ALCOHOL AND DRUG AWARENESS

A majority of drug and alcohol enquires can mostly be answered over the phone. Some of the things that people may want to find out about drugs and alcohol could be about the long term and or short term side effects on the body found for each person, and also what are some of the other uses for the substance.

If a person can admit that they have a problem and are seeking help, the Ballarat Community Health Centre is able to set up appointment times so that you are able to seek advice from the appropriate staff member, and then take the next life changing steps to recovery.

Some of the other services that are available through the Ballarat Community Health Centre are the youth outreach services, and withdrawal services. These are specifically for people who need support and help getting off drugs and or alcohol.

Counselling services are also available for people with a drug or alcohol issue. There is also a service called Mobile Drug Safety Outreach which has a worker who's role is to work with people who are specifically injecting drugs, by supplying them with support, education and consultation. 50%-60% of people who approach the Ballarat Community Health Centre for help have alcohol as their main use. 30%-40% have cannabis as their primary drug use, and 20% have speed and heroin as their primary drug use.

Everyone that comes into the Ballarat Community Health Centre comes with their own unique history and their own problems. Two people with similar problems will approach it in different ways. There isn't a common question that is asked, it's more a variety of questions. Everyone who walks in the door is very different from the person who walked in before them, so the questions asked are individual to each.

Different drugs stay in the body's system for longer periods, but at the same time it also depends on the person.

Michael Lucken and Michael White
Youth@bility Reporters