STAY SAFE

+ You’re not alone

Many young people have a tough time with drugs and alcohol.

YSAS works with over 2000 young people in Victoria every year who are faced with various challenges like drug and alcohol use, mental illness, family problems and social disconnection.

If you don’t feel like you are getting the support you need from home or school then getting involved with a program at YSAS can give you a chance to share your experience with workers who can help and who understand what is going on for you.

You are not alone, and asking for help is a really brave and important thing to do.

If you are feeling worried about your substance use and want to talk to someone Contact Us

+ How safe is my use?

Choosing to use substances doesn’t mean you don’t want to feel safe, stay healthy and be happy.

Here are some things to think about so that you can be as safe as possible and reduce the risks of your use.

How do I score?

Are you getting into debt to fund your use? Stealing, scoring illegally or using a substance that has already been in someone’s mouth or worse? This can be risky and cause problems for you pretty quickly. Write down the risks you are willing to take to score and the risks that you aren’t willing to take. Know and respect your own limits.

How do I take it?

You might know injecting is more dangerous than smoking but did you know a bong is more dangerous than a joint? Halving a hit is safer than taking it all at once and rotating your injection sites is safer than using the same vein every time. Has the way you use become more risky over time? Think about whether you can use the same substance in a safer way.

How do I act?

Does your substance use cause you to say or do things you usually wouldn’t? Fights, burglaries, sex, blackouts? Do you regret things you have done when intoxicated or high or when you are hungover or coming down? Decide what is important to you and think about how your substance use does or doesn’t match.

Being intoxicated isn’t the problem

Do you feel like you are fine when using but really struggle when you are sober? Comedowns can get worse over time, and so can risks of mental health issues like paranoia and anxiety.

Things you do now can protect your brain for the future. How’s your head when you’re not using? Think about whether your use is having a negative effect on your wellbeing. If you are starting to feel out of control or if you notice your moods and mental health getting worse get some help.

Remember, even if you don’t have a problem, there are always ways to use more safely.

If you are feeling worried about your substance use and want to talk to someone Contact Us

+ Staying as safe as you can

Taking drugs always has some risks.

If you are going to use substances here are some tips to reduce harm.

Know your dealer

Try to stick to a regular, trusted dealer. Ask them questions about strength and purity. They will hopefully let you know if it is stronger than usual.

Avoid mixing drugs

Mixing drugs happens a lot but is dangerous. This is because while it might increase the enjoyable effects of the substances there can also be unexpected and risky side effects because of how the drugs react to each other, your body and your brain.

Wait

Wait before you re-dose. Most drugs take a while to peak. If it is a new substance or is different to what you thought it may take longer than expected for the effects to come on. Wait at least 1.5 to 2 hours.

Stay connected

Use somewhere safe and familiar and never use alone. If you are partying and taking drugs, stay close to your friends. Drugs like GHB, which can nearly knock you out, can increase your risk of being assaulted.

Overdoses can often lead to death because nobody is there to call for help or look after you when you pass out.

Try to keep your phone charged and easy to access so you can call for help if you need to.

Have a plan

Before you get started decide how much you want to take and let someone you trust know what you are doing (if you can).

Learn as much as you can about the drug you are going to use.

Understanding the effects (good and bad) can help you know what to expect and when you need help.

Always start with a lower dose than you think you need.

Measure and test your dose, be aware of what effects are the result of a higher dose. Just a little too much can change your experience from fun to dangerous and scary. Understanding and sticking to safe amounts can reduce your risk of overdose too.

If it is the first time you have used the substance be extra careful and take a small amount to start. Also don’t take something new when you have other drugs in your system or when you are coming down.

If something goes wrong – GET HELP. Call someone you trust or if it is an emergency call 000.

How to leave

Before you go out work out how to get home. Who can you call or where you can go if you need to get out of a situation?

Also, having some cash and your phone charged is useful if you need to quickly catch an uber or call for help.

Don’t do more risky things

Avoid activities that need co-ordination and focus, especially things like swimming and driving. This will help keep you and other people safer.

Use the right tools in the right way

If you are going to take drugs make sure you know how they are taken and how they will affect you.

Use the right tools and make sure they are clean. Don’t share if you can avoid it.

Go to the Harm Reduction Victoria website for more information on reducing risks and health consequences related to unsafe drug use.

If you are feeling worried about your substance use and want to talk to someone Contact Us

+ Trying a new pill or powder

Here are some simple and important things to think about if you are trying a new pill or powder:

Remember! What is in a pill or powder, how it is made, and how strong it is can vary. Be safe.

  • Be around other people you trust
  • Use in a place you feel safe
  • Start small – the amount you are thinking of taking, halve it…. now halve it again!
  • Wait at least 90 minutes before re-dosing. Some drugs take that long to have an effect and using more too early can result in overdose.
  • Don’t mix drugs. This includes alcohol and prescribed medications.
  • Do not have a bath, swim, drive or do anything that puts you or others at risk. Many drugs affect co-ordination (movement and focus) which can make normal activities dangerous.
  • If something goes wrong CALL 000.

Watch this video 1st time with a new Pill or Powder

If you are not sure what to do and want some advice Contact Us

+ Driving under the influence

Driving is one of the most dangerous things you can do every day – in fact road accidents are the leading cause of death of young people in Australia after suicide.

Adding substances to the mix makes it much more risky for you and for other people.

When driving you need to be able to focus on what you are doing. There is already a lot going on – other drivers, traffic signs, weather conditions and distractions.

People might think that they are ok to drive when they have been using drugs or alcohol, but this is simply not true.

If you are in a situation where it is unsafe to drive home it can be useful to have an arrangement with a parent or carer or another trusted adult who can come and get you. It is better to be in some trouble with your parent or carer than end up in hospital, or worse.

If you can’t get a ride organise a designated driver (non-drinking friend) before you start your night, get an uber, use public transport or find somewhere safe to stay the night.

Alcohol

When you are on your L or P plates it is illegal to have any alcohol in your system when driving. Truck, bus, taxi drivers and people with prior drink driving charges also have to stick to zero.

If you have your full licence you need to have a blood alcohol concentration of less than 0.05. How many drinks you can have before you reach this can be different from person to person because of things like size, weight, and even gender.

Alcohol slows down you reaction time, makes it harder to see what is in front of you and reduces your ability to concentrate. Mixing alcohol with medications, or other drugs can increase these effects even more.

If you are caught drink driving you will lose your licence and may get a big fine, or even jail time for really serious offences.

The safest way to drink and drive is to not do it at all.

Drugs

Driving with drugs including cannabis, amphetamines, methamphetamine (ICE) in your system is illegal. Some substances can stay in your body for days or weeks, depending on how much and how regularly you use them. This means you might get a positive test result even when you haven’t smoked for days.

Driving under the influence of drugs affects different people differently. It could slow down you reaction time, make it harder to see what is in front of you or around you, reduce your ability to concentrate, and make you feel overly confident which could result in irrational and dangerous decisions. Mixing drugs with medications, or alcohol can increase these effects even more.

Even if you don’t feel any effects, or they have worn off, if you are tested and there are traces of these illegal drugs found you will lose your licence, and may get a big fine or even jail time for really serious offences.

Remember: driving is best done sober.

If you are feeling worried about your drug or alcohol use and want to talk to someone Contact Us

+ Mixing drugs

Taking different drugs together can affect you in many ways. Mixing drugs may make your high more intense, but it can also have serious side effects.

Some drugs like heroin and prescription painkillers slow down your heart rate and breathing, making you feel relaxed and sleepy. If you mix these kind of drugs (including alcohol) the effect is stronger. There is a danger that you will overdose (stop breathing).

Some drugs like amphetamines, cocaine and methamphetamines speed up your heart rate and breathing, making you feel full of energy and buzzy. At the same time you can start to feel angry, agitated, stressed and strung out which can lead to fights and violence. Using a lot of stimulant drugs puts pressure on the heart and can cause overdose.

Using drugs like MDMA (ecstasy) and cannabis can affect you differently each time. Sometimes cannabis is used to help the comedown from MDMA, but the mix can cause hallucinations and feelings of paranoia and stress.

