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Do I have a problem with drugs or alcohol?

26 November 2020

Blog
Mental health
If you can't stop taking a drug even if you want to, or if the urge to use drugs is too strong to control, even if you know the drug is causing harm, you might be developing a problem with drugs or alcohol.

Substance use self-check 

It is important to be aware of what drugs you are taking and how much you are drinking. Try keeping a diary for a week to keep track, and note down any specific reasons or triggers that make you feel like using.

You could also ask yourself the following questions:

  • How often are you using drugs or alcohol?
  • Do you think about drugs and/or drinking a lot?
  • Are you using drugs or alcohol more regularly? Are you finding it hard to control how much you use?
  • Have you ever tried to stop or cut down on your drug usage but couldn't?
  • Does the thought of running out of drugs and/or alcohol really scare you?
  • Are you starting to experience problems like missing work, making mistakes, or not doing things you were meant to?
  • Are you having trouble sleeping, eating or just doing your normal daily tasks?
  • Have you noticed a change in your energy levels? More tired? More energy?
  • Are you experiencing blackouts regularly?
  • Are you experiencing changes in your mood? Finding it changing more quickly, or feeling more worried or unhappy than usual?
  • Are you having trouble concentrating or making decisions?
  • Are your friends or family asking you to take it easy?

Answering yes to several of these questions may mean that you are developing a problem with drugs or alcohol.

Seeking help

  • See your GP to discuss the answers to the self-check and ask for referral to an addictions specialist and/or psychologist with skills in working with people with substance use problems.
  • View the drug and alcohol addiction programs available to you through St John of God Health Care.
  • Contact your local Community Health Centre and make an appointment with their Drug and Alcohol Counsellor or ask for contact details for your local Drug and Alcohol Service.
  • Contact Beyond Blue or Black Dog Institute for phone advice and contacts for support.
  • Call the Mental Health Telephone Access Line (MHTAL) on 1800 011 511 for a list of suitable services and contact details.
  • Internet search for D&A inpatient admissions, community counselling and residential rehabilitation services.
St John of God Health Care
Karen Hanzal - Clinical Nurse Consultant
Karen Hanzal is a clinical nurse consultant at St John of God Richmond Hospital's Alcohol and Other Drugs Program.
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   at Sitecore.Mvc.Presentation.ViewRenderer.Render(TextWriter writer)
   at Precedent.Sitecore.Mvc.Pipelines.GetRenderer.ExceptionSafeViewRenderer.Render(TextWriter writer) in D:\a\1\s\Source\Foundation\Precedent.Sitecore.Mvc\Pipelines\GetRenderer\ExceptionSafeViewRenderer .cs:line 15

Inner Exception Failed to create type SJOG.Data.Models.GlobalContent.ContentTemplates.Blog.Blog
   at Glass.Mapper.Pipelines.ObjectConstruction.Tasks.CreateConcrete.CreateConcreteTask.CreateObject(ObjectConstructionArgs args) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper\Pipelines\ObjectConstruction\Tasks\CreateConcrete\CreateConcreteTask.cs:line 115
   at Glass.Mapper.Pipelines.ObjectConstruction.Tasks.CreateConcrete.CreateConcreteTask.Execute(ObjectConstructionArgs args) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper\Pipelines\ObjectConstruction\Tasks\CreateConcrete\CreateConcreteTask.cs:line 68
   at Glass.Mapper.Pipelines.AbstractPipelineRunner`2.<>c__DisplayClass3.b__2(T args) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper\Pipelines\AbstractPipelineRunner.cs:line 77
   at Glass.Mapper.Pipelines.AbstractPipelineRunner`2.<>c__DisplayClass3.b__2(T args) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper\Pipelines\AbstractPipelineRunner.cs:line 82
   at Glass.Mapper.Pipelines.AbstractPipelineRunner`2.<>c__DisplayClass3.b__2(T args) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper\Pipelines\AbstractPipelineRunner.cs:line 82
   at Glass.Mapper.Pipelines.AbstractPipelineRunner`2.<>c__DisplayClass3.b__2(T args) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper\Pipelines\AbstractPipelineRunner.cs:line 82
   at Glass.Mapper.Pipelines.AbstractPipelineRunner`2.<>c__DisplayClass3.b__2(T args) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper\Pipelines\AbstractPipelineRunner.cs:line 82
   at Glass.Mapper.Pipelines.AbstractPipelineRunner`2.<>c__DisplayClass3.b__2(T args) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper\Pipelines\AbstractPipelineRunner.cs:line 82
   at Glass.Mapper.AbstractService.InstantiateObject(AbstractTypeCreationContext abstractTypeCreationContext) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper\AbstractService.cs:line 139
   at Glass.Mapper.Sc.SitecoreService.CreateType(Type type, Item item, Boolean isLazy, Boolean inferType, Dictionary`2 parameters, Object[] constructorParameters) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper.Sc\SitecoreService.cs:line 506
   at Glass.Mapper.Sc.SitecoreService.CreateType[T](Item item, Boolean isLazy, Boolean inferType, Object[] constructorParameters) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper.Sc\SitecoreService.cs:line 484
   at SJOG.Data.Helpers.RazorHelpers.GetVMOFromRoot() in D:\a\1\s\Source\SJOG.Data\Helpers\RazorHelpers.cs:line 359
   at ASP._Page_Views_SJOG_Global_Components_Blog_BlogsByAuthor_cshtml.Execute() in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\SJOG\Website\Views\SJOG\Global\Components\Blog\BlogsByAuthor.cshtml:line 24
   at System.Web.WebPages.WebPageBase.ExecutePageHierarchy()
   at System.Web.Mvc.WebViewPage.ExecutePageHierarchy()
   at System.Web.WebPages.WebPageBase.ExecutePageHierarchy(WebPageContext pageContext, TextWriter writer, WebPageRenderingBase startPage)
   at System.Web.Mvc.Html.PartialExtensions.Partial(HtmlHelper htmlHelper, String partialViewName, Object model, ViewDataDictionary viewData)
   at Sitecore.Mvc.Presentation.ViewRenderer.Render(TextWriter writer)

