The Princess of Wales has urged people to “join the conversation” about addiction and reframe the issue with kindness, care and compassion. “Addiction is not a choice, or a personal failing,” Catherine says, as she continues her work in trying to tackle the stigma surrounding addiction and emphasise that it is a serious mental health condition.
Instead, the mother of three calls for the issue to be reframed “with kindness and understanding”, so those struggling with addiction “know they are not alone”. Catherine, 43, has issued a powerful message in her role as Patron of the Forward Trust to support Addiction Awareness Week, which began yesterday.
She writes: “Addiction is not a choice, or a personal failing, but a complex mental health condition that should be met with empathy and support.
“But still, even now in 2025, people’s experience of addiction is shaped by fear, shame and judgement. This needs to change.
“The stigma surrounding those who face addiction allows it to thrive behind closed doors, impacting families and communities, and ultimately ruining lives.”
The princess says that while it has been “humbling” to see the significant progress made to better understand addiction, “there remains much more to do”.
In a bid to tackle the stigma associated with the issue, Catherine urges people to reach out to those struggling with addiction.
“Now is the moment to show our compassion and love to help them, or their friends and family, to reach out to organisations like The Forward Trust for support,” she says. “Recovery is hard, but with the right treatment it is possible. And this begins with a conversation, a listening ear and showing we care.
“So please join the conversation. By talking about it in the open, together we can bring addiction and the harm it causes out of the shadows.
“We can reframe this issue with kindness and understanding, and we can help individuals and families coping with addiction know they are not alone.”
Catherine has thrown her weight behind Addiction Awareness Week for several years, as she seeks to offer her support and warm words to those battling addiction. She is keen to break down the stigma and ensure people get the help they need by encouraging open conversations about the issue.
The princess’s message comes as The Forward Trust releases a new poll revealing that more than half (53%) of all adults in the UK have experienced or know someone who has lived with drug, alcohol, medication or gambling addiction or dependency, with one in ten personally experiencing addiction themselves.
The survey carried out by IPSOS in October 2025 and published today, reveals the widespread reach of addiction across families, workplaces and communities.
It also demonstrates how difficult people find talking about addiction, even to their partner or close family members.
A third (35%) said they would struggle to speak to a close family member, while a 30% said they would find it hard to talk to a friend, their GP (28%) or their partner (27%) about their situation. The survey found the hardest conversation would be with their employer (53%).
Addiction Awareness Week 2025 aims to ‘Get the Nation Talking About Addiction’ and has launched a new film series, The Conversation that Changed Everything.
The first features former England and Arsenal captain Tony Adams MBE, who spent 11 years in addiction, reveals that a conversation with his mother-in-law, Barbara, was the catalyst to getting help.
He urges: “If you are struggling with an addiction or a mental health issue, then please reach out and get the appropriate help. The greatest thing I ever did was to say, ‘I can’t do this’.”
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