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Drugs, alcohol and mental health
People take drugs and drink alcohol for lots of different reasons, but they can affect you in ways you might not expect. Using drugs can trigger mental health problems, or make them worse. Long-term use can change the way people live, act and look.
Studies show that around half of all people with a mental illness have a drug or alcohol problem, but it’s difficult to know which happens first. A person with a mental illness might be more likely to abuse drugs to help ease their symptoms, while drug use can trigger the first symptoms of a mental illness.
Drug abuse, also known as substance abuse, takes its toll in other ways as well. It can affect personal relationships, cause financial stress and lead to homelessness and criminal behaviour.
People from all walks of life take drugs, and the type of drug they use can depend on socioeconomic factors such as their cultural background, where they live and what their income is.
Learn more about alcohol and other drugs such as ice (crystal meth), MDMA (ecstasy), marijuana (cannabis), cocaine, speed, ketamine, GHB, heroin and LSD, including how they might affect your mental health.
Find information about drugs, help and support services, and treatment options, on the Druginfo and National Drugs Campaign websites.
You can also visit Head to Health, an online gateway funded by the Australian Government that can help you find free and low-cost, trusted phone and online mental health resources, including information about drugs, alcohol, and other substance-related or addictive disorders.
If you are caring for someone with an addiction it is also just as important to continue to look after yourself, visit the Carer Gateway or call 1800 422 737 (Monday-Friday 8am-6pm) for more information.
Cocaine and mental health
Cocaine is a highly addictive drug which can have an adverse affect on the mental health of the user. Long-term use can cause depression, sleep disor...
GHB and mental health
GHB is a depressant drug that can feel like alcohol intoxication at first. Risk of overdose is very high. Not a lot is known about the long-term eff...
Heroin and mental health
Heroin users are likely to develop mental health problems. Heroin is highly addictive, but there are many treatment options available for heroin user...
Ice and mental health
Regular use of ice can lead to a condition known 'ice psychosis', making the user paranoid, aggressive and violent. It can be hard helping a friend o...
Ketamine and mental health
Ketamine is a medicine that is used illegally for its hallucinogenic effect. Regular users can develop serious mental health issues such as depressio...
LSD (acid) and mental health
LSD is a powerful drug, people who take LSD do not know if they are going to have a good trip or a bad one, or how intense the trip will be. This is ...
Marijuana and mental health
Long-term marijuana users can become reliant on the drug. If they do try to stop, they may feel anxious, irritable and angry. Marijuana can trigger ...
MDMA (ecstasy) and mental health
There are mental health implications for regular users of MDMA. Coming down on MDMA leaves users feeling depressed and anxious and the hangover effec...
Speed and mental health
Speed can increase your confidence and energy, but high doses and long-term use can cause mental health problems similar to paranoid schizophrenia.
Need more information?
These trusted information partners have more on this topic.
Top results
Reducing the risks of drugs - Alcohol and Drug Foundation
Avoiding drugs is the best way to make sure you create good memories. If you are going to take drugs be aware there is always a risk of harm
Read more on Alcohol and Drug Foundation website

Why do people use alcohol and other drugs? - Alcohol and Drug Foundation
People use alcohol and other drugs (AOD) for a variety of reasons. The vast majority of people who use alcohol and other drugs do not become dependent.
Read more on Alcohol and Drug Foundation website

Drugs, alcohol and mental health - Beyond Blue
Drugs and alcohol change the way your brain and body work, changing the balance of chemicals that help you think, feel, create and make decisions.
Read more on Beyond Blue website

Women and the use of alcohol and other drugs - Alcohol and Drug Foundation
International Women’s Day provides an opportunity to reflect on many aspects of women’s lives, including health and wellbeing.
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Prescription Drugs - Alcohol and Other Drugs Knowledge Centre
Prescription Drugs The non medical use of prescription drugs can occur when people use prescription drugs to get high or because they have become addicted to them through trying to manage chronic pain or psychological distress
Read more on Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet website

