You do not have to decide immediately that you want to stop using altogether before you can ask for help.
Sometimes the first goal is simply to reduce the chance of something serious happening.
Depending on the substance and your circumstances, safer decisions may include:
- avoiding using alone where possible;
- avoiding mixing substances;
- being particularly cautious about mixing alcohol with sedating drugs or medicines;
- avoiding driving, machinery, clinical work or other safety-critical activity while impaired;
- recognising that tolerance can fall after a period of reduced use or abstinence;
- using sterile injecting equipment and never sharing it, where injecting is relevant;
- accessing specialist harm-reduction services;
- knowing when to call for emergency help.