|
HARM REDUCTION INTRODUCTION DRUGSCENE delivers fact-based drug education. We provide factual and relevant information on the health effects and social consequences of drug use. We use a harm-reduction approach to drug education. This is not permissive towards drug use nor does it normalise drug use. It encourages people not to use drugs. It invites people who use drugs to examine their current drug use and to consider a range of options which can reduce the potential harm associated with drug use. The safest drug use is no use at all. If you never use drugs, you will never become addicted. The reality is that many people will use drugs at some stage of their lives. Most drug users don’t end up with major drug problems, but some do; and the consequences of drug addiction are extremely serious. This page contains information aimed to reduce the harm caused by the use of illegal drugs. Drug use can cause a wide range of harms including social, economic and health harms. The 2007/8 New Zealand Alcohol and Drug Use Survey found that about one in five past-year drug users (18.6%) experienced some type of harmful effect in the past year due to their drug use. The most common harmful effects were on their...
The safest drug use is no use at all. If you never use drugs, you’ll never become addicted to them! If you choose to take drugs be prepared and make sure you use “safely.” Some drugs are more dangerous than others. There’s no such thing as “safe” meth or heroin use, because the chances of harm are too great. Other drugs can be dangerous too. Know your facts and what to do if something goes wrong. Drugs may distort your judgment. Plan ahead so you don't have to do anything that might put you in a risky or dangerous situation. Don’t make important decisions when you’re “out of it”. Avoid buying or accepting drugs from people you don't know. You can't always be sure of what you're getting. If you are feeling anxious, stressed, depressed or moody, then taking drugs might make you feel worse. Only take drugs in a safe and comfortable environment. Never take drugs on your own. Be around friends you can trust. Keep an eye on each other to make sure that everyone is OK. Organise safe transport, a sober driver, public transport or taxis. Don't let someone drive you anywhere if they are drunk or out of it. It could be unsafe to go home alone or with someone you've just met. Keep in safe and well lit areas to reduce the possibility of getting attacked or robbed. Less is more. The more drugs you do, the more drugs you need to keep using to get the same buzz. Keep tabs on your using. Check to see if your use is causing problems. If you think that drugs might be starting to cause you trouble, give up for a while. If you can't give up, you've got a problem. Admit it and get some help. Don’t let little problems grow into big ones. The worst thing that most people with drug problems do is they wait until they hit rock-bottom before seeking help. Like any problem, the longer you leave it, the worse it gets. If you take action early, things are much easier to sort out. Yes, there are some people out there who use meth without experiencing problems from their use. However, in our opinion, meth is a very dangerous drug to use. We've had many dealings with people who've become addicted and none of them thought they would end up as P-heads. Most started as social users and thought they could "handle it" and that it would never happen to them. If you use meth, it can happen to you! If you've never used meth, we strongly recommend that you don't start. If you're a current user, think seriously about giving it away before it causes major problems. Take a good look at some of the "before and after" pictures on this site. Quit while you're ahead. If you've weighed up the risks and decided to keep using, we urge you to keep tabs on what meth is doing to you. Meth takes no prisoners and it can seriously damage your life. A meth problem can quickly spiral out of control and before you know it you’ve lost everything. IF YOUR DRUG USE STOPS BEING FUN... Be honest with yourself. If you've got a problem - admit it.
CHECK OUT SOME WEBSITES
QUITTING WITHOUT PROFESSIONAL HELP Some people manage to stop using drugs without going into rehab or seeking professional treatment. The following advice comes from users who have kicked serious drug habits by themselves. This won't work for everyone, but it might work for you. MAKE THE COMMITMENT If you're not serious about quitting, you won't quit. Getting rid of a major drug habit will be extremely hard. You must really want to quit or you won't succeed. SET GOALS Start off by doing an honest assessment of your drug use. Some people manage to quit by total abstinence. They find that when they use drugs, they quickly lose control over their use, so going totally without drugs is the only way they can beat their addiction. "Cold turkey" isn't always possible and won’t work for everyone. If this isn't for you, try cutting back your use in steps. Try to reduce how often you use and how much you use. Big mountains are climbed one small step at a time. Take things one day at a time and after two or three weeks you can make considerable progress. MAKE THE BREAK Know your using patterns. When do you use? Who do you use with? Why do you use? What are your "triggers?" Avoid anything or anyone that might trigger your use. Hang out with friends who don't use. Get rid of your drugs and paraphernalia. Sometimes seeing a meth pipe is enough to trigger a major craving and next thing, you're back on the pipe. Settle any drug debts as soon as possible. Most drug-dealers charge extremely high interest rates for outstanding debts. If you owe money, pay it, otherwise you're probably going to get yourself in a worse mess. Avoid paying off a drug-debt in instalments. Every time you visit your dealer, you're likely to be tempted to use again. Stories about dealers giving away P to hook new users are usually just that-stories. P is a very expensive drug and people are often queuing up to buy it, so why would you give it away? The most common situation when a dealer gives away P is not to a new user, but to a former heavy user. They want you to get your habit back so you continue to make them money. Pay your dealer what you owe them, and then delete their phone number and stay away from them. Avoid the temptation. KNOW WHAT’S COMING Quitting drugs isn't easy. Find out the likely effects of “withdrawing” from the drugs that you’ve been using, so you know what to expect. If you're recovering from heavy meth use you're likely to experience severe depression and anxiety for up to six months after you stop using. Withdrawal symptoms from meth can include severe mood swings, depression, anxiety, boredom, irritability, no energy, paranoia, sleeping problems and memory lapses. If you've got a major drug problem, you're going to go through lots of hard times. Make sure your close friends and family know what's coming, so they can help you through it and so they know what to expect. HAVE A PLAN Have a plan sorted out for when you feel that you might use. How are you going to deal with it? Do you have someone to phone or a place to go? Stick to your plan. If you are really hanging out and think you might weaken, follow your plan before it’s too late. KEEP BUSY Boredom is often the biggest enemy so keep busy. If you've been doing a lot of drugs and you suddenly stop, you'll find that you have a huge amount of time on your hands. Sitting around doing nothing will increase the chances of you feeling like using again. Find something to keep yourself busy. Some people find it useful to replace their drug addiction with some type of “positive addiction” such as a new sport, hobby or interest. It’s a good idea to exercise as much as possible because this helps produce endorphins and other "feel good" chemicals in your body. It also stimulates your immune system, relieves boredom and improves energy. Stay away from alcohol, as it lowers inhibitions and can lead to relapses. DON’T GIVE UP If at first you don't succeed, try again. Focus on the progress you've made and go from there. Most people who quit meth, don't succeed on their first attempt. If you fall off the wagon, get back on it again. Focus on the progress you've made and go from there. If you can’t quit by yourself consider getting some form of professional help. There are a wide range of options available. Find out what has worked for others and look at other treatment options. Don’t give up. Keep trying. Life without meth is way better than being stuck to the pipe or mirror. Many former addicts lead successful lives having beaten their addictions. You can too. |
|||||||||||||||||