Gambling Is a Real Addiction: Why It's Dangerous and How It Differs
Why gambling addiction is real, why it is dangerous, and how it differs from alcohol and drug addictions, written in plain English.
5 min readFree resources
Understanding Addiction
Short, plain-English articles about addiction and recovery: what it is, what helps, and how to support someone you love. Written by the Unspool team. Free to read, no sign-up needed.
These articles are general information, not medical advice. Unspool is not a crisis service. If you're in immediate danger, call 999 or the Samaritans on 116 123.
How to Block Yourself from Gambling: What Actually Helps
How to block yourself from gambling in the UK: GAMSTOP, Gamban, asking your bank to block gambling payments, the National Gambling Helpline and how therapy can help.
5 min readWhy Cocaine Addiction Goes Unnoticed: The Hidden Signs
Why cocaine addiction can stay hidden behind work, family life and social confidence, what the less obvious signs mean, and how to begin an honest conversation.
4 min readWhat Cocaine Does to Your Body and Mind: Short-Term and Long-Term Effects
What cocaine actually does in the short term and the long term: the high, the comedown, the effects on the heart and nose, and where to get help in the UK.
4 min readWhat is Addiction?
A clear explanation of what addiction is, why it is not simply a lack of willpower, and how biological, psychological and environmental factors all play a part.
5 min readAddiction and Dependence: Are They the Same Thing?
A clear look at the difference between addiction and dependence, and why physical dependence alone does not mean someone is addicted.
4 min readAddiction Counselling: How It Works and How to Find a Therapist
A plain guide to addiction counselling in the UK: what it is, what happens in a first session, how long it takes, online versus in-person, what it costs, and how to find a qualified addiction therapist.
9 min readDo I Have a Drinking Problem?
Eight honest questions to help you look at your relationship with alcohol: how often, how much, why, and what happens when you try to cut down.
7 min readDo I Need Rehab?
What residential rehab actually involves, how it differs from detox, what it costs in the UK, and how to work out the right level of support for you.
6 min readWhy Can't I Stop Drinking?
Why stopping drinking can feel harder than making a decision, how alcohol shapes learned patterns, and what can make change possible.
5 min readWhy Do I Only Drink at Night?
Why evening drinking can become a learned pattern, what those drinks may be doing for you, and the questions that can help you look more closely.
3 min readAlcohol Cravings: Why Do I Want a Drink So Badly?
Why cravings can feel so convincing, how your brain learns the pattern, and what actually helps when the urge to drink hits.
5 min readCan Addiction Be Cured?
Whether addiction can be cured depends on what we mean by “cured”, and why recovery is possible even when the answer is complicated.
3 min readWhy Do I Lie About My Drinking?
Why do people lie about how much they drink? The reasons behind hiding alcohol use, minimising drinking, guilt and shame, and what it may mean for you.
7 min readLapse vs Relapse
Relapsed and feel like you've ruined everything? The difference between a lapse and a relapse, why shame makes it worse, and what to do next.
4 min readSigns of Cocaine Addiction
Cocaine addiction rarely looks how you expect. The warning signs to watch for, from losing control and cravings to secrecy, money and mood, and what to do next.
5 min readYou Cannot Rescue Someone From Addiction, But You Can Still Help
For families and carers: why you cannot rescue someone from addiction, how to help without enabling, and how boundaries protect you both.
7 min readHow Do I Help My Partner Stop Drinking?
For partners: why you cannot control someone else's drinking, what tends to make things worse, what actually helps, and where to find support for yourself.
8 min readHow Do You Set Boundaries With Someone Who Drinks?
A boundary is a decision about what you will do, not what the other person does. How to set and hold boundaries calmly, without guilt, and what to do when they are tested.
8 min readHow Do I Stop Taking Cocaine?
An honest, practical guide to stopping cocaine: what withdrawal really feels like, why willpower alone rarely holds, and where to get free help in the UK.
8 min readA Different Way Forward: The Living Room Hertfordshire
Marcel shares his experience of The Living Room, a Hertfordshire charity offering free addiction support, daily group therapy and a different way forward.
6 min readWhat is Recovery?
Recovery is more than stopping. What it really means, why it can feel harder than expected, and how people build a life that holds.
6 min readTrauma and Addiction: Why You Can't Treat One Without the Other
Why so many people experiencing addiction also carry trauma, how the two feed each other, and why recovery works best when both are understood together.
7 min readSpecialist Addiction Counselling or a General Therapy App: Which Is Right for You?
An honest look at the difference between a general online therapy app and a specialist addiction counsellor, and how to decide what you actually need.
6 min readLooking for free peer support?
We also list UK anonymous and peer-recovery fellowships: free, confidential groups you can join without a referral.
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