Urgent Help

Is this an emergency?

Are you or others in danger? Do you need an ambulance or the police?

24 hour phone line for crisis support and suicide prevention.

24 hour phone line. A free counselling service for young people across Australia aged between 5-25 years.

24 hour phone line for support, information and advice.

Self help options

Self help options

What will a support service ask me?

Share

Print + Download

It’s easier to give services a call when you know what you might expect from them.

Seeking support can be frightening, especially if you don’t know what to expect. Here is the low down on what you can expect.

When you first seek support you will probably participate in an ‘assessment’. Different services might have slightly different ways of going about assessment but there are pretty similar.

The assessment isn’t about grading you, but about understanding what you need. It’s just about getting to know you, what’s going on, and what you’re after. The worker will ask you questions about your drug use, (you can be honest, they’ve heard it all!) and questions about other areas of your life. This is to understand if there’s anything else you might want help with, and to see how other things in your life influence you and your drug use. You’ll be asked about where you live, your family, and your mental and emotional wellbeing, physical health and some other areas.
Services collect this information to get a ‘big picture’ of who you are and to help support you most effectively. You never have to answer anything you don’t want and only have to give as much information as you are comfortable with. All your information is confidential.

It takes courage to change. Remember you are not alone & other young people have been in your shoes.

Get help now

YoDAA is a free and confidential online and phone service that offers supports to young people, families and professionals. You can contact 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday.

Further Reading

Slip-ups and using again

Looking after yourself when you’re using

Cutting down without stopping

Early Psychosis Program | headspace

What is psychosis? | headspace

Understanding why I use

Anxiety | What is Anxiety & The Effects in Young People | headspace

How does alcohol affect mental health | headspace

Related Articles

Duty of Care

If we become concerned about your safety (or anyone else’s) during a chat or phone session or because of the contents of an email, we will always do our best to make sure you and/or others are safe.

If we become concerned about your safety (or anyone else’s) during a chat or phone session or because of the contents of an email, we will always do our best to…

Not sure what I want to do

Top tips for staying safe

Staying safe is the most important thing. That starts with knowing what you are taking! Ask and research everything you can about a drug. Do your research. Where possible, know what you are taking, What are its effects, how long will they last, does it have side effects?

Staying safe is the most important thing. That starts with knowing what you are taking! Ask and research everything you can about a drug. Do your research. Where possible, know what…

Not sure what I want to do

Reasons drugs can become a problem

There are many reasons drug or alcohol use can become a problem for someone but it’s always something more than just ‘bad luck’.

There are many reasons drug or alcohol use can become a problem for someone but it’s always something more than just ‘bad luck’.

Drug fact

Cocaine

Cocaine is a stimulant drug made from the leaves of the coca plant. It comes in a white powder. It speeds up the messages from your brain to your body and increases your heart and breathing rate. It’s mostly snorted but it can be injected.

Cocaine is a stimulant drug made from the leaves of the coca plant. It comes in a white powder. It speeds up the messages from your brain to your body…

Drug fact

Ecstasy

Ecstasy, or methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), is a stimulant drug. It’s often used at dance parties. Ecstasy comes as tablets or pills in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colours. Pills are often imprinted with logos. It can also come as powder or even liquid.

Ecstasy, or methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), is a stimulant drug. It’s often used at dance parties. Ecstasy comes as tablets or pills in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colours. Pills are…

Drug fact

Ice (Methamphetamines)

Ice is a stimulant which means it makes you feel really energetic and up. It comes as shards of crystal, often with different colours through it, and can be smoked, swallowed, snorted, injected or inserted anally (known as ‘shafting’ or ‘shelving’).

Ice is a stimulant which means it makes you feel really energetic and up. It comes as shards of crystal, often with different colours through it, and can be smoked,…