt this feeling in my stomach

and I was like, what is this feeling?

I felt like I had a stomach bug,

but I didn't realise that it was anxiety

or paranoia or whatever you want to call it.

And taking the drugs would take that feeling away.

So that's that classic kind

of vicious cycle that you get into.

And it is since Think Been left a everlasting

impact with my mental health.

But I think that's possibly something I would've struggled

with regardless of whether I'd taken drugs or not.

Who knows? But it's given me a good

understanding of myself

and I think now the way I look at it,

it's like anything in life,

there's always going to be challenges.

There's always going to be highs and lows.

And through those experiences,

really positive things can come from them

and you can build strength.

So yes, it certainly had an impact on my mental health,

but you could argue that it's given me

stronger mental health because I've been made aware of it

and figured out how

to cope better with that and have the tools to deal

with the mental health.

What steps did you take once you realised marijuana was having a bad effect on you?

I was young, so I didn't know what to do.

And thankfully I had people in my life that were older

and had more life experience that knew what to do.

So they helped me to get help.

I had some talking therapy

and just support through those early stages, support

with the anxiety that I was experiencing.

And that was it. It was actually quite simple.

It was just opening up, asking for help

and getting support from amazing people out there

that specialise in helping people in those situations.

It was just a huge relief

and incredibly reassuring to know that everything was going

to be all right, and it was a very emotional experience

because part of the fear is that,

oh my God, what have I done?

Am I going to be okay? Have I completely messed up my life?

So the relief of being told by people

that specialise in it that, no, you're going to be fine.

You're going to be okay. So it was a huge, huge relief.

How important do you think it was for you to address the problem before it escalated any further?

Yeah, I mean, it was very important.

I mean, I don't know where it would've

or could have escalated to,

but it was very important At the time, I was

guess in a moment of crisis, I had to confront it.

But looking back now

and what I would say to myself prior to that,

or to anyone going through that actually,

although it felt like the scariest thing,

it was actually the best thing.

It was the most relieving thing.

It was literally the perfect metaphor is literally

just a huge weight off your shoulders, just like a release

of Oh, so freeing.

And yeah.

I'm so glad that I had the help around me

and did just say, okay, I need some help here.

I'm not good. So, yeah.

What made you want to give up drinking alcohol?

Do you know with alcohol, I started to get similar

symptoms that I was getting with smoking marijuana.

I was experiencing anxiety,

very extreme anxiety on hangovers and panic attacks.

People often talk about the hangover blues.

It was like that, but it was just tenfold. It was not fun.

It was awful. And anyone that's experienced that

knows how frightening that is.

So it was quite an easy decision, really.

I just thought, I don't want to feel like this anymore.

And that was that. I mean,

I tried a few more times drinking,

but the same thing kept happening,

and it was not easy

to accept that.

But there were two choices,

and I knew one was the obvious one.

And I mean, it's 14 years ago now, so

it was a no brainer.

Did you ever hide your struggles from other people?

I hid my struggles from my parents for sure,

because there's that feeling of shame, I think,

and not wanting to disappoint them.

And actually that was one thing my mom always used

to talk about was marijuana and don't smoke it.

She was a nurse. She said, I've seen so many people

who've had problems because of it.

And so there was that real fear factor around it.

And so I felt really

terrified of ever telling her.

And also partly not wanting to tell them

because then you have to actually confront the problem.

And sometimes you'd be like, I just don't want

to stick in this safe space,

which really is not safe at all.

But when I did finally talk to them, unsurprisingly,

I was just met with love and understanding and support.

And I think people I've spoken to in the past

or recently that have had struggles in

life, it's the same story.

It's that feeling of shame, the feeling of worry, of telling

often their loved ones,

but more often than not, you'll be met

with love and understanding.

So it's all good.

Did you have anyone in your life that supported you through your problem with smoking marijuana?

Yeah, I did.

And I think it was more at the times where I was,

it was like crescendoing when I was needing the help

and I am forever grateful for those people.

Hours and hours of conversations and reassurance

and yeah, literally spending

almost every waking moment with me, getting me through it.

And yeah, I'm very, very grateful to those people.

So there were always people out there to lend support.

So yeah, I would do the same for others.

So yeah, I'm very lucky at that.

Did you try to mask or hide the impact it was having on you?

Yeah, definitely.

There were times, particularly when my mom would kind

of confront me about it,

and I would very quickly shut it down.

Mom, mom, mom. No, it's fine, mom. It's fine, mum. I'm fine.

That's definitely a memory I have,

and if people ever talked about it,

it'd be like, oh no, it's fine.

It's all good. I think that's very normal though, isn't it,

for any problems you have in life,

but yeah, it's all part of it.

Did being in the public eye limit taking action sooner?

No, I don't think so.

I think one thing I've always been very grateful

for is the people around me.

My bandmates are the wider team of what we do.

Always, I think, been very grounded.

And so obviously some decisions in life you have

to consider the fact that you are in the public eye.

But with this one, it's just a normal human story.

It's just something that lots of people go through.

So I mean, maybe I went and got help in certain places.

It was maybe kept quiet and private,

but it didn't really ever cross my mind.

It's just a normal person going through

problems that lots of people go through.

So I'm no different.

And so it doesn't really come into my thought process.

What was the impact of your smoking habits on your family?

I think, well, I know my mom was aware.

I don't think my dad knew what to make of it.

I think my mom was pretty scared of

the potential repercussions.

But talking about all of this, the main thing I go back

to is how lucky I feel to have gotten out

of this situation at such a young age.

If I hadn't of the thought of

what could have been would've been is, it's

it not a nice thought.

So thankfully I was able to

break through that and tell my parents at a young age.

And as I said, I was just met with support.

I mean, my mom was emotional because I think

because of all her fears were becoming a reality.

But I was okay and I was getting the help

and I was okay.

And I think it was emotional, but it was a relief.

And again, I think something I think my mom would

just be proud of.

I mean, my mom's proud of anything I do,

but it's all part of my story.

I didn't maybe want it to be that.

But then maybe it was important that it was, that.

The fact is in life you are going to have challenges

and sometimes they're challenges

that you couldn't have predicted

and you have to go through them

and it cliches.

But you have to sometimes go down to be able

to build back up stronger.

So yeah, in a way it's an experience

that brings you closer together as a family.

What advice would you give to anyone who might be going through something similar?

I know that it might feel like

very comfortable to stay in the situation you're in,

but it will soon will start to feel uncomfortable.

And I think I would just say don't be afraid

to open up and talk to someone.

People are more empathetic than you think,

and I've felt that through my experiences in life that human

instinct is to help others.

So don't be afraid to show vulnerability and ask for help,

because from my experience, there's

always people there to help.

So although you may feel it, there is no shame.

It's actually takes a lot of courage to do that

and confront your problems in life.

And again, it's why there's cliches.

You have to go through the stormy weather

to come out and for the sun to come out.

You have to go through the lows in life to be able

to experience the highs.

It's all part of it. And yeah, it'll only make you stronger.

How important has prioritising exercise and wellbeing been on you?

Exercise and wellbeing has been huge for me.

I mean, I feel lucky because I enjoy it.

I've always enjoyed it,

and that kind of period of my life between 17

and maybe 20, I lost that about myself.

And so reconnecting with previous

passions was huge for me.

But new forms of exercise as well.

I just got into keeping fit and running

and I couldn't believe how much of a hole that filled

for me and how important that became for me,

just in general in life.

Outside of family and career.

People talk about the important pillars in life,

and exercise is such an important one for me

that's now become part of my identity.

People wonder why people get so obsessed with these things,

but I think it's the simplicity of it.

It's the simplicity of just getting out, being outside,

challenging yourself, pushing your boundaries,

and yeah, I love it.

And yeah, that's just me now. Yeah.

How do you look after your mental health today?

The key things for me in my mental health,

I'd say number one is sleep.

Good sleep. And that could be aided in several ways.

One of them being eating well, exercise

that all aids sleep.

So it's kind of like chicken and egg to get the good sleep,

which I think is one of the most important

things you need to be doing.

Other things. So they're all very important.

Running is a massive thing for me.

It just takes me out of myself, gets me away from screens

and people and stresses

and just the motion of running

and also the challenge of running.

I love setting myself a challenge

and having a goal that gives me a really clear focus

and I feel I really need that in life.

Otherwise I can just veer off

and I dunno, maybe not feel as happy.

It's something that just really makes me happy.

I've got that thing in me that needs a bit

of competition, a bit of challenge.

Also focusing on my family and my children

and seeing friends is definitely a big thing for me.

In fact, only recently I was having a bit of a bad day

and feeling anxious and not feeling good.

And you think that you want to just go into yourself

and be quiet and be left alone.

And a friend was coming to see me

and I was thinking, oh, just not in the mood.

And then it was so great to see him

and we just had a real laugh and talked

and I immediate was like, oh, I feel so much better.

So yeah, sleep, exercise,

family and friendship, I guess.

Oh, and I love my McFly boys. McFly makes me happy.

How did you redefine your identity after stopping smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol?

Yeah, that was quite strange transition actually,

and something that happened over time.

I mean, I got into exercising and I absolutely loved that.

I think I reconnected with who I was as a teenager

or even younger when I first started at school.

I loved being active, I loved sport,

and so I reconnected with sport and being active,

and I got so much joy from that.

And it was difficult at first.

14 years ago, I was 25.

Being sober at 25, you get a lot of questions

and people being like, really?

Why don't you drink? And yeah, I often didn't want to have

to go into the full story of why,

but I felt kind of comfortable with it.

And I noticed people's curiosity as well.

I think there's a lot of people that kind

of maybe wish they didn't, and so I would try

and put a positive spin on it

and encourage people to kind of try it.

And yeah, I think that's when really you realise at

that age you, you're still growing as a person.

You're still figuring out who you are.

And then for me, I was figuring out

who I was without all that stuff.

So yeah, I'm active, I'm competitive. I like a challenge.

And thankfully a lot of the negative things about me

that led me down that earlier path in life

I can use in a really positive way in my career.

And other challenges I like to do. So yeah.

What do you think the catalyst was for getting to a better place?

The catalyst would've just been asking for help

and leaning on people

and the professionals as well.

Amazing people out there that have jobs

that help people in difficult situations.

And that, for me, was amazing.

And although it was a very difficult time

looking back, it wasn't a long time.

It was a very short time in my life, in fact.

And yeah,

I can remember now just quickly moving on

and moving on to a much happier place.

So, yeah.

What impact has stopping smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol had on you?

I make just better decisions.

