More than half of the patients who seek help for addiction achieve a better quality of life in just three months, said the National Addictions Management Service on Saturday.

This includes 68 per cent of people who suffer from alcohol addiction - who either reduced their drinking or quit altogether; 76 per cent of those addicted to gambling, who say they felt an improvement in their dependency and 80 per cent of drug addicts who were able to kick the habit.

"Addiction is an illness that affects a person physically and psychologically," said Health Ministr Gan Kim Yong, who was speaking at a National Addictions Awareness Day event on Saturday.

"The illness can become long-standing if not treated early... (but) for less severe forms of addictions, non-medical interventions such as social support from the family and community play important roles in the recovery of these cases," he added.