Young people and medical cannabis
Recently we’ve heard at YoDAA that young people have been talking about the new laws that allow for use of medicinal cannabis for medical purposes. There has been some confusion around the legality of cannabis. ...
Read MoreDXM- Fast facts for families.
DXM causes ‘Woozy’ and detached feelings, a loss of motor control like alcohol and hallucinations leading to good or bad trips....
Read MoreDrug Tests – How and Why?
Tests that claim to show weather or not a young person has been using drugs are a tempting option for family members concerned about a persons behaviour. But are drug tests everything they are cracked up to be? ...
Read MoreIs it the power of ice that causes all the problems?
Ice is an evil drug that causes addiction, ruins lives and wreaks havoc in the community. If you are personally struggling with the impacts of ice use in your family then this would ring true. But is this the full story?...
Read MoreIce-understanding how it works
Ice is one form of methamphetamine. Using ice causes a surge in brain chemicals called neurotransmitters that are vital to the normal healthy function of the human brain with each responsible for regulating different functions....
Read MoreUnderstanding Psychosis
Worried that your loved one is at risk of psychosis? Here's what to look out for and how to help them....
Read MoreKetamine-Fast facts for families
Ketamine causes ‘Floaty’ and detached feelings, physical inability to move, and hallucinations leading to good or bad trips. Large doses can exacerbate mental health problems...
Read MoreGHB/ GBL-Fast facts for families
If a young person uses a small amount of GHB they may appear in a similar state to if they had used alcohol. They may be in a state of euphoria, be less inhibited or even be sleepy. ...
Read MoreLSD (Acid)-Fast facts for families
A young person who has used LSD will usually have a distorted sense of reality since LSD alters a person’s perceptions. This could include visual and auditory hallucinations. ...
Read MoreTobacco-Fast facts for families
The most tell-tale sign that someone has recently used tobacco is the lingering smell of smoke on hair, clothing, breath and hands....
Read MoreSynthetic drugs-Fast facts for families
Like fashion trends, synthetic drugs may seem popular one day then out of flavour the next....
Read MoreSynthetic cannabis-Fast facts for families
A young person who has used synthetic cannabis may appear talkative and giggly with excessive hunger or withdrawn and relaxed. They may have decreased concentration and slower reaction times....
Read MoreOpiate painkillers-Fast facts for families
Opiates give powerful relief to physical and emotional pain. Signs that someone has used recently include feelings of wellbeing, relaxation and sleepiness...
Read MoreMagic mushrooms-Fast facts for families
A young person using mushrooms may have an altered sense of reality, time and space....
Read MoreInhalants-Fast facts for families
Many inhalants are household products. Volatile substances, aerosols, gases, and nitrates, can all be inhaled....
Read MoreEcstasy-Fast facts for families
A young person who has recently used ecstasy may display increased energy, happiness, alertness and be super chatty, optimistic and affectionate....
Read MoreCocaine-Fast facts for families
Cocaine causes a burst of alertness, feelings of well-being and euphoria which could include enthusiastic talking. ...
Read MoreBuprenorphine-Fast facts for families
A young person who is using non-prescribed buprenorphine may appear sleepy with small pupils and slurred speech and movements...
Read MoreBenzodiazepines-Fast facts for families
Signs of recent Benzodiazepine use include calmness, relaxation and sleepiness, decreased anxiety and enlarged pupils. ...
Read MoreAlcohol - fast facts for families
Tell-tale signs of recent alcohol use are confidence, reduced inhibitions, drowsiness, unsteadiness, slurred speech and the smell of alcohol. ...
Read MoreWhy do young people use drugs?
Young people use drugs for all sorts of different reasons. As carers, it helps to understand that there is almost always some function and meaning for a young person. ...
Read MoreWill they develop a problem or addiction?
Many young people try drugs or alcohol at some stage in their adolescence but for most they never develop problems. The thought that someone you care about and love might develop a drug problem can be distressing....
Read MoreFamily support programs
We recognise it can be hard for young people to access services, but we don’t often talk about that fact that it can be equally difficult for families to get help for themselves or be willing to be involved in a young person’s treatment....
Read MoreWhy do drugs become a problem?
No one ever chooses to have a drug problem. Likewise when drug or alcohol use becomes a problem for a young person it’s always something more than just ‘bad luck’....
Read MoreSelf care
Being there for a young person who has alcohol or other drug issues is a long road. Worry, frustration, anger, disappointment and guilt are all normal emotions that a loved one may experience – and they are all draining....
Read MoreIce - Fast facts for families
Ice is an illegal stimulant, meaning it is designed to ‘hype up’ rather than ‘calm down’ a person who is using it....
Read MoreHeroin - Fast facts for families
Heroin is an illegal substance that is extracted from the opium poppy. It is in the same family of drugs as the pain killing medication morphine....
Read MoreHelping Young People to Change
….A small dry seed sits on a window sill. Surrounded by sunlight it knows it wants to become something more than a shrived dry seed and so every day it wills itself to grow…. ...
Read MoreCannabis - Fast facts for families
Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug in Australia and is the most commonly used drug by young people accessing support services....
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