If you are having issues with drugs or alcohol, knowing where to turn to for support is vital. The same can be said for people who are supporting loved ones who are misusing alcohol or other drugs.
According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF), around 71 per cent of people don’t know where to turn to for information on drugs and alcohol, or find support when they need it. So, they have created an intuitive online tool to help.
Called Path2Help, the tool can:
- Help you find the alcohol and drug education resources you need.
- Help supporters of those going through issues to manage conflicts and difficult conversations.
- Point the way to alcohol and drug counselling and rehab services.
- Provide valuable resources and drug facts.
- And more.
To use Path2Help, all you need to do is answer no more than 11 questions. The tool will then provide you with your best options.
As the ADF say, “You don’t need to know what you’re looking for, Path2Help’s intuitive search function does it all for you.”
To find out more go to the ADF’s website.
Support in the workplace vital too
Support for those with issues with drugs or alcohol is important in the home and in the community, and also in the workplace.
If you own or manage a business providing support for employees relating to drugs and alcohol is simply good business. It can help you retain and get back on track good employees who just need a little support to get through a difficult time.
Larger businesses may be able to offer this support in-house, but for most smaller and medium sized businesses, this can be difficult. However, the good news is that external support is available.
For example:
- Organisation such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Family Drug Support and 1800 ICE Advice.
- Telephone counselling support such as Lifeline.
- General Practitioners are often a good starting point.
- And, of course, the Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s Path2Help can be added to this list. While it’s designed for individuals with drug and alcohol issues, and for loved ones trying to support these individuals, but can also be used by workplaces and other organisations.
Develop a drug and alcohol policy
Well before you need to offer an employee support around drug and alcohol issues, it’s a great idea to include support information in a comprehensive drugs and alcohol policy. As well as detailing the support you may provide, the policy will include aspects such as:
- The responsibilities of everyone, including management and employees when it comes to drugs and alcohol.
- Detail on how employees are educated on their responsibilities and the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
- Provide comprehensive details on any drug and alcohol testing you will conduct.
- Provide details on what will happen when an employee is suspected of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Provide details on what happens when an employee fails drug or alcohol testing, or admits to being at work under the influence.
IMAGE CAPTION:
Facing drug or alcohol issues isn’t easy, but support is at hand. Credit Noah Buscher https://unsplash.com/photos/AUM5vcnuYd4 (image modified).
