Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if someone in my family has a problem with drugs or alcohol?
What drugs should I be worried about?
What should I do if I think my child is trying drugs?
Will my family member become an addict?
What are some of the problems people can experience with drug or alcohol use?
What are some of the problems family members of drug or alcohol misusing people can experience?
If I am experiencing some of these problems where can I get help?
What will they be able to do for me?
What if there is an emergency after hours?
What if I need counselling?
How long does it take to get into counselling?
What happens in counselling?
What if someone in my family wants to stop using their drugs or alcohol, and do a drug withdrawal program?
How
can I tell if someone in my family has a problem with drugs or alcohol?
It is difficult to tell if your
family member has a problem with drugs or alcohol as the signs to be aware
of may also be symptomatic of something else going on in his/her life.
If you notice some of the following changes talk to your family member to see
what the problem is:
- Sudden change of friends
- Drop in school/work performance
- Unexplained mood swings
- Valuable items or money missing
- Lethargy/ hyperactivity
- Withdrawal from family interactions
- Unusual absences from school/home/work
- Reddened eyes
- Enlarged or reduced pupils.
Keep an open mind and show them you are willing to listen to anything they
want to share with you.
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What drugs should I be
worried about?
All drugs have risks associated with their use, whether they are legal or
illegal. While it is important to be aware of the immediate effects of
different drugs on physical and mental health some drug use impacts on
other aspects of people's lives.
The effects of a drug on an individual depend on the type and amount of drug
taken, where and how the drug is used, the physical characteristics of the
person and whether other drugs(such as alcohol) are being taken at the
same time.
While a drug like alcohol is legal there are many risks associated with its
use when people become incapable of making rational decisions and engage
in dangerous behaviour. On the other hand the very fact that a drug like
marijuana is illegal brings with its use concern about the legal
ramifications in addition to health problems.
Detailed information about the physical effects of a range of different drugs
is available on www.adf.org.au
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What should I
do if I think my child is trying drugs?
Try not to over-react but speak calmly to your child about your concerns. Be
open with them so that they are encouraged to be open with you. Otherwise
you won't get the fullstory of what is going on in their life. Discuss
with them what they consider to be the benefits and consequences of using
drugs.
If you do not feel well informed about drugs get some more facts. Try one of
the drug information sites on our links page.
When approaching your child about the issues the timing and place are
crucial. Wait until there are no distractions and select a room where you
can not be overheard, so that you can provide an atmosphere of trust and
respect.
Be a good role model with your own use of drugs and alcohol.
Be clear about your concerns and expectations. Together come to an
understanding about what is acceptable behaviour in relation to drug
use.
Remember you don't need to handle a drug problem on you own. You can call
Mary of the Cross Centre and speak through the issues with a trained
counsellor. Telephone: (03) 9495 6144
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Will my family member
become an addict?
Most young people who use drugs are experimenting. No drug is instantly
physically addictive, but people become dependent on a drug after
prolonged or heavy use over time. Experimenting does not necessarily lead
to serious drug or alcohol problems.
Adults who continue to use drugs or alcohol more frequently or at greater
quantities than
recommended, place themselves at risk of developing tolerance and dependence to
drugs and alcohol.
It is more helpful for them to turn to a trustworthy and knowledgeable person to
relieve themselves
of their worries.
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What
are some of the problems people can experience with drug or alcohol use?
Problems are often related to dependent or long term use but can result from
irregular excessive
quantities of drug/alcohol use (binges). The impact can be felt right across a
person's life:
- Mental:
The person's thinking begins to focus away from general
things in life to thinking
about using drugs or alcohol. Forgetting things, appointments, and
responsibilities, but
remembering to get supplies of the drug/alcohol is common. Obsessions about
the use of
the drug/alcohol develop.
- Emotional:
Inappropriate amounts of alcohol/drugs makes people moody,
irritable, frustrated
with ordinary things that didn't used to bother them, feel out of control,
feel disappointment over
not being able to stop drug/alcohol use.
- Spiritual:
Drug/alcohol misuse affects a person's values, making
compromises on what he/she
does and says (no matter how noble they originally were prior to drug/alcohol
misuse).
- Physical:
There is disturbance to the digestion and excretion, brain
functioning (coordination,
perception, orientation, memory) and the nervous system.
- Social:
Friends and family who ignore or encourage the alcohol/drug
use are the most likely
people they will mix with. Also people are often disregarded, in preference to
spending time with
their drug/alcohol of choice. The drug instead becomes the ‘best friend'
because it is seen as
reliable, routinely available, takes their mind off the problems.
- Economic:
A greater amount of money is spent on using drugs/alcohol at
the expense of other
important or necessary goods. Failure to pay debts can occur, leading to
involvement with the
criminal justice system.
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What
are some of the problems family members of drug or alcohol misusing people can
experience?
For many families the impact of a person's drug use builds up over time and
can have a serious effect
on the health and well being of individual family members. It can change the way
a family relates.
Parents, partners, children, siblings and other family members may experience
some of the following
problems.
- Mental:
Families can become confused, finding it difficult to
concentrate on normal activities
of life and lose a sense of control over their own lives through worrying.
- Emotional:
Distress, fear, worry, anger, neglect are some of the
emotional reactions to family
members' involvement in drugs/alcohol.
- Spiritual:
People can feel a loss of hope and meaning to their lives,
and disappointment and
bitterness can exist instead. Some family members can feel distanced from God's
love because
of drug/alcohol misuse in their family.
- Physical:
Exhaustion and fatigue, weight loss or gain, and other
physical signs of stress are
common for affected family members.
- Social:
A deep and profound sense of guilt, shame and blame can
pervade families, reducing their
desire to mix with other people in case the concerned family member is asked
after and they feel
they have to offer a reply to please others.
Economic: Families often may decide to pay off the drug/alcohol user's
debts or fines in an effort
to protect them from the consequences of their actions. Families fear the law
will send them to jail.
They can put themselves into substantial debt trying to save the drug/alcohol
using family member.
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If
I am experiencing some of these problems where can I get help?
If you or someone you know has a problem with drug/alcohol misuse you can
call Mary of the Cross
Centre on (03) 9495 6144 and ask to speak with a counsellor. The
telephone is attended Monday
through Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm. Messages with your name and telephone number
can be left after
office hours and a counsellor will contact you the next working day.
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What will they be able to do
for me?
Firstly you will be listened to and your concerns taken seriously. A
counsellor will assess your situation
and suggest a course of action. This may involve having counselling yourself
even if you are not the
one taking drugs/alcohol! It may be that one telephone counselling contact
provides you with the
information you need at the time, or you may want further support. Our
counsellors will talk to you
about your options.
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What if there is an
emergency after hours?
If you need counselling, appointments can be made by contacting the Centre
during office hours: 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. Telephone: (03)
9495 6144 or you may call in personally.
Counselling sessions can be arranged for individuals, parents and/or other
family members.
Counselling and group programs are available to all people free of charge.
Sessions generally run for an hour, and can take place as late as 8pm.
Usually you will be able to have your first appointment within a few days. If
the situation is urgent,
and counsellors are fully booked, you will be notified of the first cancellation
if an earlier appointment
can be offered.
Our counsellors take time to hear your story, find out what you want for
yourself and your family, and work with you towards helping you improve your
situation to the best possible outcome.
A counsellor will discuss the most suitable type of withdrawal service
offered in Melbourne, and liaise with that service to get the family member
booked in to begin the withdrawal. The counsellor will
explain what will happen, and how to safely manage the time of the withdrawal
throughout the whole process.
