Not everyone who experiences problems with drugs or alcohol is an addict or an alcoholic. A mistake that too often gets made is the premature labelling of an individual as either ‘this’ or ‘that’, when in actual fact, the symptoms are the manifestation of a desperate attempt to ‘normalise’ abnormal feelings; self-medication if you prefer.

There are recognised and effective methods of addressing addiction and alcoholism, though these are often ineffective with someone who is not psychologically and/or physically addicted. Whether the person concerned is a bona-fide addict or a problem user, help is available.