Kate says do not 'judge or criticise' addicts ahead of Awareness Week

The Princess of Wales has passionately implored the general populace to shift its perception of individuals struggling with alcohol or drug dependencies, asserting that "addiction is not a choice".

In aheartfelt written message in observance of Addiction Awareness Week, Kate underscored the importance of recognizing each addict as "a human being, with a story of their own", and emphasized that it's vital "it is not our place to judge or criticise".

Committed to altering the stigma surrounding this matter, she has beckoned to one and all to back organisations that offer aid to addicts and their relations by transforming the "way we think about and consider the many people coping with addiction". She suggests offering an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on can dismantle the "misunderstandings" those affected frequently encounter.

An active patron of the Forward Trust, an addiction charity, Kate's engagement in this cause arrives shortly after she announced her return to public life post-chemotherapy treatment. The princess has resumed her official duties with gusto, accompanying other senior royals at the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph and joining Prince William during a visit to Merseyside to meet families bereaved by the Southport tragedies.

In her message, Kate declared: "Everyone suffering from addiction is another human being, with a story of their own, which many of us don’t understand or see. It is not our place to judge or criticise, we must take the time to sit by someone’s side, learning the values of love and empathy.

"Being a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen, these simple acts of kindness are crucial in breaking down the misunderstandings that so many face. Addiction is not a choice. It is a serious mental health condition that could affect any one of us.

"By acting with humility and compassion we can all make a difference and support those who are suffering."

The Forward Trust works with other organisations to stage the awareness week which begins on Saturday and this year has the theme "addiction affects everyone but recovery is possible". Kate regularly contributes to the annual event by issuing a message or taking part in an associated event, and last year before her cancer treatment visited HMP High Down prison in Surrey, to learn how inmates and their families were being supported through addiction by the trust.