If you feel you need urgent (non-emergency) mental health support and would like to talk to someone,
you can contact the Wiltshire Mental Health Helpline.
In an emergency: If you or someone else has seriously injured themselves, taken an overdose or are on the point of doing so,
call 999 or go directly to A&E.
It is also important to know that drugs are any prescription substances that you or your family members may be prescribed for medical reasons or anything that can be bought over the counter by a chemist. Any drug or substance that has not been prescribed directly to you, can be dangerous. Using a prescribed drug not in the way it was prescribed to you, for example, taking too much, taking it incorrectly, or using it in a different way than is prescribed, can also be dangerous.
The negative effects of drinking alcohol outside of the recommended limits on our bodies include; an increased chance of alcohol poisoning, stomach ulcers, internal bleeding, cancer, high blood pressure, and lung infections. As well as this, alcohol has an impact on us socially as alcohol reduces feelings of anxiety or inhibition but this can often lead to anti-social or criminal behaviour.
A substance can be defined as any pill, powder, liquid, or gas that is swallowed, snorted, ingested, drunk, or inhaled to change how we feel. This could mean taking a legal substance such as a prescribed drug but changing the way it is taken to affect the mind or body. This could also mean taking or using any illegal drug in any way.
People often think that if they are going through a tough time such as the loss of someone close to them, or if they are feeling stressed, then alcohol or drugs are a good solution. However, this is not the case. In fact, alcohol and drugs usually make a situation worse and result in day to day life becoming even more of a challenge. People also use drugs and alcohol to “fit in” or “be cool”. If this is something you are worried about, be sure to watch the video at the bottom of this page.
If you are using drugs for any other reason than the reason that they are prescribed to you and taking anything other than at the quantity and rate they have been prescribed, this could be a problem. Lots of people are able to enjoy alcohol within the recommended limits however, if you find yourself doing any of the following, you may need to seek some help; drinking more and more, hiding or lying about your alcohol usage, finding that you cannot do certain activities or you can’t relax without a drink, drinking alone or at unsociable times (for example, in the morning), becoming out of control, sick or experiencing memory loss when you do drink.
If you are worried about your own substance misuse, we encourage you to speak to an adult about this. This could be a parent, carer, teacher, mentor or coach. At the bottom of this page are also websites that can help you.