I think it's, well, one of the main impacts

as well was just the making of my relationship

with my now wife.

Also, just the life choices I make in terms of keeping fit

and looking after wellbeing,

and hopefully I can be a good example to my children.

I enjoy what I do more as well.

Being on tour and performing is

a lot more enjoyable when you're not drinking

and what have you, because you just sleep better.

You're more focused, you enjoy what you do,

take it more seriously.

You can be more professional.

I say professional, we're always having fun,

but yeah, my mood is improved.

Just, yeah, generally it's a

lot more calm, a lot more enjoyable.

Would you change anything from your experience?

I wouldn't change anything from my experience.

I feel strangely that

the most difficult time I had when I was 19, which felt like

the worst thing ever, I felt I'm going through hell here.

Like this is awful. As someone described it to me

as a blessing in disguise, and I was like, are you mad?

No. Part of this is a blessing, but it was a huge blessing

because it meant that I, from that point on,

never did drugs again, eventually led me

to stop drinking alcohol.

And yeah, it was an extreme acute,

acutely difficult period,

but through that difficult period, it led to

so many positive things in my life.

So I don't think regret is a,

well, you can't look back on your past

and wish that you changed things.

There's nothing you can do about it.

You can only move forward from it and try

and take some positives from your hard experiences.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Need help now?

Addiction and mental health go hand in hand. It's important to recognise one, so that you can treat the other.

Mental health and addiction

Hear from Dr Naveen Puri about mental health and addiction and the support available on the road to recovery.

Transcript

Who are you?

Hello, I'm Dr. Naveen

I'm a medical director at Bupa

and a GP by background.

I enjoy travel and discovering new cultures.

What is your experience of mental health and addiction?

I've been a doctor for 20 years now,

and I've had the real privilege of coming into contact

with people who are affected by mental health issues

with addiction, and sometimes with both.

During my training as a GP, I also worked

with the community mental health team, where I worked

with people who were specifically affected by addictions

and severe mental health problems.

And so I come at this with an element of experience on

that basis.

Can you be diagnosed with addiction and a mental health condition at the same time?

It is certainly the case that you could be affected by

therefore diagnosed with an addiction

and a mental health condition at the same time.

But it's also important to recognise that just

because you have an addiction doesn't mean you've got poor

mental health in the background to that.

And similarly, if you've got poor mental health does not

mean you will necessarily be affected by an addiction.

So while they can be linked,

sometimes they can also be separate, too.

And it's important that we recognise there's not always

that commonality there.

If you have a diagnosed mental health condition are you more likely to be addicted to substances?

The simple answer is no.

I think if you've got a diagnosis

of a mental health condition,

it doesn't mean you're more likely to be addicted

or diagnosed with an addiction to drugs, alcohol,

or any other substance as well.

Sometimes these things can be linked,

but I'm really keen that we remove any stigma

and that we don't necessarily consider that people

that have mental health conditions will go on

to have addictions alongside them.

What are some signs that your mental health might be affected by if you have an addiction?

We find that addiction can affect people's mental health

in a number of different ways,

and I think for each individual

that would be very, very different.

You'll have a sense of what's normal for you, so you'll know

how well you sleep, how well you feel when you socialise

or in crowds of people, how well you manage day-to-day

activities and functions that you have to perform.

And if you find that suddenly you are not able

to do those things in the way you normally would.

That for me would be a telltale sign

that you may be affected by addiction

or the mental health consequences

that might come with addiction as well.

So if you're sleeping more

or less than normal, if you are less

or more social than you would be if you're less

or more able to perform the task you would do day to day,

that can sometimes be a sign that things are not quite right

and may prompt you to then seek out support for that

as well.

How do I know if I'm displaying addicted behaviours?

It is a tough one, isn't it?

Because there's a spectrum from being much more compelled

to do something which might not be addictive right through

to this other side of the spectrum,

which could be addiction.

And I think for me, the difference is when you have control

over that compulsion, that might be the telltale sign.

So if, for example, you really like a particular brand

of drink and want to have that drink on a regular basis,

but if it wasn't available, you wouldn't be too affected by

that and might have an alternative drink, then

that's probably you just having a preference

and a compulsion towards one kind of drink,

but not necessarily being addicted

on the other side of the fence.

Then if you're looking at addiction, it can be the fact

that you cannot think about anything else.

You have to have that drink at all costs.

You might want to have that drink when it's not appropriate

to, so drinking in the day

or in the morning or things like that.

So I think the difference between having a preference

and a compulsion is different to an addiction in

that you may not have a sense of control over it.

And if you feel you haven't got control or a losing control,

or maybe people around you have commented on your lack

of control around that, that might be a sign for you

to consider.

How do I know if I'm addicted to alcohol?

When it comes to addiction, one of the key features is

that there's a lack of control over your

desire to want to have something.

And so when it comes to alcohol as an example,

you might find that you're not necessarily able

to control your need and compulsion to want to have alcohol.

The difference would be with somebody

who just likes drinking, and so you could say no to a drink

or you might recognise you've had too much to drink,

but with an addiction you might not have those

safety checks in place.

So you might find you're drinking

more than you normally would.

You might find you're drinking at times you wouldn't

normally drink, such as during the day

or even first thing in the morning.

On waking, you might find people

around you are suddenly commenting on

how much you're drinking as well.

So those could be some of the telltale signs

that you might have an issue with alcohol.

