For Families | About alcohol and other drugs

About drugs

A drug is any substance that affects a way a person thinks, feels or acts. Some drugs are legal like tobacco, alcohol and medicines while others are illegal like cannabis, ecstasy, amphetamines and heroin. Legal drugs often have limits on their sale or use for example, it is illegal to sell or give alcohol and tobacco to under-18s in all states and territories of Australia. All alcohol and other drugs have the potential to cause harm, including tobacco and energy drinks and tablets containing the drug caffeine.

Medicines are drugs that are designed to help. They can be bought over the counter or prescribed by a doctor. Misusing medicines, for example using more of a medicine than was prescribed or giving them to other people can be very dangerous. Therefore, it is important to follow the instructions on the label for your prescription, understand the side effects and know why it's important to take the right doses. Your GP or pharmacist can give you information about how to use your medicines safely.

People are affected differently by alcohol and other drugs. It is important to remember that experimenting with, or occasional alcohol and other drug use does not always cause problems. If you are concerned, you can find out more about the problems alcohol and drugs can cause under ‘Risk and harms’. If you or someone you know develops problems, for example becoming dependent on alcohol or drugs and having difficulty stopping, treatment is available and can be very helpful.

There are a range of options for getting help. More information is available about how to access treatment under Getting help, including how to navigate the alcohol and other drug treatment system.

Check the A-Z of Drugs to explore more about different types of drugs such as cannabis, ecstasy / MDMA, methamphetamine and synthetic drugs and their effects.

Young people and drugs

People of all ages and backgrounds use drugs for many reasons. While most young people will not use drugs, some experiment out of curiosity, to have fun, or to fit in with social groups. The reasons young people use drugs might be like the reasons that adults do, such as to relax, or to cope with stress, boredom, sadness or life changes. Experimenting with drugs or using them occasionally may not always lead to regular use or problems.

Adolescence and emerging adulthood are periods of significant brain growth and development. This growth period is an important time for building essential thinking skills like reasoning and planning, but it also makes young people more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol and other drugs. For further information on the effects of alcohol, cannabis and MDMA on the developing brain visit Respect Your Brain.

According to a study by Mclean Hospital and Harvard Medical School, teenagers who start using drugs before the age of 15 years are more likely to have problems with drug use later on in life. Some of the most effective ways to prevent problems is to delay the first use of drugs for as long as possible, and to try and stop experimental or occasional use from becoming regular and ongoing.

Young people may have more difficulty resisting the impulse to experiment with drugs because they may not understand the risks associated. What may seem sensible or rational to an adult might be less obvious to a young person.

If you think your teenager is experimenting with, or using drugs more often, you are not alone in dealing with a situation like this and it is important not to panic. Help and resources are available. Find out more about how to get help and specific services for you and your child by taking a look at Talking about it and Navigating the system.

Young people and alcohol

While statistics show that Australian teenagers are drinking less alcohol than they did in the past, when they do drink they are more likely to drink at home, at a friend's place or at a party. You might have heard that providing your teen alcohol rather than them getting it elsewhere is a good idea because it gives them a safe place to drink. But despite these good intentions, Australian research shows parental supply or introduction to alcohol is linked to risky drinking in teens.

Your child’s brain and liver (the organ responsible for breaking down alcohol), are still developing during adolescence, so drinking alcohol is far riskier for them than it is for adults. The National Health and Medical Research Council alcohol guidelines advises that "to reduce the risk of injury and other harms to health, children and people under 18 years of age should not drink alcohol".

For further information on the effects of alcohol on the developing brain visit Respect Your Brain.

The risks explained
Short-term risks of drinking often relate to the impact of alcohol on coordination and reflexes, as well as decision making. They include:

accidents and injury, including falls and motor vehicle accidents (pedestrian, driver and passenger)
sexually transmitted infections from unsafe/unprotected sex
vulnerability to violence, including sexual assaults
self-injury and suicide

Longer-term risks relate to the impact of alcohol on someone’s physical and mental health over time, as well as their relationships. They include:

developing dependence on alcohol
depression and other mental health problems
physical health problems
social, financial and relationship problems

What you can do
You are the most influential role model for your children. Whilst you may not be able to stop your children from experimenting, you can influence them by demonstrating responsible drinking yourself.

