Latest news with #UKAddictionTreatmentCentres
Daily Mirror
22-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Signs of ketamine addiction as The Vivienne's family want to tackle 'stigma'
UK Addiction Treatment Centres has emphasised that it is never too late to seek help for dependence The Vivienne's sister has questioned whether the "stigma" around drug use prevented the performer from seeking help. James Lee Williams, better known as The Vivienne, died at home in Cheshire in January, aged 32. The family announced the cause of death as cardiac arrest caused by the effects of taking ketamine. An inquest is scheduled to take place in June. Chanel Williams told BBC Newsnight that her brother had "a really long period of sobriety" before relapsing. The RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner previously spoke about ketamine abuse during the 2019 series. "He'd spoken openly on Drag Race about the battles he'd had with addiction, and he'd come through the other side of that," Chanel said. "He was at the height of everything he was doing and I think because he'd said it in such a open platform, it's really difficult to come back and say you're struggling again." She added: "It's hard for me because I think if that stigma wasn't there, would my brother have sought the help he needed?" Chanel and her family are working with Adferiad, a substance abuse charity, to help raise awareness and tackle stigma around drug use. According to UK Addiction Treatment Centres, ketamine is a dissociative drug that was first synthesised as an anaesthetic. Also known as 'special K', it has a highly addictive potential. While it's sometimes used in hospital settings to help patients with severe pain, ketamine abuse is becoming more common. UK Addiction Treatment Centres said: "While you might not think that your drug use is a cause for concern, there is no 'correct' dosage for ketamine and any recreational use of the substance should be a cause for concern. "This is because ketamine is illegal and has the potential to be highly dangerous if not administered by a medical professional. For this reason, it is important to carefully monitor your ketamine use to determine whether your habit has escalated to a full-blown addiction." Signs and symptoms of ketamine addiction could include: Poor coordination Insomnia Very irritable 'Spacing out' often, as if in a trance Swift movement of the eyes Slurring their words Intense cravings Hallucinations Bladder pains Insomnia Difficulty breathing Paralysis Increased heart rate Memory loss UK Addiction Treatment Centre continued: "Whether you have been abusing ketamine for a short time or are battling a long-withstanding addiction, it is never too late to seek help for your dependence. It can be overwhelming to choose to make such a significant life change, but this could make all the difference in seeing the other side of your addiction and regaining control over your life. "Across all eight of our UKAT facilities, we provide rehabilitation programmes specifically tailored to your needs. So don't let your ketamine addiction consume another moment of your life. Get in touch as soon as possible, and one of our advisors will discuss which programme is best for you." Where to get help for drug misuse A GP is a good place to start, says the NHS. They can discuss your problems with you and get you into treatment. They may offer you treatment at the practice or refer you to your local drug service. If you're not comfortable talking to a GP, you can approach your local drug treatment service yourself. You can find services close to you through the Frank website. If you're having trouble finding the right sort of help, call the Frank drugs helpline on 0300 123 6600. They can talk you through all your options. As well as the NHS, there are charities and private drug and alcohol treatment organisations that can help you. Visit the Adfam website to see a list of useful organisations.
The Independent
14-02-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Is your teen addicted to social media? Here's what to do
Addiction to social media is on the rise amongst young people. And determining whether your child is addicted to social media, or simply using it more than you'd like can be tricky. According to research, almost half (48 per cent) of teenagers in Britain say they feel addicted to social media. Meanwhile, data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) found a 'sharp rise' in problematic social media use in 280,000 young people in Canada, central Asia and Europe. Tomorrow, February 11, is Safer Internet Day, which promotes responsible use of digital technology for young people. So now is a good opportunity for parents to ask themselves if their child may be addicted to social media, and take steps to deal with the problem if they are. Lee Fernandes, lead therapist at the UK Addiction Treatment Centres (UKAT) Group, says: 'Parents should be worried about social media addiction, as we know first-hand that it's a very real problem. However, there's a difference between a child using social media for longer than the parent wants them to, and the child actually having an addiction.' The WHO report, which found rates of problematic social media use among adolescents increased from 7 per cent in 2018 to 11 per cent in 2022, says such use involves addiction-like symptoms including an inability to control social media usage, experiencing withdrawal when not using it, neglecting other activities in favour of social media, and facing negative consequences in daily life due to excessive use. And it concludes that its data 'raises urgent concerns about the impact of digital technology on the mental health and wellbeing of young people.' Fernandes explains that using social media releases dopamine into the brain as a reward, and it's experiencing this neurological response that encourages young people to use social media again. 'Social media is complex in that it not only provides instant gratification via 'likes', it can be accessed 24/7, 365 days a year, which enhances the users' desire to always be on these platforms in case they miss out on something happening,' he says. 'The user can disappear into the world of social media and live their life through everyone else's online, making it incredibly difficult to value their own, real-world lives.' It may often be up to parents to look out for signs of problematic social media use, he says, as children and young people themselves may find it difficult. 'Being addicted to social media means having lost the power of choice,' he explains. 'The user can't help but go on to social media even when they know it's negatively affecting their everyday life. In children especially, this self-identification might be more difficult, so it's up to parents to watch their child's behaviour to look out for the signs and symptoms of social media addiction.' Parents should observe their child's behaviour when they're not using social media, he advises, and ask if they can still get up, shower, eat and go to school, have a healthy, verbal conversation with you and their family or friends, are still doing well at school, and if they've spent any money that they shouldn't have on social media. In addition, are you arguing with your child because of their social media use, are they getting enough sleep, and are they suffering from any physical withdrawal symptoms, like headaches and/or nausea, or do they seem physically agitated when they're not scrolling through their phone? Fernandes says: 'Observing the behaviour of the child when they're not on social media will allow parents to better understand whether their child's relationship with social media has become unhealthy and addictive in nature or not. And if they believe it has, it's crucial for them to seek professional help and advice sooner rather than later.' However, as UKAT residential rehab facilities only treat social media addiction in those aged over 16, for parents of younger children, Fernandes adds: 'Our advice would be for parents to speak to their child's GP about their social media usage. It might be that the GP can then signpost them further, or they might prescribe them a course of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to begin with.' Will Gardner, director of the UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC), which coordinates Safer Internet Day in the UK, says finding balance is important to ensure social media use doesn't interfere with important areas of children's lives, like learning, sleep, exercise and hobbies. 'If social media use starts to disrupt these areas, it could be a sign your child is spending too much time online,' he warns. 'These signs can vary from child to child, so it's important to talk about these to help them recognise their own warning signs, what to do in response, and understand when they should take a break.' Gardner also suggests parents worried about the time their child spends on social media should find out what parental controls are available on each platform, and talk to their child about how to navigate social media responsibly. He says creating a Family Agreement can be a useful starting point, as this allows parents and children to agree rules around technology use that everyone's happy with, and are therefore more likely to follow. 'A family agreement also allows you as a parent to model the behaviour you want to see for your children's social media use,' he points out. 'It's important for children to experience the benefits of social media while also being aware of the potential risks. Managing the time on social media is an issue which affects children and adults alike, as these platforms are designed to be engaging and hard to step away from. 'Finding the right strategies for your family and helping each other is key.