Another one to say,

and this might be when you are more affected

by an addiction potentially, is

that you might find you've got physical effects

unless you have another drink.

You're suddenly starting to experience withdrawal

or physical symptoms

and signs that give you a sense

that actually your body now needs alcohol more than it did

before when perhaps you weren't addicted as well.

How do I know if I'm addicted to gambling?

Gambling as a behaviour is something you should generally

have a sense of control over.

So you might find that when you are not addicted

to gambling, you are able to know when you need to stop

spending more or taking part in games

that might put you at harm

by having you spend more than you might do,

or go over your set limit for yourself.

When you are addicted,

suddenly, those safety checks

and balances are no longer in place,

or you might be aware of them,

but still choose to ignore them and just go ahead

and gamble more and spend more

and suffer the adverse consequences

that could come from gambling as a consequence.

So my steer would be that if you've got a lack of control

and you're not able to stop yourself gambling

or spending on all the other things that come

with the gambling, that might be an indication

that you could be addicted.

How do I know if I'm addicted to drugs?

When it comes to an addiction, we know that there's a lack

of control over your ability to seek out the substance

and use the substance that you are potentially addicted to.

So in the case of drugs, it may be

that you are using drugs more than you would do normally

or at levels that might be considered unsafe by yourself

or those around you who maybe take drugs as well.

I'd also consider that sometimes with drugs,

there's the element of spending on them as well,

and you might find your spending

beyond your means on the drugs that you're using as well,

and that could be a sign that you are

potentially addicted to.

Other signs could be the physical effects of the drugs.

You may use drugs to experience pleasurable feelings,

but actually, if you're going beyond that

and actually causing yourself harm

or experiencing pleasurable feelings, then actually

that could be a sign of addiction as well.

So you'll know if you've used drugs

before, what normal,

if I can call it that feels like for you.

And if it's anything beyond that, you're spending more,

it's causing you physical ill harm

or even psychological ill harm,

that could be a sign you're addicted.

Is there a link between depression and addiction?

We know that having a mental health condition can

sometimes be associated with an addiction,

but it's also important to recognise

that these things are not always linked.

And so just because you may have depression

or be affected by depression doesn't mean you will

necessarily go to have an addiction and vice versa.

Just because you have an addiction doesn't mean you will

necessarily be depressed.

So there can be a link sometimes,

but that's not always the case.

In my clinical practise, I have seen some people

who are affected by both,

but I've also seen people who have one or other

and are not affected by the other one as well.

So let's not make the assumption

or the link that these things

necessarily happen in combination.

Is there a link between anxiety and addiction?

I think it's important to recognise

that anxiety is not just a clinical diagnosis,

which you can be given by a doctor.

It's also a symptom that any one

of us can experience day-to-day as well.

So when we ask the question, is there a linkage

between anxiety and addiction, my answer would be twofold.

The first is that if you are affected by an addiction,

you may well experience anxiety from time to time,

but it doesn't mean you've necessarily got clinical anxiety.

And I'm really keen that we don't necessarily link anxiety

and addiction because sometimes you could have anxiety

and not be affected by addiction,

and you could also have an addiction

and not be affected by anxiety.

But as I say, anxiety is a symptom which anyone can

experience at any time, can sometimes be

associated with addiction.

And so that's the link I would want

to make rather than linking the two things in a more

permanent way.

Does having one type of addiction mean that I could be prone to others?

That's a really interesting question.

So let me be really honest with you.

I have found that in my clinical practise when I've come

across somebody who did have an addiction, when we've worked

to overcome that and have them come out the other side of

that particular addiction,

because their brain has been wired in a way that has allowed

for that addiction to occur, it is the case

that sometimes they have found themselves either leaning

towards or developing another addiction as well.

So that's not to alarm you or to scare you,

but it is to recognise that if your brain is the kind

of brain that has allowed for one addiction to occur,

it is something you have to be vigilant

for other addictions that may take its place.

It could be a substance, it could be a process.

And so by substance I mean things like drugs or alcohol or smoking,

and by process I mean things like gambling,

using pornography, those sorts of things.

If you've had one, it is the case

that you could develop others.

It doesn't mean you will, but it's just something you have

to be aware of and be vigilant for in the future.

Is there a link between childhood mental health challenges and addiction in later life?

The first thing I'd seek to say is

that while you may have had childhood mental health issues,

doesn't mean you will necessarily go into development

addictions later in life.

And so I want to be clear

that there's not always a link between these things.

But if we look at that further,

one thing which can happen when you are affected

by childhood mental health issues is that as a child,

you will develop certain coping and mechanisms

and behaviours that help you navigate those challenges when

you are a child and while they work for you,

when you're a young person or a child, in that moment

and during that time, they may not necessarily serve you

as well when you are a grownup

and other issues, pressures life set in for you.

So an example of that might be that

as a child you are particularly pleasing and compliant

and quiet and withdrawn to please the adults

and the caregivers around you.

And then when you are an adult, if you similarly seek to be

that kind of a person, but seek out substances

that you might become addicted to

or behaviours that you might become addicted to as a source

of comfort to mitigate for that,

that can be something which could be problematic.

But as I said at the start, just

because you've had childhood mental health challenges

doesn't mean you will go on to develop an addiction.

But sometimes there are patterns

that can develop in childhood that serve you then,

but don't serve you as well when you're a grownup.