These are effective ways you can help the young people in your life:

model responsible drinking
be actively involved in their lives
set reasonable and consistent boundaries
talk to them calmly about alcohol before issues arise
help them think through the risks and harms
be careful not to over-value or glamorise alcohol
listen to what they say about alcohol, and try not to judge

It may also be worthwhile talking to your child about how other people’s drinking affects them. This can include helping them plan how to resist peer pressure to drink (like what to say), how to notice and avoid aggressive behaviours, and how to avoid getting into a car with someone who is drunk (like an agreement to call you, use a taxi or rideshare service). You can also help them understand how to help a friend who is in trouble.

Teaching them when to call 000 and knowing the recovery position may help them save a friend’s life and keep them safe too.

Your guide to dealing with teenagers and alcohol provides practical tips, important facts and links to useful websites.

For information and advice on having safer parties visit the NSW Police Force Safe Party Tips page.

Find out more about how to get help and specific services for you and your child by taking a look at Talking about it and Navigating the system.

Learning about alcohol and other drugs

Young people will learn about alcohol and other drugs from you, other family members, their friends, the media and at school.
5 influences on an individual

In NSW, schools provide drug education as part of the subject Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE). School-based drug education and prevention programs give young people information about alcohol and other drugs, as well as help them understand the potential harms, develop life skills and know what to do if they have concerns.

You can support what happens in school by understanding what’s being taught and having open conversations about alcohol and other drugs at home. When starting a conversation, be open to letting young people express their views and understandings. If you would like to know more about drug education in schools, visit the NSW Government Education website.

When alcohol and other drugs are talked about in the media this can be an opportunity to start a conversation.

You could talk about a current event on TV or social media such as a story about someone who ran into trouble after drinking or taking drugs
You can ask them what they think and if they have any questions. You don’t have to have all the answers, try these commonly asked questions and answers
You could ask about their friendship group, and whether something similar has happened to someone they know
You can show them how to use online resources like the Your Room website to become informed about alcohol and other drugs

While it may not always seem like it, you have a strong influence on your child. The way you use alcohol or other drugs – including cigarettes or medicines – are likely to affect the decisions your child makes about how and when to use alcohol and other drugs.

To get better informed, take a look at the A-Z of Drugs for helpful information on a wide range of drugs including cannabis, synthetic drugs, ecstasy / MDMA and methamphetamine. Being informed means you can talk calmly and confidently.

Risks and harms

Risks and harms associated with drug use can vary; not all people are affected by drug use in the same way. The risks and harms can also depend on the drug involved and how the drug is used. Some risks and harms can happen in the short term, whilst others can take a while to develop. For young people, it can be harder to weigh up the future consequences of using alcohol or other drugs.

In the short term, alcohol and other drugs can slow down a person’s reflexes, change their emotional responses and ability to make decisions. This increases their risk of the following:

accidents and injury, including falls, drowning and motor vehicle accidents (pedestrian, driver and passenger)
sexually transmitted infections from unsafe/unprotected sex
vulnerability to violence, including sexual assaults
self-injury and suicide

If you are concerned about someone who is intoxicated it is important to get medical help immediately. Someone suffering from an overdose may have difficulty walking, experience muscle tremors, severe anxiety, vomiting, make snoring or gurgling noises or cannot be woken up. If someone shows signs of overdose or has sustained an injury call an ambulance immediately by calling Triple Zero (000).

The younger a person starts using alcohol or other drugs the more likely they are to continue to use as they grow older. Continued use is more likely to cause problems, like becoming dependent on the drug.

For further information on the effects of alcohol, cannabis and MDMA on the developing brain visit Respect Your Brain.

Dependence is when a person doesn't have control over using or taking something to the point that it becomes harmful or dangerous for their health and wellbeing. For example, they need to use it regularly to feel 'normal’ or it becomes more important than other things in their life, like their relationships, study, work and looking after themselves. Dependence is associated with more health, social, financial and legal problems. People who are dependent will usually need specialist treatment to help them stop.

Some common problems that may develop with continued alcohol and other drug use include:

physical harm from accidents
reduced physical fitness and sports performance
health problems like heart and breathing problems
overdose
increased risk of mental health problems
family and relationship problems
problems with school and work
being assaulted, or hurting another person
legal problems and involvement in crime

Method of use and other risk factors
Some of the risks associated with drugs relate to the way the drug is used, for example using drugs by injection can increased the risk of getting blood-borne infections such hepatitis C and HIV. People who share or reuse equipment to inject recreational or performance-enhancing drugs are particularly vulnerable, because infections have a direct path into the person’s bloodstream.

