Alcohol and drugs: when to seek help?

Alcohol, drugs and medicines are a common feature in our society. Use can be social, for pleasure and sometimes to help us to wind down at the end of a busy day. Occasionally use of substances can interfere with our ability to achieve daily tasks like going to work or looking after others and ourselves.

When to seek help?

You or someone you know might need to seek help if:

• There is a need to drink alcohol or use drugs to get through the day.
• The use of alcohol or drugs leads to problems in daily life such as not being able to go to work or function safely.
• Alcohol or drug use becomes out of control and is noticed by others.

Checking your own alcohol use patterns can be done by using some simple resources available online. These can help you to consider if you need to get