Inner Exception Failed to map properties on /sitecore/content/australia/Home/blog/2020/nov/substance-use-self-check.
   at Glass.Mapper.Configuration.AbstractTypeConfiguration.MapPropertiesToObject(Object obj, IAbstractService service, AbstractTypeCreationContext context) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper\Configuration\AbstractTypeConfiguration.cs:line 151
   at Glass.Mapper.Pipelines.ObjectConstruction.Tasks.CreateConcrete.CreateConcreteTask.CreateObject(ObjectConstructionArgs args) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper\Pipelines\ObjectConstruction\Tasks\CreateConcrete\CreateConcreteTask.cs:line 104

Inner Exception Failed to map property PrimaryLocation on SJOG.Data.Models.GlobalContent.ContentTemplates.Blog.Blog
   at Glass.Mapper.Configuration.AbstractTypeConfiguration.MapPropertiesToObject(Object obj, IAbstractService service, AbstractTypeCreationContext context) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper\Configuration\AbstractTypeConfiguration.cs:line 142

Inner Exception Failed to map to property 'PrimaryLocation' on type 'SJOG.Data.Models.GlobalContent.ContentTemplates.Blog.Blog'
   at Glass.Mapper.AbstractDataMapper.MapCmsToProperty(AbstractDataMappingContext mappingContext) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper\AbstractDataMapper.cs:line 64
   at Glass.Mapper.Configuration.AbstractTypeConfiguration.MapPropertiesToObject(Object obj, IAbstractService service, AbstractTypeCreationContext context) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper\Configuration\AbstractTypeConfiguration.cs:line 121

Inner Exception Failed to map field PrimaryLocation with value {
   at Glass.Mapper.Sc.DataMappers.AbstractSitecoreFieldMapper.GetField(Field field, SitecoreFieldConfiguration config, SitecoreDataMappingContext context) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper.Sc\DataMappers\AbstractSitecoreFieldMapper.cs:line 142
   at Glass.Mapper.AbstractDataMapper.MapCmsToProperty(AbstractDataMappingContext mappingContext) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper\AbstractDataMapper.cs:line 60

Inner Exception Expected hex 0x in '{0}'.
   at System.Guid.GuidResult.SetFailure(ParseFailureKind failure, String failureMessageID, Object failureMessageFormatArgument, String failureArgumentName, Exception innerException)
   at System.Guid.TryParseGuidWithHexPrefix(String guidString, GuidResult& result)
   at System.Guid.TryParseGuid(String g, GuidStyles flags, GuidResult& result)
   at System.Guid.Parse(String input)
   at Glass.Mapper.Sc.DataMappers.SitecoreFieldGuidMapper.GetFieldValue(String fieldValue, SitecoreFieldConfiguration config, SitecoreDataMappingContext context) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper.Sc\DataMappers\SitecoreFieldGuidMapper.cs:line 64
   at Glass.Mapper.Sc.DataMappers.AbstractSitecoreFieldMapper.GetField(Field field, SitecoreFieldConfiguration config, SitecoreDataMappingContext context) in c:\TeamCity\buildAgent\work\8567e2ba106d3992\Source\Glass.Mapper.Sc\DataMappers\AbstractSitecoreFieldMapper.cs:line 134