Similarly, smoking crystalline methamphetamine (‘ice’) is riskier than ingesting or swallowing methamphetamine, because the effects come on quicker and stronger, increasing the risk of overdose and or injury.

Illegal drugs often vary greatly in strength or potency and can be mixed with other substances. Therefore, it is hard to be sure what is in a drug, how strong it is, or how it may affect someone.

Using different types of drugs at the same time can be very dangerous. Mixing different drugs, including alcohol and or prescribed medications, can increase the risks associated with intoxication and some combinations can lead to overdose and death.

Again, if someone shows signs of overdose or has sustained an injury call an ambulance immediately by calling Triple Zero (000).

Check the A-Z of Drugs for more on the effects and risks associated with some of the most commonly used drugs in Australia.

Mental health and alcohol and other drugs

Alcohol and other drugs affect chemicals in the brain responsible for regulating feelings and social behaviour. Alcohol and other drugs can deplete or change the levels of these chemicals, causing short- and long-term impact on mental health concerns.

Everyone is different but for most people their first experience of mental health problems will arise early in life. According to Australian leading mental health researcher Professor Pat McGorry, “75 per cent of mental health disorders that will affect people across the lifespan will have emerged for the first time by the age of 25 years”.

Teens are a particularly vulnerable to developing mental health problems, because adolescence is a period where organising, construction and strengthening of connections in the brain is happening.

Some of the effects of drug and alcohol use on mental health may include:

feeling down or unmotivated to do anything
withdrawing from friends and family
becoming irritable angry or aggressive
changes in sleeping patterns
skipping school or work
taking more risks than usual

Young people who already experience mental health problems, or who have a family history of mental health problems, are more sensitive to the effects of alcohol and other drugs. Substance use can trigger mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, or psychosis (unusual thoughts, hearing or seeing things that are not there) and or make their mental health symptoms worse.

It can be difficult to tell the difference between a drug problem and a mental health problem as there could be many reasons for a teenager’s change of behaviour, unrelated to alcohol and or drug use. Visit the ReachOut website for information on mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders and eating disorders.

If you are concerned that a change in behaviour is related to alcohol or other drugs, help is available.

Take a look at the A-Z of Drugs for helpful information on the most commonly used drugs affecting Australians right now.

Stigma and discrimination
For people who have alcohol and other drug use problems, experiencing stigma or discrimination can impact their mental health and be a barrier to seeking help. Stigma is a set of negative beliefs that a group or society holds about a topic or group of people. Discrimination is the unjust or prejudicial treatment of people. In this case, treatment of people because they have used or are experiencing a dependency on alcohol or other drugs.

Experiencing stigma and discrimination can stop people from looking for help or accessing support and treatment services because it impacts on their self-esteem, mental health and general wellbeing. Stigma can also influence whether people tell others about their alcohol and other drug use.

Using positive language
Sometimes people who use drugs experience discrimination and negative attitudes from people closest to them (family, friends), who do so without realising. People may judge because they don't understand and tragically, without family and peer support, people with alcohol and other drug problems are usually more vulnerable and susceptible to harm. Before making a judgement about someone who has used or is using drugs, it is important to be informed and focus on the person, not their substance use.

The language you use to talk about and describe alcohol and other drug issues is powerful and can have a big impact on your family or relationships. However well-meaning, using words like ‘addict’, ‘junkie’, ‘druggie’, ‘alcoholic’ can be harmful. Instead you could simply say ‘person with a dependence / problem’. Also keeping it simple by saying ‘person who has stopped using drugs’ rather than ‘clean’, ‘sober’ or ‘drug-free’ can be less judgmental and help people feel more positive about their treatment journey.

Developed by the Network of Alcohol & other Drugs Agencies (NADA) and the NSW Users & AIDS Association (NUAA), Language matters is a resource that can help you find words and ways of talking that do not reinforce negative stereotypes and stigmatise people.

Mental health support services
For mental health crisis support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au or call Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 or visit suicidecallbackservice.org.au.

To find mental health support in your local area contact the Mental Health Access Line on 1800 011 511 and for young people aged 12 to 25 years old, contact Headspace by visiting headspace.org.au.