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Impact of lockdown on recovery

Further analysis from our May 2021 YouGov national poll on addictive behaviours during the UK lockdowns

Relapse

37% of people surveyed who identified as being in recovery from an addiction prior to lockdown have experienced a relapse or a re-occurrence of their addictive behaviour since lockdown. On a national scale this may mean more than two million people in recovery from an addiction have experienced some form of relapse during lockdown.

For the sake of comparison, in the May 2020 poll 39% of people who identified as being in recovery prior to lockdown reported a relapse. This indicates an emerging consistency of self-identified relapse during the UK lockdowns.

39% of people surveyed with a family member in recovery prior to lockdown reported their loved one experiencing relapse or a re-occurrence of their addictive behaviour since lockdown. This is a significant uplift from 26% in May 2020 and if it were to be replicated across the population it would be equivalent to 1.7 million people.

42% of people surveyed with a friend in recovery prior to lockdown reported their friend experiencing relapse or a re-occurrence of their addictive behaviour since lockdown. This is a further uplift from May 2020, which reported 28%.

Children and young adults

9% of those surveyed have a close relative between the ages of 12-25 who have shown an increase in an addictive behaviour since lockdown. On a national scale this could mean almost 1 million children and young people in the age group are showing an increase in addictive behaviour during lockdown. In June 2020 this was reported as 4% and is a therefore a significant increase.

Of those who have a close relative aged between 12-25 showing an increase in addictive behaviour, 46% polled said they believe their relative will need support (e.g. treatment, therapy and advice services) as a result of this behaviour. A leap of 11% from June poll (which reported 35%).

33% of those people who have seen an increase in addictive behaviour in a child or young adult relative said that the individual’s close family are likely to need support services as a result. For the UK this would mean over 600,000 families needing support and access to services. This is fairly consistent with the May 2020 poll (30%).

Impact of lockdown on addiction behaviour in UK adults not in recovery

19% of adults not in recovery from an addiction prior to lockdown say they have increased the amount of alcohol they are drinking since lockdown started. For the UK as a whole that could mean just under 9.5million people increasing their intake of alcohol during lockdown. This is a small reduction from 25% in May 2020, however the number of respondents reporting drinking a lot more alcohol, has stayed at 3% in both polls – and if replicated across the UK population suggest as many as 1.5 million people drinking a lot more alcohol.

17% of adults who have increased the amount of alcohol they are drinking are experiencing related problems (such as relationship difficulties, managing work, sleeping problems, physical symptoms of withdrawal, debt etc.) That is a little over 1.5 million people experiencing problems associated with increased drinking of alcohol during lockdown. In May 2020 the numbers were at 15%.

The largest shift in statistics is based on the number of people who said they were experiencing problems due to their increased alcohol consumption. 38% of this group said they would find it difficult to resolve these problems associated with their increased drinking, a jump from 9% in May 2020 poll. Replicated across the UK population this would mean over 590,000 people, who have not previously been in recovery from an addiction, finding it difficult to resolve problems associated with their increased alcohol intake.

5% of people surveyed say they have increased the amount of online gambling they are doing. Replicated across the UK population this would mean 2million people have increased their online gambling during lockdown.

Of those who have increased the amount 15% say they have experienced problems associated with their increased online gambling during lockdown – which could suggest 319,000 people experiencing problems associated with increase in gambling, consistent with the results from May 2020.

Addictive behaviour after lockdown

Of all adults surveyed who identified a problem with an addictive behaviour during lockdown (either new or a re-occurrence) 36% identified that they would need support or treatment to resolve the problems they are experiencing with this behaviour. When looking at the UK population, this is 930,000 adults. This is an uplift from 24% in May 2020.

Access to treatment

All respondents were asked to consider the situation in which they needed help for an increase in an addictive behaviour. They were then asked how easy or difficult they think it would be to find access to support or treatment. 36% said they think they would find it difficult to access support or treatment were they to need it. A similar result May 2020 (39%).

Addictive behaviours (increased drinking, gambling or drug taking) and lockdowns

Of the respondents who have increased consumption during lockdown 7% attributed this to separation from family and friends, 2% on loss of income and 2% on extended time on furlough. On a national scale this would mean (attribution to separation – over 800,000 – loss of income and furlough 240,000 people respectively).

Addictive behaviour and mental health

22% of adults said they were not in any form of recovery from addiction prior to the first lockdown but have increased their drinking, gambling and drug use during the lockdowns. If this were to be replicated across the population it would be equivalent to 2.5 million people.

Of that 22% a statistically significant proportion in the survey reported a negative impact from their increased consumption on their mental health, including: a 22% increase in reported loneliness, 22% increased feeling of depression, 31% increase in anxiety levels and 24% increase in stress. If these figures were to be replicated across the population it would be equivalent to 2.5 million people feeling an increase in loneliness, 2.5 people feeling an increase in depression, 3.6 million people feeling an increase in anxiety, and 2.8 million people feeling an increase in stress – as a result of the increase in addictive behaviours.

YouGov Poll

May 2021:

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2191 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 5th – 6th May 2021. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).

May 2020:

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2088 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 15th – 17th May 2020. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).

Analysis:

Unless otherwise stated, the analysis of the data has been made by Action on Addiction Part of The Forward Trust.