Addiction Awareness Week 2025: Explore Online MSc in Mental Health

We often talk about addiction in terms of excessive substance use or impulsive decision-making, but the reality is often more complex. Addiction Awareness Week (23rd to 30th November 2025) serves as an important reminder to rethink how we view addiction; not as a moral failing, but as a complex mental health condition that should not be overlooked.

As the Princess of Wales recently stated, stigma still prevents people from seeking help.

Addiction is not just a choice or loss of control. While we often associate addiction with alcohol, drugs, or gambling, it can also develop around everyday habits such as consuming caffeine or chocolate, excessive exercise or gaming sessions, constant scrolling on social media, or work dependency.

What connects these is not the substance or the action itself, but rather the emotional reward they provide, which stems from how our brains respond to conditions such as stress, relief, comfort, or escape.

Recognising this shift in perspective is essential as understanding addiction is the first step to helping affected individuals. This article explores:

• What Addiction Really Is
• Why Awareness Matters
• How Our Online MSc in Mental Health Addresses Addiction

We can now look more closely at addiction and consider how specialised programmes, such as the Online MSc in Mental Health, can prepare professionals dedicated to making a difference in mental health and society.

What Addiction Really Is

Addiction is a condition shaped by biological, psychological, and social factors.² This means it does not have a single cause; instead, it can form due to a combination of influences that can increase or decrease a person’s likelihood of developing an addiction. This also explains why two people might react differently to the same stimulus, and why recovery might require more than one approach.

Mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and addiction, are rising among young people, significantly affecting their lives. To take action to prevent addiction and help those in need, it is essential to gain a deep understanding of it.

Behavioural addictions³ are recognised in both research and clinical practice, including:

• Food addiction
• Gambling addiction
• Internet addiction
• Plastic surgery addiction
• Screen addiction
• Shopping addiction
• Social media addiction
• Work addiction

In most cases, overcoming addiction requires willpower, discipline, professional support, and intervention. This leads to the following question: Why does it continue to matter today?

Why Awareness Matters

Mental health concerns, including addiction, are more common among the younger population, with many early signs often appearing between ages 12 and 25.⁴ To reduce the chance of addiction developing early as well as to help people with developed addictions, there is a growing demand for professionals who can identify these signs early and provide effective treatment.

According to a recent Ipsos survey, 53% of people have either personally experienced addiction or know someone who has been affected by it.⁵ This highlights how many people are connected to the issue in some way, yet many still feel unable to talk about it openly.

Reducing the stigma of talking about addiction requires more than just starting a conversation, and this is where education becomes essential. Through learning about addiction academically, individuals who want to help people struggling with addiction can build specialised knowledge and skills that allow them to make a difference.

How Our Online MSc in Mental Health Addresses Addiction

The Online MSc in Mental Health at the University of Birmingham integrates the study of addiction directly into its curriculum as a part of a broader understanding of mental health.

The dedicated module for it studies addiction through recent theory and research, exploring:

• Biological, psychological, and social drivers of addiction
• How addiction behaviours are classified and conceptualised
• Medical and social conceptions of addiction
• Service user and recovery perspectives
• Treatment and recovery programmes for addiction

This module is designed to provide an informed, practical approach to understanding addiction, both in theory and in real-world settings.

Course Overview

Online MSc in Mental Health is an interdisciplinary programme with the Institute for Mental Health and the School of Psychology.

To apply for the Online MSc Mental Health programme, you will need:

• A completed application and a CV
• 2.1 honours degree or non-UK equivalent in Psychology or a related discipline
• An optional reference and an optional statement of purpose
• Language requirements (international students)

Additionally, you may also be eligible for select scholarships to support your studies with a tuition fee discount! Visit the page below to learn more about scholarship details, including eligibility, deadlines, and requirements.

The flexible format of the online MSc in Mental Health allows working professionals to study without career interruption. The programme offers a holistic understanding of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, research, and assessment, with a strong focus on youth mental health and conditions such as addiction.

In Summary

Addiction is a complex mental health condition that can affect individuals of all ages at any point in life, but recovery is always possible with the right assistance. By leveraging education and specialised programmes, such as the Online MSc in Mental Health, students can build the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to support those facing addiction.

This Addiction Awareness Week, it is important to recognise the role of both awareness and action, as these go hand in hand toward helping people who are working to overcome addiction. With the right understanding, support and resources, you can make a real impact on society.

References

1. Taking Action On Addiction | A campaign website to bring more understanding and help reduce the stigma surrounding addiction. (2025). Retrieved November 26, 2025, from Takingactiononaddiction.org.uk website: https://takingactiononaddiction.org.uk/campaign.
2. Causes of Addiction: Biopsychosocial Model, Personality Theories and Neuropsychology – Olympic Behavioral Health. (2024, May 7). Retrieved November 26, 2025, from Olympic Behavioral Health website: https://olympicbehavioralhealth.com/rehab-blog/addiction-causes/.
3. Murray, K. (2025, November 4). Behavioral Addictions. Retrieved November 26, 2025, from Addiction Center website: https://www.addictioncenter.com/behavioral-addictions/.
4. Uhlhaas, P. J., Davey, C. G., Mehta, U. M., Shah, J., Torous, J., Allen, N. B., … Luna, B. (2023). Towards a youth mental health paradigm: a perspective and roadmap. Molecular Psychiatry, 28(8), 3171–3181. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-023-02202-z.
5. Davies, C. (2025, November 24). Princess of Wales calls for end to “stigma” around addiction. Retrieved November 26, 2025, from the Guardian website: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/nov/24/princess-of-wales-calls-for-end-to-stigma-around-addiction.

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