Substance addiction or Substance Use Disorder (SUD) affects millions of people globally.
According to the Adult Substance Misuse Treatment Statistics Report, a study conducted by the UK government, 329,646 adults reached out and contacted a drug and alcohol treatment provider from April 2024 to March 2025.
This is the highest number ever reported by this annual study.
Despite the staggering figure of people suffering from substance addiction, whether drug or alcohol addiction, only 169,542 of this figure proceeded to enter and receive treatment for their condition.
This means that there is a far greater number of people who remain not only untreated but undiagnosed.
Therefore, it’s often assumed that the amount of people suffering from substance dependence exceeds the official numbers significantly.
What is Substance Addiction?
Substance addiction is a chronic brain disease characterised by compulsive behaviour and a range of physical and psychological symptoms.
According to the brain disease model of addiction, substance addiction occurs when our reward pathways and neural pathways are altered in a way that becomes dependent on addictive substances.
Reward Pathways, Social Drinking, and Addiction
Our reward pathways – also known as the mesolimbic pathways – are responsible for our behaviour and thoughts related to motivation and reward.
Everyday activities such as exercising, eating, laughing with friends, or sexual activity trigger dopamine release, the “feel-good” chemical that encourages us to repeat positive experiences.
Here’s how social drinking can fuel addiction issues:
- Habit formations: Our reward pathways are adaptable, meaning that we can train ourselves to enjoy certain activities. This means habits – both healthy and unhealthy – can become deeply ingrained.
- Alcohol association: When alcohol is routinely paired with socialising, the brain begins to link connection, relaxation, and fun with drinking. Over time, this can make sober socialising feel awkward, dull, or anxiety-provoking simply because the brain hasn’t learned to enjoy those situations without alcohol’s chemical boost.
- Intense quantities: Frequent or heavy use of alcohol and drugs triggers these reward pathways far more intensely than natural rewards. This creates strong associations between substance use and positive emotional states.
- Environmental triggers: In social drinking contexts, this reinforcement is even stronger because alcohol is paired with bonding, humour, music, celebrations, and social confidence. The absence of alcohol in these familiar social situations can then lead to discomfort, heightened social anxiety, or the sense that something is “missing.”
- Withdrawal: When someone becomes dependent and then tries to stop drinking, the brain struggles to regulate dopamine on its own. This leads to withdrawal symptoms until alcohol is reintroduced.
Symptoms of Addiction
The symptoms of addiction are various and depend on a number of factors, such as the substance of choice, genetic factors, pre-existing mental illnesses, and so on.
These symptoms can be categorised into physical and psychological symptoms.
The physical symptoms of substance addiction include but aren’t limited to:
- Increased blood pressure
- Headaches
- Vomiting
- Muscle cramps
- Diarrhea
- Disease and cancer
- Seizures
The psychological symptoms of substance addiction include but aren’t limited to:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Psychosis
- Erratic behaviour
- Irritability
Causes of Substance Addiction
Substance addiction doesn’t emerge from nothing. More often than not, there are a range of issues at play which lead to a person developing substance addiction.
Here are some of the most common causes of substance addiction:
- Genetic predisposition: It’s often the case that someone inherits physical or psychological traits from family members that leave them vulnerable to addiction.
- Mental health issues: Some of the leading causes of developing a substance addiction include mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. These illnesses can make it difficult for people to socialise without depending on intoxicating substances.
- Social issues: Social issues, whether in the form of social isolation, peer pressure, financial insecurity, and so on, can be a catalyst in someone developing a substance addiction.
Why People Drink in Social Situations
There are many different reasons as to why someone would turn towards drugs or alcohol consumption in the presence of other people:
- Peer pressure: One of the leading factors that coerces people to drink in social situations, particularly among teenagers and young adults, is peer pressure. People who refuse to drink in social situations are often chastised or ostracised for their sober endeavours, and therefore choose to drink alcohol to fit in with others.
- Social anxiety: Many people experience social anxiety in large groups and turn towards alcohol as a form of coping mechanism. The term “Dutch courage” refers to the drinking of alcohol in order to develop a newfound sense of confidence in social situations, which is ultimately short-lived and unhealthy in the long-term.
- Stress relief: Whether someone is suffering from work-related stress, relationship issues, or other, socialising with other people is often seen as an opportunity to decompress in the form of alcohol consumption.