Stigma and people who use drugs - Alcohol and Drug Foundation
Experiencing stigma can have a significant negative impact on a person’s quality of life. It can affect their self-esteem and mental health, their relationships with others and the support services and resources they can access.
Read more on Alcohol and Drug Foundation website

Young drivers: information for parents - Alcohol and Drug Foundation
As the parent of a young driver you can play a key role in educating your children about drugs, alcohol, and encouraging them to be a safe and responsible driver.
Read more on Alcohol and Drug Foundation website

Non-prescribed use of pharmaceutical drugs - Alcohol and Drug Foundation
Use of pharmaceuticals is a major public health concern in Australia, with widespread non-prescribed use resulting in a range of harms.
Read more on Alcohol and Drug Foundation website

Alcohol, drugs and tobacco - NT.GOV.AU
Alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, volatile substances, illegal drugs, legal medications, drug rehabilitation and alcohol mandatory treatment.
Read more on NT Health website

QLives: The Hardest Day (Drug & Alcohol) - YouTube
This QLives film is the story of Jaxxon, who talks about his experiences with coming out as a trans man and how this place was arrived at through 'The Hardes...
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Top results
Fentanyl in the Australian illicit drug market - Alcohol and Drug Foundation
Fentanyl is commonly used for pain management in clinical settings. It is now showing up, however, in some illicit drugs, including other opioids, around the world - in particular North America and Canada, where it has been found in samples of drugs, such as heroin.
Read more on Alcohol and Drug Foundation website

Educating GPs on the over-prescription of pharmaceuticals - Alcohol and Drug Foundation
The rescheduling of pharmaceuticals that include codeine will tighten access to these drugs from 1 February. This makes now a timely moment to consider some of the wider measures that GPs can take to improve patient outcomes and avoid the over-prescription of some medications.
Read more on Alcohol and Drug Foundation website

Educating GPs on the over-prescription of pharmaceuticals - Alcohol and Drug Foundation
The rescheduling of pharmaceuticals that include codeine will tighten access to these drugs from 1 February. This makes now a timely moment to consider some of the wider measures that GPs can take to improve patient outcomes and avoid the over-prescription of some medications.
Read more on Alcohol and Drug Foundation website

National guidelines for medication-assisted treatment of opioid dependence | Australian Government Department of Health
These guidelines for health professionals outline medications available for treating opioid dependence in Australia. They are intended for use by those not experienced in the treatment of alcohol and other drug problems.
Read more on Department of Health website

Accessing pharmacotherapy (opioid replacement therapy) during COVID-19 - Alcohol and Drug Foundation
Pharmacotherapy, in the form of opioid replacement therapy (ORT), is the replacement of a drug of dependence, such as heroin, codeine and OxyContin, with a legally prescribed substitute.
Read more on Alcohol and Drug Foundation website

Alcohol and substance use - Orygen, Revolution in Mind
Orygen is the world’s leading research and knowledge translation organisation focusing on mental ill-health in young people.
Read more on Orygen website

Long-term drug treatment of patients with alcohol dependence | Issue 2 | Volume 38 | Australian Prescriber
Drug therapy for alcohol dependence should only be used in conjunction with a comprehensive treatment plan. Naltrexone and acamprosate have well established...
Read more on Australian Prescriber website

Medicine Interactions | Ausmed
A measurable modification (in magnitude and/or duration) of the action of one medicine, by prior or concomitant administration of another substance, including: prescription, non-prescription medicines (including complementary medicines), food, alcohol, cigarette smoking or diagnostic tests.
Read more on Ausmed Education website

'Child Aware supervision eLearning course
About the 'Child Aware supervision' eLearning course for professionals. The training is specifically for supervisors to learn about strategies that promote child and family-sensitive practice.
Read more on COPMI – Children of Parents with a Mental Illness website

Wernicke–Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS) | Ausmed
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome refers to the condition where both Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) and Korsakoff syndrome (KS) are present in one individual.
Read more on Ausmed Education website
