Beautiful Boy is a newly anticipated American biographical drama film directed by Felix Van Groeningen and stars Steve Carell, Amy Ryan, Maura Tierney and Timothée Chalamet about a teenager, Nicolas Sheff who's life crumbles apart after becoming addicted to meth, which destroys everything. The film also follows Nicolas's father, David Sheff, doing whatever he can to save his beautiful boy. The movie is based on the best-selling memoirs from the father and son. Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction by David Sheff and Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines by Nic Sheff.
This film contains some familiar names, which may resonate with young people. Drug addiction in the UK is not as prominent as it is in the US, however the Centre of Social Justice in 2013 saw that the level of addiction in the UK made it the 'addiction capital of Europe'. It mainly includes alcohol and then further with the use of class A drugs, which includes heroin, cocaine, meth and hallucinogens. Around £36 billion is spent by the nation every year on treatment for drug and alcohol related abuse. The UK has also seen having the highest rates of addiction to opioids and the highest lifetime-use of amphetamines, cocaine and ecstasy across Europe.
Addiction is normally seen as only affecting the users themselves but, in reality, the casualties caused from substance abuse are taxing on communities and families. In 2017, 14,053 hospitals, across England, admitted patients that were tied to illicit drug use and There were also 2,593 deaths across England and Wales, due to drug use.
Moreover, illicit drug use is on the rise. Cannabis is the most abused substance after alcohol, which is used by more than 2 million people. Despite being used by less than a million users, Cocaine is started to become more accessible, henceforth making abuse and addiction more common. Furthermore with limited resources, rehabilitation clinics become overused and for the people working them overwhelming. Sometimes they are unable to help everyone who walks through.
It can be very difficult to treat addiction and many don't understand the true importance of finding the right rehab centre when trying to recover. Taking a patient to the wrong clinic could result in setting themselves up for relapse.
If you or someone around you is suffering from addiction in the UK and are wanting to seek information about how to treat it recovery.org.uk have all the information one needs to provide themselves with the best and most updated advice. Addiction is treatable.
Sara Chaudhury