- Tradition: Drinking in social groups has become entrenched in our society. Whether you’re meeting friends for a birthday, celebrating a wedding, or simply winding down after work, drinking alcohol has become not only normalised but encouraged among peers.
Tips on How to Socialise Sober
While there are many ways to just stop drinking, it helps to follow different tips or mantras. Here are some useful tips on maintaining your sobriety at social gatherings:
- Set firm boundaries: Clearly communicate your limits and sobriety goals so friends understand and respect your choices. If the atmosphere becomes too intense or people around you are getting increasingly intoxicated, it’s okay to leave early. Strong boundaries not only protect your wellbeing and help you stay in control, but also build confidence in your long-term sobriety.
- Don’t overexplain: Another form of setting firm boundaries lies in not overexplaining why you’re sober. Many people who drink ask questions about the sober person at the party. Don’t overexplain, because the harder you try, the more of a deal it will be for yourself and others. Simply explain that you’re not drinking that day, or are trying to be more mindful of your health.
- Don’t focus on “missing out”: It’s possible that you may miss out on some of the key events that happen at a gathering. Rather than focusing on what you missed out on when your friends were at the club at 4am, focus on what you enjoyed and appreciate that you called it a night earlier than others.
- Form a support network: A support network can come in many forms, whether it’s your Alcoholics Anonymous group, or your friends and family at home. If you can, speak with your friends beforehand and tell them that you would appreciate their support in your sobriety at the social gathering.
- Make use of recovery tools: Mind: Mind offers a wealth of resources for people suffering from mental health issues, and also offers a helpline where you can speak directly with a member for support.
- Frank: Frank, or Talk to Frank, specialises in supporting people suffering from addiction and also educating people about the consequences of substance addiction. Frank also has a helpline where you can contact someone directly to seek support and guidance.
- Incorporate mindfulness techniques: Consider incorporating mindfulness techniques before or during your social outing. Whether you practice yoga beforehand or breathwork in an isolated area, mindfulness techniques can help you remain grounded and prevent a relapse.
- Remember your “why”: It’s helpful to know your “why”. Once you realise the key driving force in why you decided to become sober, maintaining your health becomes much easier.
- Empower yourself: Whether you’re sober in order to improve your health, make better choices, or something else, remember that it is an incredible feat. Often, people question why someone doesn’t drink because they can’t envision themselves overcoming alcohol dependence at social gatherings. Just remember that what you are doing is empowering and takes a huge amount of courage and discipline.
How to Recover From Alcohol Addiction
If you think that you are suffering from a form of alcohol addiction, you may need to seek support, like professional intervention.
There is no one way to recover from addiction, rather, patients are encouraged to seek professional help and incorporate a range of recovery methods.
Here are the different ways you can recover from drug or alcohol addiction.
- Drug and Alcohol Rehab: A drug and alcohol rehab will allow you to undergo a comprehensive addiction recovery programme. From detox, therapy and counselling, and relapse prevention strategies, a drug and alcohol rehab will guide patients through various stages of recovery. You can enter rehab as an outpatient or an inpatient at a residential rehab
- Self-help groups: Support networks like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and SMART Recovery offer in-person and online sessions where you can share experiences, gain encouragement, and build positive social connections that strengthen long-term sobriety.
- Therapy and counseling: Therapy and counselling isn’t exclusive to drug and alcohol rehab. Patients can undergo a range of therapeutic methods like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or Dialectical Behaviour Therapy to treat root causes of addiction such as anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders.
- Make use of recovery resources: Organizations like Mind and Talk to Frank provide accessible mental health and addiction support, including educational resources and helplines where you can speak directly with trained staff for guidance and reassurance.
Live a Sober and Healthy Life
Socialising and maintaining sobriety can be difficult, especially in a culture that has cultivated excessive drinking habits.
However, choosing sobriety is essential towards better health and wellbeing. Understanding how addiction forms and setting clear boundaries can help you navigate social environments with confidence.
With the help of professional medical intervention, support networks, self-help groups, and recovery resources, sober living becomes more possible.
Boris is our editor-in-chief at Rehab 4 Addiction. Boris is an addiction expert with more than 20 years in the field. His expertise covers a broad of topics relating to addiction, rehab and recovery. Boris is an addiction therapist and assists in the alcohol detox and rehab process. Boris has been featured on a variety of websites, including the BBC, Verywell Mind and Healthline. You can connect with Boris online at LinkedIn or X.com.
