Drug and alcohol support | How to live well with a health condition or disability

People develop problems with drugs or alcohol for a variety of reasons. This can cause difficulties for individuals, their health, their families, and at work, school, or college.

Problematic use of drugs and alcohol can range from occasional drug taking, drinking a bit too much a bit too often, regular heavy drinking, or binge drinking, drug bingeing to dependency and addiction. If you often drink more than the recommended lower risk alcohol guidelines, (No more than 14 units a week for men and women, spread over 3 or more days) take illegal drugs, New Psychoactive Substances or prescription drugs without a prescription, you may be misusing drugs or alcohol. Whether you are concerned about your own drinking or drug use or about a friend or family member, support is available to help you cut down, give up, or support someone else

a close up of a person holding up a chalk board with Good Health = Good Live written on it. — No-one can say that drinking alcohol is absolutely safe, but by sticking within the recommended guidelines, you can lower your risk of harming your health.

If you regularly drink more than the recommended guidelines over a long period, there are the following risks:

men could be four times more likely to have high blood pressure
women could be three times more likely to suffer a stroke
liver damage, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer
cancer of the mouth, throat cancer, cancer of the oesophagus or larynx, and breast cancer in women
increased risk of heart disease and stroke
depression, memory loss, brain damage or dementia
stomach damage
potentially fatal alcohol poisoning.

Take the DrinkCoach Alcohol Test to work out how risky your drinking is, access advice and support online and find out where you can get support locally.
On average, it should take only two minutes to complete.
Visit the West Sussex Wellbeing website for more tools and tips on what to do if you’re worried about alcohol.

When people think about drugs, they tend to think about things like Heroin, Cocaine and Cannabis. There are many types of drugs that can cause people problems, however. They tend to be grouped together as follows:

Illicit substances

These are the substances that people most commonly think of when they hear the term ‘drugs’. Visit the Talk to Frank website for more information about illegal drugs.

Prescription medication

This can relate to a whole range of drugs, only available on prescription. Sometimes people take more than they should or use them without a prescription. There are many prescription drugs that can be misused; the most common of these are:

Opiates: often prescribed to treat pain e.g. codeine.

Depressants: used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders e.g. benzodiazepines such as diazepam and temazepam.

Antidepressants: Used to relieve the symptoms of depression, such as citalopram and mirtazapine.

Stimulants: often used to treat ADHD, such as dexamphetamine.

Antihistamines.

Over-the-counter drugs

These are available to purchase, without prescription, but over-use can cause physical damage to the digestive system, liver and kidneys and people can become dependent.

Performance and Image Enhancing Drugs

People use a whole range of drugs which promise to deliver a range of results such as:

- Muscle gain
- Weight loss
- Skin lightening
- Hair regrowth
- Improved sexual performance
- Increased concentration

New Psychoactive Substances (NPS )

NPS (formerly known as ‘Legal Highs’) are chemicals that work in a similar way to illegal drugs and can be very dangerous as their contents and effects are most often unknown. Visit the Talk to Frank website for more information about NPS.

For more information about all the types of drugs listed above, visit the Talk To Frank website or ThinkDrinkDrugs.

Access support from DAWN: the Drug and Alcohol Wellbeing Network

DAWN, the West Sussex Drug and Alcohol Wellbeing Network, provides support to people of any age, who are looking to reduce or stop their drinking or use of drugs.

The service can offer free and confidential professional support, ranging from information and advice, counselling, detox and rehab. While contacting a drug or alcohol support service might feel daunting at first, you don’t need to worry. Staff will not judge you and you can access as much or as little help as you want at times to suit you. It helps to have a note of any medication you are taking and who your GP is the first time you visit the service.

Young people aged up to 24 can contact the service via:

Text: 07779339954 (someone will ring you back).

Phone: 0300 303 8677

Email: wsypsms@cgl.org.uk

Adults aged 25 and over can contact the service via:

Phone: 0300 303 8677

Email: WestSussex.contact@cgl.org.uk

Alcohol

DrinkCoach is a website that allows you to anonymously find out if you are drinking at harmful levels and to get advice and information about alcohol, and support to cut down.

DrinkCoach online coaching is available for anyone wanting to reduce their drinking. If you are tired of hangovers, costs and the impact on your health, our alcohol specialists can help you identify and achieve your drinking goals.

DrinkCoach online coaching is professional, convenient and confidential. You can access the service anywhere and at anytime it suits you: weekdays, evenings and weekends. All you need is a Skype connection.

If you live and/or work in West Sussex click on the following link and enter the promo code WSWELL to book your free sessions:

Book an appointment

For more information on DrinkCoach download the DrinkCoach information leaflet or visit drinkcoach.org.uk

To explore a healthier, happier relationship with alcohol, take a look at this Mindful Drinking leaflet

Not sure if you are drinking at risky levels? Take the two minute Alcohol Test to find out.

Soberistas is an online community for anyone who wants help to stop drinking.

Club Soda is a social network and provides tools to help people to change their drinking, whether that be to cut down, stop for a bit, quit or stick.

The Sober School is a website for women trying to stop drinking or take a break from booze. There are blogs, hints and tips and courses to help people cut down or stop drinking.

The West Sussex Wellbeing website features alcohol information and local support options. Your local wellbeing hub can offer face to face support for being drinking a bit too much, a little too often.

Alcoholics Anonymous run groups for alcohol users with regular meetings across the country. Visit their website, call 0845 769 7555 10am to 10pm or email to find out your nearest group.

SMART Recovery (SMART) is a science-based programme to help people manage their recovery from any type of addictive behaviour. This includes addictive behaviour with substances such as alcohol, nicotine or drugs, or compulsive behaviours such as gambling, sex, eating, shopping, self-harming and so on. SMART stands for ‘Self Management And Recovery Training’.

Drinkline offers confidential advice and information to people affected by their own or someone else’s drinking, including information about where to get support locally. Call 0300 123 1110 on Monday to Friday between 9am and 8pm, and at weekends between 11am and 4pm.

The Samaritans provide confidential emotional support to any person who is suicidal or despairing. Call 08457 90 90 90 for free, confidential advice 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, email them, or write to FREEPOST RSRB-KKBY-CYJK, Chris, PO Box 90 90, Stirling, FK8 2SA.

Drugs

FRANK helps you to find out everything you might want to know about drugs (and some stuff you don’t). For friendly, confidential advice, Talk to FRANK

ThinkDrinkDrugs provides drug and alcohol facts, support services and latest information for Sussex and Kent.

Alcohol

DrinkCoach is an app for Android and iOS devices that helps you to track and change your drinking, it includes: unit, calorie and cost tracker, goal setting, mindfulness videos, reminders and event diary.

Drinkaware provides alcohol information, advice, and tips.

Change for Life offers unit information, and tips on how to cut down.

NHS Choices provides a range of information and resources to help you reduce your drinking, including an alcohol service finder.

Alcohol Concern is the national agency on alcohol misuse campaigning for effective alcohol policy and improves services for people whose lives are affected by alcohol by alcohol-related problems.

British Liver Trust is the UK's leading charity promoting education and research around liver health. Their website contains lots of useful information

Drugs

FRANK helps you to find out everything you might want to know about drugs (and some stuff you don’t). For friendly, confidential advice, Talk to FRANK

ThinkDrinkDrugs provides drug and alcohol facts, support services and latest information for Sussex and Kent.

Carers Support West Sussex

Supports people who are affected by someone else's drinking or drug use. All services are confidential, and you can receive free information, advice and support. The network offers: