- Are you worried you could be drinking too much or consuming drugs in a way that has become a problem?
- Are you worried about your friends or family finding out and want to get help quickly and quietly?
- Are you worried about the drug use of someone close to you – a family member or friend?
- Maybe you just want to know where they could go to see someone for help?
You can call ADIS any time of the day or week for support, information, advice, crisis counseling and referral to services in NSW.
ADIS advisors understand the difficulties of finding appropriate drug and alcohol treatment and use their knowledge and experience to assist you and answer questions, such as:
You can call ADIS 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Tel:9361 8000 (Sydney)
or free call: 1800 422 599
(For NSW regional and rural callers)
ADIS also has a range of telephone lines offering specialised drug and alcohol information and support to particular groups.
What is this drug doing to me?
Different drugs have different effects on people. For instance, alcohol acts as a depressant while caffeine acts as a stimulant. There are lots of different reasons why this happens and talking to someone or researching on our website is one way of working this out. To find out about the effects of a particular drug go to the A –Z of drugs on this website.
ADIS advisors can talk to you about a wide range of drug and alcohol issues. They can provide quality information about numerous drugs, such as alcohol, heroin, methamphetamines, cannabis and some prescription medications.
You can talk confidentially about what their effects are and what are the signs of intoxication, dependence and withdrawal.
You can speak to an ADIS advisor about finding a suitable treatment service in your area. A treatment service could include individual counselling, groups, detoxification and/or rehabilitation.
You can call ADIS 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 9361 8000 (Sydney) or free call 1800 422 599 (NSW regional and rural areas).
What are the short and long term problems that could develop if I continue using?
Problems depend on lots of different factors. Problems can relate to individual body size, how the drug is used, how often the person uses a substance, and even what drug is being used.
Short-term problems could be the effects of having too much of a particular drug, suddenly stopping the use of a drug or even legal implications. Long-term problems can relate to physical and mental health issues, problems with employment, education and relationships.
ADIS advisors can discuss the short and long term problems that using drugs can cause; what withdrawal symptoms to expect; how best to manage withdrawal symptoms; harm minimisation information; what treatment options there are and where and when they are available.
How can I stop or cut down my use?
It can be difficult to know what to do when you realise you need to stop or cut down your use of drugs or alcohol. The first step to feeling more in control of your life is by ringing ADIS. You can gain advice or information on how to start thinking about issues and what to do.
If someone close to you is using drugs or alcohol it can be hard to know how to respond. You can feel helpless and exhausted when trying to get help for someone you love who is using drugs and may or may not be interested in getting help for themselves. Support is available for you too. Our ADIS advisors can assist in exploring possibilities.
Some options for you may include strategies for dealing with stress, strengthening relationships, or ways to communicate effectively. Sometimes thinking about how you can relax without using drugs is helpful too. Support groups and family counselling are also available. Speak to one of the professional advisors at ADIS for further support or referral.
What help can I get?
There are a lot of help options available, and sometimes these choices can be confusing. Overcoming a drug or alcohol problem can be a challenge. A lot of people think they can kick the problem on their own, but find themselves relapsing time and again. It's not a sign of weakness to ask for outside help. Most people who try to manage their problem with drugs or alcohol need professional assistance or treatment programs to do so. This can make a big difference in helping you to regain control of your life.
Find someone to talk to who you can trust. This may be a friend, or a family member. If you can’t talk to your family, you may want to approach a doctor or a counsellor. ADIS advisors are happy to discuss any issues or concerns you might be having. ADIS offers confidential, anonymous and non-judgmental support.
Do I have to wait long to get help?
Waiting times for a particular service vary enormously. Some remote and rural locations may not have the number of services around them that are available in the city. ADIS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be accessed by phone to answer your questions. We recognise that people need to start asking the questions before making informed choices – ADIS can help.
Will drug and alcohol treatments be difficult?
Talking to someone about alcohol and drug issues can be emotionally painful for some people. Sometimes going through the process of withdrawal can be physically painful. The experience can vary from person to person, and it is important to remember that there is always someone available to assist you during these difficult times.
Who do I talk to when I ring ADIS?
As a caller to ADIS, you can expect to be treated with professionalism from one of our well-trained counselling staff. You can expect to receive quality information that is sensitive to your needs and situation. You can expect to be treated with dignity, privacy and respect.
ADIS is staffed by a team of people from many diverse backgrounds. Some are Drug and Alcohol clinicians, Nurses, Social Workers and Psychologists. This diversity allows staff to understand issues and have suggestions and solutions from a broad range of treatment areas that will help individuals and communities more widely.
ADIS has a well-developed referral database, so that people can be referred to the right service for them. This includes information on detoxification services, rehabilitation, counselling services in the caller’s community, and agencies or practitioners who work in areas related to alcohol and drug problems.
By providing a non-threatening, non-judgemental service, ADIS gives callers direction in the often confusing world of drug and alcohol treatment. ADIS will help all callers wanting support and information about drug use and effective interventions.
What can I expect when I ring?
ADIS can provide information about legal and illegal drugs and their effects. Staff can discuss signs of withdrawal and intoxication, treatment options, and services available in your area.
ADIS can provide support with decision-making, taking a caller through the numerous treatment options available to people faced with alcohol and other drug issues. ADIS can assist in providing the right information to callers so that they can make an informed decision.
ADIS advisors can also give some basic information on treatment drugs for alcohol and drug issues, such as methadone, disulfurim and acamprosate.
ADIS advisors are able to provide brief intervention to callers. They are there to provide support to people who are facing alcohol and other drug related difficulties.
ADIS does not generally provide information about prescription medications or their interactions with alcohol and other mood altering drugs because ADIS advisors are not pharmacists. If you are seeking information about these drugs it is best to ask your GP or pharmacist or ring the Medicines Line on 1300 888 763. If it’s an emergency call Poisons Information on 13 11 26 or seek emergency treatment by ringing 000.
Can anyone ring ADIS?
ADIS is available to all residents of NSW. ADIS can be utilised by those who are affected by alcohol or drugs, their families, friends, professionals and students wanting to increase their knowledge regarding drugs in the community.
Will ADIS tell anyone that I rang?
When facing drug and alcohol problems, ADIS hears that a common feeling is that people want to hide the problem from the world. ADIS understands this and acknowledges that your privacy is important. For this reason, ADIS provides a confidential, anonymous and professional service. Any call made to ADIS is confidential and callers are not identified. Your phone number does not appear when you call, nor are calls recorded.
Does ADIS record calls?
ADIS records some information about calls. Some things are kept for statistical purposes, such as type of drug being asked about, was the caller male or female, and the like. No identifying markers are kept and your name and address are not taken. Your call is not going to be forwarded to any other person or organisation. |