Mixing drugs that affect the body differently can be dangerous. If you take a drug that speeds up your heart and nervous system (like Ice) as well as a drug that slows everything down (like Xanax) your body has to work really hard to try to deal with what is happening. This means there is a higher chance of something going wrong.

Avoid mixing drugs.

If you are using more than one substance at a time get as much information as you can about what you are taking, how you should feel and the risks. Let someone you trust know what you are using.

If you are feeling worried about your drug or alcohol use and want to talk to someone Contact Us

+ What you should know about injecting

Injecting is where you put a drug into your body using a needle and syringe. Usually the drug is injected into the vein but sometimes it is into the muscle.

Injecting is also known as ‘shooting up’, ‘banging’, ‘slamming’, ‘pinning’ or ‘jacking-up’.

One of the reasons that people might inject is because the full effects of the drugs are felt very fast, in about 5 – 10 seconds. This high is shorter but more intense and can lead to someone becoming dependent, physically and psychologically, more quickly than if they were taking the drug in a different way.

If you are thinking about injecting or if you already inject you need to try to keep safe.

Here are some things you need to know:

Needles can carry life-threatening and even fatal infections (blood borne viruses) such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS. To keep the risk of infection low ALWAYS use a clean needle and NEVER share needles with anyone.

Just because someone is an experienced user, it does not mean they are using safe injecting techniques. Being substance affected may also affect their ability to know whether they are not being safe. Sharing injecting equipment between drug users increases the spread of HIV/AIDS. In Australia, in response to this global health issue, clean needle and syringe programs were created. This has helped keep the level on HIV/AIDS infection among injecting drug users low.

Here are some ways to reduce your risk of getting/sharing a blood borne virus, and reduce harm from injecting:

  • Do NOT share needles
  • Always wash your hands before handling injecting equipment
  • Clean the area you plan to inject as well as you can (soapy water or alcohol swab is best)
  • Carry more needles than you think you might need, so you don’t have to think about using another person’s equipment
  • Always use a lower dose when you aren’t sure about the purity
  • Use wheel filters when possible
  • Use cotton not cigarette filters
  • Put lids back on used syringes
  • Rotate injecting sites
  • Do not inject near major arteries
  • Think about trying safer ways to use (instead of injecting)

Needle and Syringe Programs (NSPs) can be found in every state. These spaces provide clean syringes and safe injecting equipment as well as information about safe injecting and ‘sharps bins’ where you can put used needles so they can be safely disposed of. Some services provide mobile outreach, delivery and pick up of used syringes. YSAS runs a needle exchanges program at Abbotsford Day Program. Most YSAS programs will be able to provide you access or support to get clean injecting equipment.

Try to get rid of your used syringes through Needle Syringe Programs. NSPs are a free service and rely on the return rate of syringes to keep them going.

If you are feeling worried about your drug or alcohol use and want to talk to someone Contact Us

+ Looking after yourself when you are using

Keeping your body healthy can help protect you against a lot of things and even protects your mental health. It helps you to feel strong when things are tough and even helps us feel happier. Even if you don’t want to change your use you can still be well.

Here are some ways to stay healthy when you are using, and when you are not:

  • Get up and get dressed every day. Even if you are just staying home, if you can get out of bed and get dressed, you’ll feel a bit better.
  • Think about your diet – eating food from the fridge (fruit and veg) instead of food from the cupboard (processed foods) is an easy guide to healthy eating.
  • Get outside! Even a walk to the corner and back gives you a bit of sunshine and fresh air.
  • Exercise – you may not feel like doing a lot, but doing anything will make you feel good. Take the stairs, walk to the next tram stop, or take a stroll around the block.
  • Sleep – it can help heaps! If you’re having trouble sleeping, try to reduce caffeine, sleep in clean sheets, have a shower before bed, and to turn off screens an hour before bed to help you unwind.
  • Communicate – sometimes just telling someone what you’re thinking or feeling can give you energy.

Staying healthy gives you once less thing to worry about, as well as helping you to be strong enough to manage the worries you already do have.

If you are feeling worried about your substance use and want to talk to someone Contact Us

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