Living through the addiction cycle will carry its tests. Through the ongoing abuse of drugs, alcohol, other addictive substances or activities, negative consequences of addiction are likely.

Health concerns are usually attached to the churn of substance abuse or the experience of other unhealthy activities. Relationship breakdowns, significant changes to personal outlooks, attitudes, behaviours and personality traits, and impacts on responsibilities on both personal and professional levels are all consequences of addiction. Yet, rarely, crime and addiction are considered, when in fact, criminal activity highly correlates with habitual behaviours.

Crime and addiction go hand in hand. An addiction will usually develop innocently, without control or the desires to become dependent on the likes of drugs and alcohol. Initially, positives, linked to substance abuse will be encountered.

In fact, at this point, criminal activity will likely be frowned upon, far from reflecting current realities. Yet, as an addiction intensifies, those negative changes will be encountered, which can result in money worries, in the inability to hold down a job, in homelessness, in poverty and in the ongoing cravings of drug and alcohol consumption.

Through those cravings, in conjunction with experiencing negative changes, it’s clear to see why crime and addiction go hand in hand, where users will do whatever it takes to fulfil that next fix in desperation.

This can be a sad reality for some individuals, where the true correlation between crime and addiction showcases itself. Living with an addiction may currently feel like a life sentence. Yet, in truth, recovery can be aimed for with professional support here at Ocean Recovery. However, without intervention, a life sentence linked to criminal activity may be experienced, which we cannot help with.

See how impactful alcoholism, drug addiction and crime areas related actions, avoidable by reverting the cycle of addiction.

 

Consequences of addiction

As we’ve touched on above, there are many negative consequences of addiction. Prior to experiencing an addiction, most users will lead lives far apart from the end results of drug and alcohol abuse. Starting off, relationships may be strong, health may reach optimal levels, life may be comfortable, and financial worries may be at bay.

Yet, once a singular trigger influences the misuse of drugs, alcohol or unhealthy activities, the development of addiction can unknowingly, begin. For some, this process can take some point, where ongoing exposure to addictive stimuli must be experienced. Yet, for others, the addiction cycle can rapidly develop, turning realities upside down, without control.

Consequences of addiction are likely, down to the harmful and progressive characteristics of addictive stimuli. The changes that behavioural habits cause, in the brain, also carry significant harm, which can lead to mental health issues, changes to temperaments, and values.

As every addiction is different, the exact consequences will be hard to pinpoint. Yet, for some, crime-related consequences are likely, usually in desperation to pursue a difficult to break the habit, known as addiction.

 

The link between crime and addiction commonly directs to robberies, financial crime and fraud. Criminal activities, linked to financial gain are commonly high, especially when considering the consistent fuelling of drug and alcohol abuse. With this in mind, crime is usually seen out of desperation, in order to beat addictive cravings.

Yet, when asking ‘how much crime is drug/alcohol-related?’, many other areas of criminal activity also make the cut, which falls within the substance abuse sphere.

Common links between crime and addiction include:

While crime and addiction do go hand in hand, it’s also important to remember that not all forms of crime are related to the fuelling of addiction and that for many, criminal activity will not be driven by ongoing consumption. In fact, crime can be a direct result of substance abuse, such as driving offences and violence.

 

Crime and addiction – a complicated relationship

Down to the consequences linked to the relationship between crime and addiction, many individuals are unfortunately suffering tenfold over a standalone habitual behaviour.

Crime, alone, can rip families apart, result in prison sentences, in the inability to pursue a quality life, in money and legal worries, and in many obstacles. Addiction, alone, can lead to health problems, again can break down relationships, can transform priorities, and can reduce the ability to lead a normal life.

Combined together, crime and addiction intensify side effects, make every day a struggle, and reduce future capabilities of living happily, healthy and freely, possible.

Of course, every addiction diagnosis will not result in criminal activity. This is something we must highlight here at Ocean Recovery. For some, crime may have been a way of life, prior to the use of drugs or alcohol. For others, coping without the necessity of criminal activity is possible.

However, down to the average correlation, this complicated relationship needs some attention. Otherwise, life sentences of a controlling addiction, followed by strict, legal action will be the reality of many users, living through the consequences of both addiction and crime.

 

Overcoming addiction with our support

While we cannot provide specialist support through criminal issues, we can lead the way when considering addiction recovery. Again, overcoming an addiction will not solve the problem for everyone. Criminal activity may have been promoted way beyond the development of an addiction diagnosis. With this in mind, personal changes will need to be made to avoid illegal actions.

Yet, we can offer effective direction when considering an addiction diagnosis, by providing a clear way out, through drug and alcohol rehabilitation. By contacting our team, we can work with you to form a personal programme, filled with addiction treatment services and recovery steps, in place to promote detachment, restoration and relapse prevention.

We can help you become free from the life sentence of addiction, yet in order to tackle the relationship between crime and addiction, you must also aim to help yourself. Improve your quality of life with the potential to reduce the necessity of criminal and illegal actions.

John Gillen - Director at Ocean Recovery

John Gillen - Author - Last updated: February 13, 2024

John is one UK’s leading professionals in the addiction recovery industry. Pioneering new treatment techniques such as NAD+ and ongoing research into new therapy techniques such as systematic laser therapy, John is committed to providing the very best treatment for people throughout the UK and Europe. During his extremely busy schedule, John likes to regularly update our blog section with the latest news and trends in the industry to keep visitors to our site as well informed as possible on everything related to addiction treatment.

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