The Independent
10-02-2025
- Health
- The Independent
How to tell if your child is addicted to social media
Addiction to social media is on the rise amongst young people. And determining whether your child is addicted to social media, or simply using it more than you'd like can be tricky. According to research, almost half (48 per cent) of teenagers in Britain say they feel addicted to social media. Meanwhile, data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) found a 'sharp rise' in problematic social media use in 280,000 young people in Canada, central Asia and Europe. Tomorrow, February 11, is Safer Internet Day, which promotes responsible use of digital technology for young people. So now is a good opportunity for parents to ask themselves if their child may be addicted to social media, and take steps to deal with the problem if they are. Lee Fernandes, lead therapist at the UK Addiction Treatment Centres (UKAT) Group, says: 'Parents should be worried about social media addiction, as we know first-hand that it's a very real problem. However, there's a difference between a child using social media for longer than the parent wants them to, and the child actually having an addiction.' The WHO report, which found rates of problematic social media use among adolescents increased from 7 per cent in 2018 to 11 per cent in 2022, says such use involves addiction-like symptoms including an inability to control social media usage, experiencing withdrawal when not using it, neglecting other activities in favour of social media, and facing negative consequences in daily life due to excessive use. And it concludes that its data 'raises urgent concerns about the impact of digital technology on the mental health and wellbeing of young people.' Fernandes explains that using social media releases dopamine into the brain as a reward, and it's experiencing this neurological response that encourages young people to use social media again. 'Social media is complex in that it not only provides instant gratification via 'likes', it can be accessed 24/7, 365 days a year, which enhances the users' desire to always be on these platforms in case they miss out on something happening,' he says. 'The user can disappear into the world of social media and live their life through everyone else's online, making it incredibly difficult to value their own, real-world lives.' It may often be up to parents to look out for signs of problematic social media use, he says, as children and young people themselves may find it difficult. 'Being addicted to social media means having lost the power of choice,' he explains. 'The user can't help but go on to social media even when they know it's negatively affecting their everyday life. In children especially, this self-identification might be more difficult, so it's up to parents to watch their child's behaviour to look out for the signs and symptoms of social media addiction.' Parents should observe their child's behaviour when they're not using social media, he advises, and ask if they can still get up, shower, eat and go to school, have a healthy, verbal conversation with you and their family or friends, are still doing well at school, and if they've spent any money that they shouldn't have on social media. In addition, are you arguing with your child because of their social media use, are they getting enough sleep, and are they suffering from any physical withdrawal symptoms, like headaches and/or nausea, or do they seem physically agitated when they're not scrolling through their phone? Fernandes says: 'Observing the behaviour of the child when they're not on social media will allow parents to better understand whether their child's relationship with social media has become unhealthy and addictive in nature or not. And if they believe it has, it's crucial for them to seek professional help and advice sooner rather than later.' However, as UKAT residential rehab facilities only treat social media addiction in those aged over 16, for parents of younger children, Fernandes adds: 'Our advice would be for parents to speak to their child's GP about their social media usage. It might be that the GP can then signpost them further, or they might prescribe them a course of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to begin with.' Will Gardner, director of the UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC), which coordinates Safer Internet Day in the UK, says finding balance is important to ensure social media use doesn't interfere with important areas of children's lives, like learning, sleep, exercise and hobbies. 'If social media use starts to disrupt these areas, it could be a sign your child is spending too much time online,' he warns. 'These signs can vary from child to child, so it's important to talk about these to help them recognise their own warning signs, what to do in response, and understand when they should take a break.' Gardner also suggests parents worried about the time their child spends on social media should find out what parental controls are available on each platform, and talk to their child about how to navigate social media responsibly. He says creating a Family Agreement can be a useful starting point, as this allows parents and children to agree rules around technology use that everyone's happy with, and are therefore more likely to follow. 'A family agreement also allows you as a parent to model the behaviour you want to see for your children's social media use,' he points out. 'It's important for children to experience the benefits of social media while also being aware of the potential risks. Managing the time on social media is an issue which affects children and adults alike, as these platforms are designed to be engaging and hard to step away from. 'Finding the right strategies for your family and helping each other is key.
