DO I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DRUGS OR ALCOHOL?
+ Reasons drug and alcohol use can become a problem
There are lots of reasons why drug or alcohol use can become a problem for someone.
While for most people drug use will not become an issue some young people who try drugs find they are more than just a bit of fun.
Some young people say that it helps them manage bad thoughts, feelings or anxiety. If you notice that drugs are working like this you are more likely to use them more. However, this doesn’t always work because in the long term the problems haven’t gone away, they have just been hidden or masked.
Drug use can cause some issues of its own too – fighting with family, health issues and money troubles. These problems are likely to add to bad thoughts and anxiety, leading to more use and this can become a cycle.
People use drugs for a reason. Nobody chooses to have a drug problem. No matter how or why they have become a problem there is help and support services available.
If you are worried about your drug and/or alcohol use and want to talk to someone Contact Us
+ I’m worried about my alcohol use
Drinking alcohol is generally accepted as a common social activity in Australia. Because it is so popular and easy to access it doesn’t have the negative image of other drugs. This can make it hard to figure out if your drinking is becoming a problem.
Thinking about your drinking behaviour and is a way for you to work out if you need some help.
Here are some questions to help you get started:
- Do you have blackouts regularly? Forget large chunks of time?
- Do you know how many drinks you have in one session? Is it more than 10?
- Do you have to drink more to get the same effect (more tolerance)?
- Are you getting into fights, arguments or accidents when you drink?
- Do you drink to get away from something that’s going on in your life?
- Are you embarrassed or regretful after drinking alcohol?
If you answered YES to any of the questions, or are feeling unhappy about your alcohol use it could be a good time to get some help from to someone, like a counsellor or your doctor.
Are you binge drinking?
Binge drinking means you are drinking a lot in a short time – like you are trying to get really drunk, really quickly. Because alcohol is common in social situations you can forget that it can be dangerous, especially when taken in large amounts.
Heavy alcohol use can reduce your ability to control yourself. You might say or do things you regret like get into fights, lose your phone or wallet, vomit, pass out, or wake up and not be able to remember what happened.
If you binge drink over a longer time this can result in serious health issues including brain, stomach, heart and liver damage.
Do you find yourself waking up after a night of drinking but cannot remember parts of the night?
Do your friends tell you that you are a completely different person when you are drunk?
Do you make bad choices when you are drunk and feel bad the next day?
These are signs that your (binge) drinking is having a negative impact on you and your life.
If you are worried about your alcohol use and want to talk to someone Contact Us
+ Is my alcohol or drug use a problem?
Working out whether your drug or alcohol use is under control or whether you have a problem is not always simple.
For a lot of people who develop a problem, it creeps up on them slowly without them noticing.
Still, there are some signs that your drug use is becoming a problem. While you might not need to go somewhere like rehab to deal with your use, you could have some problems that you can get under control before they become more serious.
These are some questions you can ask yourself to help figure out whether drugs or alcohol are becoming a problem for you.
- Do you feel like you don’t have as much control over your use as you would like?
- Is your drug use is affecting work or school?
- Are you staying away from friends who don’t use drugs?
- Are there some issues with your parents because of your use?
- Are you having to do things you wouldn’t normally choose to do so just so that you can use?
- Are you experiencing harms because of your drug use?
- Are you putting drug use ahead of other activities?
- Has your drug use stopped being fun?
If you are worried about your drug or alcohol use and want to talk to someone Contact Us
+ Am I dependent on drugs and alcohol?
Levels of substance dependence can be different for each person.
Ask yourself these questions to help understand your use. If you answer YES that could be a sign that you are dependent on substances.
- Are you spending most of your time with other people who use drugs, and less time with those who don’t?
- Are you being dishonest with the people close to you about how often you use drugs, what kind of drugs you’re using and in what quantities?
- Are you spending money you can’t afford or going to extremes to find money to buy drugs?
- Are you using higher doses of the substance to feel affected?
If you are worried about your drug or alcohol use and want to talk to someone Contact Us
+ How long will it take me to get better?
There is no rule around how long your journey to better health will be.
Everyone is different.
It really depends on your situation and your goals. It will usually take time to work through what's behind your drug or alcohol use and there may be some ongoing challenges that you need help with too.
YSAS provides programs and services to support you through the different stages of the process. Taking it one day at a time is often the best approach.
If you are not sure what to do and want to talk to someone Contact Us