And a consequence of that may potentially be an addiction,

but not always.

How can you look after your mental health if you’re affected by addiction?

The first thing I'd say is it's a tough one, isn't it?

In my experience dealing with people who have had addictions

or have had mental health issues,

or indeed have had both in combination,

it can be really challenging to assign the mental strength

to look after yourself when you're really struggling

with day-to-day, things that you have to contend with.

So the first thing I would say is be really kind

and recognise that when you are affected

by a mental health condition, an addiction,

or perhaps even both at the same time, it takes a lot

of energy and effort to just do things

on a day-to-day basis.

I would advise seeking out support

and help from either those and nearest

and dearest to you, family, friends,

even colleagues if you're able to.

And also reaching out

to a mental health professional or a doctor as well.

There is lots that can be done for you and offered to you,

but unless you make that first move to seek out support,

it can be difficult to offer that to you as well.

Another thing I'd flag is that as somebody

who may be affected by addiction,

you probably have developed an ability to really mask that

and hide that from other people.

And so it could be the case that while people

around you are generally quite helpful

and will want the best for you, they may just have no idea

that you are currently affected by an addiction.

And so for you to sort of open that door

and say, actually, I am struggling

and this is going on for me, could be the first sign

or the first step that's required rather, for them

to be able to intervene and help you.

So I wish you well having that first conversation

and let people in because they're there to help.

How can someone open up a conversation if they're affected by addiction?

The first thing I'd say,

I recognise it's really, really tough.

So to have that conversation is perhaps

the last thing you want to do.

But let me explain why I think it could be really

beneficial for you as well.

So first of all, let's consider

that you have probably got lots

of negative things on your shoulders, like a sense of guilt,

a sense of shame, a sense

that you've let people down, a sense that

how could this have happened to me

and how could it have got to the stage it has got

to without me having sought help sooner.

And I want you to be really kind to yourself

and put that to a side, because

that really isn't going to help you.

And that's very easy for me to say

as a doctor sitting here in a chair

and giving you advice behind a screen.

But honestly, I think removing

that pressure from yourself will be the key

to you being able to seek out

support and have a conversation.

The second thing I'd say is that when you are affected

by an addiction, I recognise that people

who have addictions are really good at hiding their

addiction and doing something what we call masking,

which is hiding behind a persona

or a presentation of themselves

that doesn't let the world know that they're affected

by their addiction as well.

And so that makes it even more difficult, doesn't it?

Because then no one around you even suspect you're going

to have a conversation of the kind that you want to start.

So recognise the mask is in place.

Maybe let that mask down, remove all that pressure

that's on your shoulders, and have that first conversation

with somebody because people are always keen to help.

Just think how you would feel if somebody came

to you disclosing their addiction

and how much you would want to help them.

And recognise that there are people around you

and you'll know who they are, who will want

to help you back as well.

So I wish you well with it.

I know it's not going to be easy, but please have

that first conversation with someone you can trust.

And I promise you that's the start

of a very important conversation to be had.

What support can someone with an addictive behaviour get?

The good news is there is a lot of support available

to you, but you have to seek out that support

and access it to benefit from it, is what I would say.

So from my perspective, the first thing is having

that first conversation can be really difficult.

Why not try having good people around you, maybe a friend,

a family member, a colleague, someone you can trust

and have that first initial conversation with.

If you find you can't necessarily do that,

or once you've done that

and you want to seek out further support,

I definitely recommend speaking to a medical professional,

be that your doctor, a mental health professional, anyone

that you consider could be of use

to you do consider reaching out as well.

Sometimes it's really difficult having that conversation

because for you, it's the most pressing

and most all consuming thing in your mind.

But let me reassure you that as a doctor on the other side

of the fence where I'm having those conversations

with people on a regular basis, actually,

it's a conversation I have on a frequent day-to-day level,

and it feels very comfortable and very familiar to me,

and it's really reassuring to me

and quite humbling to me when somebody comes to me

with a conversation of that nature,

because I know how much help is available to them

and how much better they're going to feel by virtue

of having had that conversation.

But it does take you to have that first conversation

and to make that first step to benefit from it.

So in summary, I would say to reach out to somebody,

whether it's someone you can trust, a family member,

a friend, a colleague,

or you want to see a medical professional.

But I promise you, you'll never regret making

that first move.

What do workplace need to know about mental health and addiction?

I'd say two things to this.

The first is to recognise

that we know people spend a very significant part

of their time at work, and so it is the case

that work can impact their mental health

and consequences from that,

which may include addiction as well.

So for a workplace to recognise

that your employees are spending lots of their time

with you in the confines of your workplace

and your organisation, and that you have a responsibility

therefore for their mental health

is really, really important.

The other side of it is

that any impact on their mental health be that addiction

or other things can also impact then

what they do at work as well.

Their productivity, their outputs, how they represent you,

how they show up for meetings

and with clients and things of that nature.

So to recognise that your people spend lots of time at work

and therefore you have an element of responsibility

for their wellbeing is number one

and number two, by addressing that responsibility,

you're then able to make sure you get the best out

of your people at work as well.

Why is workplace support for mental health and addiction important?

I think it's really important for you as a manager

or as an employer to recognise that your people spend a lot

of their time at work, significant

parts of their life, in fact.

And so if they are affected by a mental health condition,

an addiction, or possibly even both, it's going

to impact them at work as well.

