Ways to make changes or get support

Planning your day is a simple technique that can have a lot of positive impact. All it involves is writing up a schedule for you to follow throughout the day or week.

These techniques help you focus on what you are feeling and sensing in the moment without judgement. This can help relax tension in your body and mind.

This technique focuses on action or ‘doing something first’. Is a very powerful technique if you’re stuck ruminating.

Going out into the community and joining activities helps to connect with others.

Books that you can read through and fill out in your own time that could help you reflect, figure out next steps, make a plan, or help you manage withdrawal from drugs.

A plan that outlines warning signs that indicate you might be at increased risk of harm, either from others or yourself, and details the steps you can take to prevent that harm.

Cravings are when you feel a strong urge or desire to use a drug. There are many different techniques to help you manage the urges.

Harm reduction is an approach that focuses on preventing health, legal, and social harms from drugs.

A simple tool that’s commonly used for many situations including getting through withdrawal symptoms, managing risky situations and triggers, avoiding relapsing and making changes to drug use.

Staying healthy and giving your body and brain the care they need is essential. This includes basic things like nutrition, exercise and sleep.

Helplines provide support for people going through a range of different challenges including addiction and mental health issues. They usually provide options to call, text or message online.

Support for friends, whānau, and loved ones of people who use drugs. This can include support groups, helplines, online information and other forums.

Drug checking is a free, legal and confidential service that helps you find out what’s really in your drugs.

The New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme provides free or low-cost sterile injecting equipment, like needles and syringes, to anyone who needs it.

Online communities or websites that provide information and connection to a like-minded community for people who are using drugs.

There are many different health services out there that can help you take care of your wellbeing. These include your local doctor (GP) for health checkups, dentists, and sexual health clinics.

Talk therapy involves meeting a trained professional to talk about the issues you’re experiencing.

Regular meetings where people come together and talk about what they’re going through.

Peer support involves getting help from someone who has their own experiences of using drugs.

A specialised form of therapy that helps people to explore their situation, understand addictive patterns, and make changes to improve their wellbeing. The intensity of support can vary.

A specialised form of therapy that helps people to explore their situation, understand addictive patterns, and make changes to improve their wellbeing. The intensity of support can vary.

Substitution treatment is a service where a person is given medication to help them taper off another drug or regain stability in their lives.

These services provide a place for you to stay while you get support to make changes to your drug use.

Kaupapa Māori services are hauora (health) services that are grounded in mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge); tikanga Māori (Māori customs); and te ao Māori (a Māori worldview).

Support tailored for Asian people. These services often have staff who can speak different languages (Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Hindi etc.).

Support tailored for Pacific people. These services often have staff who can speak different languages (Samoan, Tongan etc.).

Addiction services are offered to people in prison across New Zealand. The type of support someone can access depends on their location, sentence, and individual needs.