I take risks when I’m drunk and high

You may drink or get high as a way to feel social and happy, or to fit in with a crowd. But sometimes, it’s easy to go way over the top.

You can make bad decisions when drunk or high

Not knowing your limits and being too drunk or high can make you do things you normally wouldn’t when sober. You may feel invincible, and do things like:

  • Put yourself in physical danger
  • Drive recklessly to the point where you could kill someone
  • Have sex with people you don’t know or respect
  • Binge on food
  • Gamble or spend big on your credit card
  • Destroy or steal property
  • Get into physical fights with people

 

When you’re on drugs, these things can seem like fun. When you sober up, though, you have to deal with the fallout.

  • Your self-esteem drops through the floor.
  • You sabotage your job or your studies.
  • You find yourself in a bad place financially.
  • You start to lose friends and alienate your family.
  • You feel so bad about yourself that you reach for the alcohol or drugs again, and so the cycle continues.

 

Being high won’t help you deal with your problems

The problem with drinking or taking drugs to help you cope with stress, is that they make it much harder to think straight, and prevent you from seeing other ways of solving your problems.

 

You may think you’re in control when you’re high, but you aren’t.

Staying in control

It takes courage to deal with drug or alcohol problems. That’s because once you stop drinking, smoking weed, or using, all the issues and stresses that you were trying to blot out come up to the surface.

There’s no point going cold turkey or trying to do it alone. There are so many people who have have quit drugs before you, and really know how to help.

 

Reach out for support

You’re not alone. There are so many ways for you to reach out for support to stop drinking and taking drugs.

It’s really important to tell a close friend or family member that you want to stop.

 

Get professional help

Your doctor will be able to refer you to a clinic, recovery group, or psychological counsellor. 

As well as your doctor, there are many organisations that can give you free advice and referrals to help with your drug or alcohol problems. Reach out, they’re here to help you.

Offers 24/7 drug and alcohol counselling and advice via telephone and web chat.

Offers 24/7 alcohol counselling via telephone; also runs Australia-wide group meetings to assist alcoholics in their recovery.

Offers telephone advice and support 11am–7pm weekdays including public    holidays.

Runs Australia-wide group meetings to help people addicted to drugs and alcohol and also has a teen/youth program.

Has a directory of drug and alcohol services for every state and territory in Australia. It’s a youth health site run by the Australian Drug Foundation.

 

Life changes all the time, hold on!