Sometimes talking to friends and family can be really hard but often those closest to you know you best and can be a valuable resource. They may know people that have been in your situation and they can help you get the support you need.

How should I talk to my friends and family?

You will probably experience feelings of shame, guilt, embarrassment, or fear when you’re thinking about opening up for the first time. Consider approaching a non-judgemental person. There can be a stigma surrounding drug and alcohol use and mental illness but it is becoming more acceptable to talk about this stuff openly. It’s important to challenge the stigma by engaging in conversations without shame.

Having a strong network of supportive family and friends to help you access and manage professional help is important. They can help remind you of appointments and motivate you to stay on track when things get hard.

The Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS) is a confidential information, counselling and telephone line which is open from 8:30am until 10:00pm, 7 days a week, every day of the year.

This service offers:

• Information about alcohol, illegal drugs and some prescription drugs.
• Counselling and professional assistance to help you deal with and understand your own or another person’s alcohol or other drug problem.
• Referral options if you require further assistance.
• Pamphlets on alcohol and other drug related information and services.

What will happen when I call?

The telephone counsellor will listen to what you have to say, ask questions about your drug or alcohol use and, if you have accessed services in the past, the counsellor will also ask questions about your experience with the previous service. If you require ongoing assistance the counsellor will work with you to determine an appropriate referral option which best suits your needs. This may include making you an appointment to see a specialist drug and alcohol counsellor, providing a referral to another DASSA service such as detox and rehab services or referring you to your GP or a non-government service.

Sobering up services provide a non-medical environment for someone to safely sober up. Most will offer a meal, a shower, and can link people into appropriate services if required.

Information on these services can be found in the services directory.

A GP is a good starting point to discuss your tobacco, alcohol or other drug use because they can work out how your health is being affected and they know local treatment options. If you don’t have a regular GP, ask friends, family or neighbours for their suggestions or visit your local medical centre. Otherwise you can search online for a GP in your area.

How do I talk to my GP?

Even though it may be hard, it is important to be really honest with your GP. Your information is confidential. The more they understand your situation, the more they can help. It’s important to find a GP you feel comfortable with and it’s ok to ask your GP to explain things if you don’t understand. If you would rather not use your family doctor, you should find someone you feel comfortable being honest with.

What will my GP do?

To gain a good understanding of your situation the GP will want to know about your past and present drug or alcohol use. They might order some blood tests, do a physical examination, prescribe medications or refer you for further assistance. If suitable, the GP can also help you to safely and comfortably stop your alcohol or drug use in your home.

There are a range of different styles and approaches to counselling that can help people struggling with their use of alcohol and drugs. Counselling can be provided to help you through the process of stopping your alcohol or other drug use and to help prevent you from starting problematic drug use again.

There are different types of counselling and you might hear terms like motivational interviewing, motivational enhancement therapy (MET), case management, goal setting, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), community reinforcement approach (CRA), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), relapse prevention.

All of these terms just describe different ways of counselling and your counsellor will be able to explain the different approaches and what might work best for you.

In medication assisted treatment, medication is prescribed to reduce withdrawal symptoms, control cravings, and block or change the effects of alcohol and other drugs. Medication alone is not enough to achieve lasting recovery from dependence. It is common to be engaged with some form of counselling or group therapy while accessing a medical assisted treatment.

Examples of medication assisted treatment are naltrexone, acamprosate, disulfiram (Antabuse), methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone). Your GP can prescribe all of these except for methadone. To prescribe methadone, the GP must be an accredited prescriber.

To obtain information about accredited GPs in the community please call the Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS) on 1300 13 1340.

GPs interested in Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependence (MATOD) Prescriber training can find out more here.

There are some drugs that are not safe to suddenly stop using. A medicated assisted withdrawal, often referred to as detoxification (detox), is required for people who are likely to experience withdrawal symptoms. Depending on your level of use, you can withdraw at home with the support of your GP or attend a public or private withdrawal service which involves a short stay admission.

What can I expect from withdrawal?

Withdrawal or detoxification can help someone get alcohol or other drugs out of their system with safety and some level of comfort. Withdrawal or detoxification treatment can involve rest, counselling, good nutrition, vitamins and medications.

Detoxifying the body is not a cure for tolerance and dependence and without follow-up treatment, you are likely to relapse and start using alcohol or other drugs again.

Withdrawal is different to rehabilitation and an inpatient withdrawal is required before entering a rehab service.

A short video about a client's experience at the DASSA Inpatient Withdrawal Unit.

This video below shows what to expect from the DASSA Inpatient Withdrawal Service.

A residential rehabilitation facility is a place where a person can live while they receive counselling and support to recover from alcohol or other drug dependence.

In South Australia there is a range of residential facilities available. They can be a structured therapeutic community or provide accommodation for people attending groups as an outpatient. Most (but not all) are abstinence based and help residents build coping and lifestyle skills.

Note: People will usually need to complete a Detoxification prior to entering.

What can I expect from residential rehabilitation?

These programs provide safe environments where skills and attitudes can be developed that will support a drug-free lifestyle. Residential programs vary in length from a couple of weeks to a few months.

Therapeutic communities are a subset of residential rehabilitation that places emphasis on accepting personal responsibility for decisions and actions, and assigning residents tasks of ‘everyday living’ as part of their treatment.

There are a range of government and non-government providers of residential rehabilitation. Government services may use a percentage of your income (Centrelink/salary) to cover the cost of food and board. Non-government and privately run residential rehabs can vary in cost, duration of stay, services offered, and level of staff involvement.

A short video about the experiences of three residents at the DASSA Woolshed - a residential therapeutic community for people with drug or alcohol related problems.

Half-way houses

Half-way houses are suburban houses where several people who have been through residential rehabilitation live together while they adjust to the responsibilities and realities of regular life, without relapsing to alcohol or other drug use.