Support & treatment

In drug and alcohol counselling, a person talks to someone who understands drug and alcohol issues. This conversation is confidential. The counsellor may be able to help the individual re-think their alcohol or drug use.

A counsellor can help a person to reflect on their thinking and behaviour to make choices and changes about their substance use. A counsellor may also be able to help a person to find out about other treatments that work and help them to get access to them.

If a person was hooked on (dependent on) alcohol or drugs and has recently stopped, counselling can also help them keep up these changes. It can help them to plan ways to cope with triggers that might push them back to using. Counselling can help them to stay changed. Counselling can also support the person if they are facing problems in life or mental health issues.

Families or other support people are sometimes included in counselling sessions. Some services also offer group counselling, where a group of people with similar concerns can meet together. Group members can support each other and can learn from other group members and from the counsellor. There are free services available.

Some people become sick when they stop using, because of withdrawals. An example of this is the ‘grog shakes’. The person may need support or treatment to get through withdrawals and not go back to drinking or using. This is what detoxification (detox) or withdrawal management does. This treatment can be provided when the person is living at home and they go to a clinic in the daytime, or there are ‘detox units’ where people sleep at the unit for about a week.

Some withdrawals have risks: for example, some people have seizures when stopping alcohol or tablets called ‘benzos’ (for sleeping and/or anxiety). Medication can be provided to manage these risks in a detox program. Seek advice from a health professional if you or someone else is thinking of stopping alcohol or a drug.

‘Resi rehab’ is a live-in program to help a person to stay dry or clean after they have stopped using alcohol or drugs. People usually start rehab after they have finished their withdrawal (detox). Resi rehab centres provide a supportive environment where people can live for a period of time and get help to work on their issues with alcohol and other drugs. Rehab is often a useful treatment for a person who has not been able to stay dry or clean using other treatments.

Resi rehab allows a person to be away from friends or family who they normally drink or use drugs with, and away from their usual habits and routines. Rehab centres generally provide individual and group counselling, skills development (e.g. living skills, managing finances, parenting), and other relapse prevention measures.

Methadone, bupe (buprenorphine) or suboxone treatments are known as opioid substitution. This treatment works by changing a person who is hooked on a drug like heroin or strong pain killers onto a related medicine that is much safer. The methadone, ‘bupe’ or suboxone can help stop withdrawals and relieve cravings. This helps the person to get their drug use and other parts of their lives under control. These treatments help to reduce the health and social problems caused by opioid dependence. The person is still ‘hooked’ or dependent on the new medicine while they are on it, but they can be weaned off the medicine slowly over time. This can be one of the most effective ways of treating heroin addiction.

Treatments such as methadone, bupe or suboxone can be a very effective way of treating dependence on heroin or dependence on legal strong painkillers such as Oxycontin, MS Contin, Endone and codeine (which are all opioids). Misuse of these drugs can lead to the risk of overdose, as well as severe health and social problems, so getting treatment that works is important.

Mutual support groups are made up of people who share their experiences about how their lives have been affected by alcohol and other drugs. They may share their progress, success and hopes for the future. Volunteers typically run these groups to help members support each other. The groups are ‘recovery’ focused, and provide social and emotional support and other information.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has 12 core ’steps’ to help people recover from alcohol dependence. The steps focus on taking responsibility for recovery, listening to and sharing personal stories, and recognising and accepting a spiritual higher power. People can find out about local meetings in their area at www.aa.org.au 

A group of people who share their experiences about recovery from drug dependence.
For more information see www.naoz.org.au.

A group of people who share their experiences about recovery from cannabis dependence.
For more information see www.marijuana-anonymous.com.

Aboriginal Medical Services are Aboriginal Community Controlled Services that are managed by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people. They are widely acknowledged for their effectiveness in delivering comprehensive primary health care to Aboriginal people. Health care includes drug and alcohol, social and emotional wellbeing, dental care, medical clinics and health education.

A group of adults and young people who share experiences about how their lives have been affected by a family member or friend’s alcohol or drug dependence. For more information see https://www.al-anon.org.au/alateen.

SMART Recovery is a self-help group for people seeking practical skills and strategies to assist with recovery from alcohol and other drugs, or other addictions like gambling. It is run by volunteers. It is different from AA, in that people attending the meetings do not share their life stories, but work on practical strategies to make changes. It can appeal to people who prefer a non-spiritual focus.

A men’s group is a culturally safe place where men can deal with their alcohol and other drug use as well as other issues like spirituality, identity, anger management, domestic violence and employment. Groups aim to empower men so they can have better relationships with their families and communities and take control of their lives again.

A women’s group is a culturally safe place for women where they can meet and talk about health or other private issues. In these groups, other women are going through the same issues – so people attending the group do not have to worry about stigma or feeling discrimination because of their alcohol or drug issue. Some groups might also have volunteer childcare available for the meeting time.

Cannabis Clinics
Seven dedicated cannabis clinics have been established at Parramatta, the Central Coast, Bathurst/Orange, Sutherland, Newcastle, Mid North Coast and the North Coast. The clinics have been set up to stand apart from mainstream drug and alcohol treatment services so that people who may not feel comfortable at some of the other services feel like there is a place for them to go to talk about their cannabis use. The clinics offer a range of services including counselling, group work, advice on withdrawal management (detox), help for mental health problems, information and support for families. To find your local service call ADIS on (02) 9361 8000 (Sydney Metropolitan Area) or 1800 422 599 (regional NSW.

Stimulant Treatment Program
There are two clinics in NSW that offer help for people who want to stop or reduce their stimulant use. The Stimulant Treatment Program is located at St Vincent’s Hospital, Darlinghurst and in Newcastle. Both clinics offer a range of support services including: counselling; advice on withdrawal management (detox); group work; help for mental health problems; information and support for families. To find your local service call ADIS on (02) 9361 8000 (Sydney Metropolitan Area) or 1800 422 599 (regional NSW).

Hospital based drug and alcohol consultation liaison services.
In some hospitals in NSW there are nurses who specialise in drug and alcohol that provide advice to other hospital staff to help them manage people who are in hospital with drug and alcohol problems. These nurses will also help patients who may be in hospital because of their drug and alcohol use or who may want to stop using drugs and/or alcohol whilst in hospital for other health reasons.

Some material on this page was taken or adapted from the “Handbook for Aboriginal Alcohol and Drug Work”. Download your free copy here.