So it's in your interest as well as your employee's interest

with this to be addressed and to provide support for that.

The great news is at Bupa, we have manager guides

that are available to anyone, whether you are a Bupa member

or not, and we'll provide a link to that with this video.

And there are also what we call our bite-size academy videos

on our YouTube channel too, which cover a whole host

of topics from addiction

and other things like menopause

disability in the workplace too.

So feel free to make use of these,

and I wish you were accessing them.

I am worried about a colleague who might affected by addiction, how can I approach this?

Well, the first thing I would say is well done you

for recognise that a colleague may well be affected

by an addiction because it's not easy to spot these things.

And actually we're also busy

with our day-to-day lives like quite often we haven't got

time to scan around us

and see what other people are

dealing with or contending with.

What I would say is follow your instincts

and think about how you might want to have the conversation

with the person you are concerned by.

If you're concerned for them,

you'll probably know them enough to know

what would be a good approach for that conversation

that you want to have with them.

And remember, the conversation hasn't got to be a one done

and dusted conversation where you have the conversation in

its entirety, but it can be something

you do in several stages.

So maybe you express a level of concern to them

over a few days or weeks.

How are things going for you?

I noticed you haven't been on time for meetings recently.

I noticed you're not as well

groomed as you might normally be.

Whatever the change is, maybe just highlight that for them

and mirror back them that you have noticed it,

but also make clear that you're noticing it from a place

of concern rather than a place of judgement .

It might also then be useful to set a time

for a conversation with that person.

Maybe you want to schedule a walk

or a conversation in some way private in your offices.

You'll know a good place to have the conversation

and want that other person will feel comfortable with

and so maybe set that in motion as well.

And by setting aside some time, it gives

that person the opportunity to consider that you want

to have a conversation about their wellbeing.

It may also triggers them to the fact that you want

to have a conversation about a potential addiction as well.

And so that gives them time to prepare what they might want

to share with you or say to you as well.

The last thing I'd say is that having had the conversation,

having provided that level of support to them,

maybe arm yourself with some information around

what can be done for that person moving forward.

Because invariably the conversation will

have a natural next step.

Is it that you signpost them to your HR department

or HR resources at work?

Is it that you highlight that someone in the organisation

who is more senior could be of support or help to them?

Maybe having your mind a sense of

what you will tell your colleague

to do next once they've had the conversation with you.

I wish you well with it. It's not an easy thing to spot,

but well done you for considering this

and let's hope it's of help to the person that you want

to be of support to.

What are the benefits of early intervention around addiction?

When it comes to addiction, we know that it takes time

for addictive patterns and behaviours to develop,

and so if you recognise the early signs or patterns

and intervene sooner, rather than land them

to become much more entrenched,

it can sometimes be a bit more straightforward.

That's not to say that there's a wrong time to intervene

with an addiction if at any time you recognise it

or have a concern around it,

I would recommend seeking out support, be that from people

around you, friends, family, colleagues, or from medical

and healthcare professionals.

There's never a wrong time,

but the good thing is that if you intervene earlier,

sometimes it can be a bit more straightforward

to break those patterns that might become entrenched

and be more difficult to undo later in time.

What therapy options that are available for addiction?

There are a range of therapeutic options

or therapy options that are available for somebody

who may be affected by addiction.

And this is true of people who have mental

health conditions as well.

And the good news is there isn't a one size fits all,

so you haven't got to necessarily know what kind

of therapeutic intervention to ask for

or to seek out from a professional.

Rather, when you meet with the person who is determining

what is best for you, they will consider the best approach

for your particular situation or your particular addiction.

Sometimes it's a combination of therapies,

sometimes it's one kind of therapy in isolation,

and sometimes it's the case that you have one kind

of therapy and then have others in the future

to build on that. Another thing to say is

that within the addiction space there are

what we call 12 step groups.

So you may have heard of things like Alcoholics Anonymous,

Overeaters Anonymous, and things of that nature.

And while those can be really, really helpful,

that isn't the only solution available to people

who may be affected by addiction.

They work for some, they don't work for others.

And so you may be offered those as any number

of options on a menu for you,

but those aren't the only option available to you.

What reassurance can you offer someone who is affected by addiction?

I feel really strongly having come across many people in

my time as a doctor who have addiction,

that it is something which we

shouldn't apply a judgement to.

And I certainly don't want people to be judging themselves

or be giving themselves a hard time

because they are affected by an addiction as well.

It is the case that when you've got an addiction,

it's often developed out of a need of some kind.

So sometimes there may have been lots of stress,

or there may have been a history of trauma

where you've sought out something which

provided you with an instant level of comfort

or escape from whatever you were seeking comfort from.

And in that moment, it served you

for the purpose it was intended.

But somewhere along the line, your brain decided to utilise

that behaviour, that substance,

that process a bit more regularly

and frequently to the extent

where you are now, potentially, if you are affected

by addiction, where it's now out of your control.

And the reassurance, the pleasure, the comfort it

provided you previously is not no longer the case.

So I want you to be really kind to yourself.

Addictions don't just come from nowhere.

They are often rooted in something which is supposed to be

of help to you and something which is supposed

to soothe you, but somewhere along the line

that becomes dysfunctional

and leads to an addiction, which

as we know can potentially be harmful.

