There has been a massive increase in people who have already developed a severe drinking problem by the time they seek help, new figures show.

The Health Research Board says there were 7,464 treated cases last year, with men making up almost two-thirds of the figures.

There has been a 50% surge in the number of people seeking treatment for cocaine — marking the largest annual increase in what is a growing trend over the last seven years.

Problem cocaine use is on the rise, with the number of cases of cocaine addiction jumping by 32% between 2016 and 2017.