People drink alcohol and use drugs for lots of different reasons. Whatever your reason, drugs or alcohol misuse can have a negative long-term effect on you, so it’s important to know the early warning signs that alcohol or drugs may be becoming a problem. Here you’ll find a description of the most common experiences that go along with the misuse of alcohol or drugs. You’ll also find a link to the AUDIT screening tool, which provides a confidential online self-assessment of your drinking. Many people recover from alcohol and drug problems and recovery means different things to different people. The important thing to remember, however, is that lots of options are available to you if you want to make a change.
People drink alcohol and use drugs for lots of different reasons. Whatever your reason, drugs or alcohol misuse can have a negative long-term effect on you, so it’s important to know the early warning signs that alcohol or drugs may be becoming a problem. Here you’ll find a description of the most common experiences that go along with the misuse of alcohol or drugs. You’ll also find a link to the AUDIT screening tool, which provides a confidential online self-assessment of your drinking. Many people recover from alcohol and drug problems and recovery means different things to different people. The important thing to remember, however, is that lots of options are available to you if you want to make a change.
Many people who have a problem with alcohol and drugs will try to cover it up. Problems are not always visible, but there are signs, and different ways of approaching recovery.
Most people use alcohol and other drugs for their benefits (perceived or experienced), not for the potential harm they may cause. This applies to both legal and illegal substances, including drugs that are prescribed. No one takes a drug to feel worse. It’s important to remember that the vast majority of people who drink alcohol and/or use legal or illegal drugs do not become dependent on any of these substances.
Whatever your reason, using drugs or alcohol may have a long-term negative effect on you. It may take longer for your mental health to get better if you use drugs or alcohol. Drugs can make you more unwell and more likely to try to harm yourself or take your own life.
Some people increase their use of alcohol or substances following a trauma. This is often an attempt to block out painful memories, thoughts or feelings related to the trauma
We all experience changes in our lives. Learn about how change can affect our wellbeing.
Resources to help in supporting your recovery from drug or alcohol use, or someone close to you.
Our colleagues at ‘Getselfhelp’ have produced a very helpful resource based on a Cognitive Behavioural Approach to support you to make changes in your use of substances.
The Scottish Recovery Consortium has developed a self-help resource called the Scottish Recovery Workbook. It supports 12-step meetings, SMART recovery meetings, recovery communities and faith groups that contribute to recovery.
The main purpose of the detoxification process is to break physical dependency. To be fully effective and to break the behavioural and psychological aspects of a substance misuse problem, the person must also be offered psychological therapy that has proven evidence of helping.
An exercise in helping you find a balance in life and actively putting those positive activities back into your life.
We all have to cope and manage with change in our lives for lots of reasons. Here are some tips and thoughts on navigating through a period of change.
If you feel tense a lot of the time, you can try learning some relaxation skills, as these should be helpful.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a psychological therapy based on the relationships between what we think, what we do and how we feel. CBT teaches you how to recognise and tackle problems in the here and now, rather than in the past.
If you, or someone you know, is in crisis and in imminent danger of causing harm to themselves or others, call 999 immediately