And I hope that by being kind to yourself

and recognising that this is not your fault,

this is not something you've done wrong, you are not broken,

that you can seek out the support you need,

you can absolutely overcome addiction.

I've seen many people come out the other side

infinitely better than they were when they started.

There is hope, and I wish you well on the journey.

Who can be prone to addiction?

We know that addiction can affect anyone,

and perhaps it'll be helpful

to give you an insight from my very privileged position

as a doctor where I get to see people at some

of the most vulnerable times in their lives.

I have patients from all backgrounds of all ages,

from all parts of the country, in fact, who are affected

by addiction, whether

that's an addiction in the moment in time that I see them,

or whether they're in recovery

and abstinence from addiction as well.

By abstinence and recovery, what I mean is

that addiction doesn't just suddenly go away.

It's something you have to constantly work upon to maintain

an abstinence or an abstinence from.

We know, for example, that there are many people in society

who have to take a medication who were historically addicted

to or had a dependency on heroin.

The medication is called methadone.

It's prescribed regularly by community pharmacies, and it's

provided to these individuals week in, week in,

week out for the rest of their lives.

And these are people such as police officers, teachers,

lawyers, even doctors like myself.

There are many people out there

who are taking these medications

and leading perfectly normal lives.

They are grandparents,

they're volunteers in local community organisations.

They are, as I've already alluded to, professionals,

you are probably coming into contact with as well.

And so the reason I stress that is

because that's perhaps a view of addiction

that we don't always consider.

Addiction is presented in one way

and portrayed in one way in the

media and in popular culture.

But actually there are people who are living with the

after effects of recovery from addiction, their abstinence

and ongoing treatment for it

that I think it would be helpful

for you to be aware of as well.

And I hope that provides you with some level of hope

that if they can do it, you certainly can as well.

Is there such thing as an addictive personality?

That's an interesting one because

that is another urban myth that I think goes around a lot

and people sometimes use it

as a badge of honour, don't they?

I've got an addictive personality,

or I'm wired for addiction.

It's not necessarily the case

that there is an addictive personality.

There are many factors that kind of contribute

to somebody becoming addicted or dependent on something.

Personality type can play a slight part in that,

in that you might be somebody who is more adventurous

or risk taking or prone to repetitive behaviours,

but there isn't one particular personality type

that we ascribe to addiction.

And so this notion that there are addictive personality

types is not something that I would place much credence on.

What is the link between dopamine and addiction?

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter

or a chemical that's released from our brains.

And I think dopamine has this

perception within popular culture

that I think it's important for us to speak around,

particularly when it comes to the conversation

around addiction as well.

Dopamine in very simple terms as a feel-good chemical.

It's released in your brain when you are

experiencing something pleasurable.

So whether that's a cup of coffee

or a bar of chocolate,

when you're experiencing something pleasurable,

you are released, your brain is releasing dopamine, which is

what gives you that sense of enjoyment and pleasure.

When it comes to addiction,

we know that addictions are rooted in behaviours

that at one time were beneficial to you.

So whether that was to soothe something

or to comfort something,

or to provide you with pleasure,

whatever you are now addicted to

or potentially addicted to at one stage was something which

you sought pleasure from or comfort from,

or a sense of escape from.

And so dopamine is something which your brain is very used

to having released previously because of that substance.

We know that your brain though gets used to dosing

or exposure to substances.

So you may recognise, for example, that you have

to have more of a particular substance

to experience the same pleasure giving effect

because the dopamine release becomes less

and less the more you're exposed to a substance,

particularly when you move towards

addiction and such like as well.

So simply speaking, dopamine is a feel-good chemical.

It's released by all of our brains

whenever we're experiencing something pleasurable.

When you are addicted, it may be the case that you have

to expose yourself to more of the substance that you

previously did to get the same amount of dopamine release,

and sometimes that can then set aside, set into motion,

rather a vicious cycle.

That means you have to keep taking the stuff at higher

and higher concentrations

or doses to get the same effect as well.

How does addiction differ across genders?

The simple answer is addiction doesn't really differ

across genders at all.

It can affect anyone of any gender in any way.

We also know that addiction can affect anyone

of any background, any age,

and people from all different walks of life.

And so I wouldn't necessarily consider

that addiction affects certain people more than others.

It can affect anyone.

Can I be an addict without realising it?

That's a really interesting question,

and the fact that you've clicked on this particular question

for a response means that you may have an inkling

or a suspicion. Let me say this.

When people are addicted,

they are often really good at doing something called

masking, which is hiding their addiction from other people.

But sometimes that masking is so profound

and powerful that they actually hide the addiction

from themselves as well.

They become so used to living with their addiction

and accommodating for it

and making provision for it, that actually the fact

that they are an addict is perhaps

even lost on them as well.

If you are considering

you might be affected by an addiction,

an addiction is something which is interfering

with your day-to-day life

and is having an impact in your life in a way

that you're not comfortable with.

And either you are aware of that or you're not.

And if you are considering, you might be an addict,

it might be worth considering.

Not necessarily am I an addict,

but am I utilising this substance

or this behaviour in a way that's causing me harm

and having an impact on my life that's al or undesirable.

That might be the unlocking of it for you.

Where do I go if I think I have a problem with addiction?

If you consider you might have a problem with addiction,

the first thing I'd say is well done on recognising that

as a potential source of concern.

I'd also then say that there are lots

of things out there which you can do.

So let's take a step wise approach to this.

Sometimes speaking to somebody else can be really,

really difficult and challenging,

and you may want to confirm in your mind

what you are dealing with.

And so the first thing I'd say is there's lots

of information out there and it's important

that you recognise that the information you want

to access is information

that's accurate rather than information that has an agenda

or a bias that might not serve you.

If you look at the NHS website in the UK, that'll have lots

of very useful information.

Bupa also has its own health content,

which can be helpful to you as well.

And the reason I flag both

of these organisations in particular is

because our health information meets standards that ensure

that it is medically accurate and therefore of use to you.

There are also other organisations out there, charities

for example, that provide information

and you may want to consider accessing those as well.

There are support groups out there, so for example,

12 step programmes such as Alcoholics Anonymous,

Overeaters Anonymous, and any number of groups of

that nature are also within communities to help people.

And the great thing about those groups is

that they're available in person, but also online as well.

So if you don't want to necessarily go to a group

or live far from a physical group that you can access,

you can access those online as well.

I'd also then highlight the role of a medical professional.

It's really important that you consider at some stage

seeking support or advice from a doctor

or a healthcare professional too,

because they're trained in having these conversations.

And also in accessing all, accessing rather all the support

that's available to you locally.

So they'll know what services are available.

They'll have links or numbers to leaflets and organisations

and things that could be of use to you.

And if you need to seek out more formal support such

as therapy or medication

or other medical treatments for your addiction,

they'll be the ones to plug you into that as well.

So lots of things available, but take it one step at a time

and see what works for you.

And I wish you well in seeking out the right support

for you.

How do I best protect myself from slipping back into addiction?

Yeah, that's a really important one

because I think when we think

of addiction quite often there's a real focus on recovery

and getting better from the addiction.

But actually what happens

after that in the long term is often not really

spoken about or addressed.

The fact is when your brain has become addicted

to a substance or a process, there are

what we call neural networks

or pathways that have been formed

that will remain there forever,

and it is the case that those could then reactivate at any

time in the future as well.

So it could be the case that you relapse

or slip back into the behaviour you are seeking

to stay away from, such as drinking too much

or gambling too much,

or a new addictive behaviour may take over that path.

So you might go from, let's say, being somebody

who has a problem with alcohol to then having a problem

with recreational drugs,

or a problem with gambling to a problem with pornography.

So it's important that you remain vigilant the fact that

that neural pathway or neural pathways have been formed.

And while you've done well to overcome one addiction

or addictive pattern of behaviour, it is the case

that in the long term, you should always be vigilant

to look out for telltale signs

of you potentially becoming addicted to a new thing

or the same thing as before,

and put it into place a support system around you.

So whether that's going to regular 12 step groups

or seeing a counsellor on a regular basis,

or taking a medication

or some kind of treatment, psychological treatments,

for example, regularly to keep you abstinent

or away from whatever you are addicted to.

There are many different approaches,

but I think the awareness that it takes ongoing effort

in the long-term, which does get easier, but

nonetheless requires effort, is an important thing

to be aware of.

What kind of mental health conditions can impact on addiction?

Having an addiction

or being in the throes of an addictive behaviour

doesn't mean you will necessarily have

a mental health condition,

but we know that your mental health can be affected

because of an addiction.

So let's take for example, specific symptoms

or features of poor mental health that may show up

during addiction as well.

We know that people who are addicted can sometimes feel

anxious at times or sometimes feel low at times.

That doesn't mean they've got anxiety

or depression, which is a clinical diagnosis,

but rather that they experience features of anxiety

or features of depression or low mood.

Just like anybody who hasn't gotten an addiction can also

experience anxiety or low mood as well.

I think it's also worth considering

that if you are worried about your mental health

or an addiction, and whether there is a link

or a combination between the two, then the best thing

to do is to seek out support for that.

And whether that's having a conversation

with a trusted a friend or a colleague or a family member,

or whether that's seeing a healthcare professional to unpick

what you are concerned about

and have that explored further,

a conversation could certainly be of help.

If someone is affected by addiction, can mental health have an impact on their recovery?

When someone's affected by an addiction, it takes a lot

of psychological effort to overcome that addiction

and a lot of investment in your recovery as well.

Seeing a therapist, seeking out medical treatments,

seeing medical specialists, things of that nature.

And so if you've got a mental health condition alongside an

addiction, that in itself takes up a lot

of your mental bandwidth as well.

You've got to take a lot of time to look

after that, as well as your addiction as well.

So I want to provide a really honest response, which is

that if you have got an addiction

and you've got a mental health condition,

two very separate things that may

or may not be linked, it's going to take perhaps

more effort than somebody who only has an addiction

or only has a mental health condition.

That's not to say it's impossible, though.

There are many people who are affected by one

or both in combination

and many people who overcome their addictions

and indeed their mental health concerns and issues as well.

But it does require even more effort if you've got

the two in combination.

So do be mindful of that

and be kind to yourself if it's taking a bit longer than

somebody who only has an addiction

or only a mental health condition to contend with.

You've got the both and so to recognise it takes more time

or more effort is going to be useful for you to consider.

More support services

If you've got Bupa cover, you may have access to some of these services to support you with your mental health. Your cover could also include treatment for up to 28 days a year, in an inpatient or day patient facility

Further support

Share advice from our experts on a variety of issues related to addictive behaviour.

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