Trigger Warning: Some people in recovery may find watching some parts of Addicted Australia triggering, particularly in relation to gambling. You may want to seek support while watching if this is the case.
In this episode, we learn more about the participants and their families, gaining further insight into what it’s like to receive addiction treatment and support.
Drinking, other drug use and gambling in Australian culture
“My parents encouraged me to start drinking when I was 13” — Dawn, 62, addicted to alcohol.
Dawn’s experience of drinking with her family and with work colleagues is not uncommon in Australia. Many people perceive drinking to be harmless because it is legal, when for many people alcohol use can become problematic and harmful.
Understanding the impacts of gambling and what you can do if you are experiencing harm can be very helpful as a first step in making a change. Taking a self-assessment might also help to determine the extent of the problem and provide suggestions about what to do next.
People want to stop, but it’s not that simple
“We don’t see anyone here who doesn’t want to reduce their drinking or drug use or gambling… they all want to quit. The problem is they haven’t been able to, they’ve struggled. They’ve got lots of advice, everyone’s told them to stop but it’s not that simple.” — Professor Dan Lubman, Turning Point Executive Clinical Director.
As Dan explains, nearly all of the 10 people in the program have sought help before — but for one reason or another it just hasn’t worked for them. This is a common experience because getting addiction under control is tough and accessing treatment can be difficult if you aren’t sure where to turn.
Gambling Help Online is a central point for accessing treatment in Australia and is here to support people affected by gambling 24/7. You can chat to a counsellor, connect with peers and email a question anytime.
Addiction in secret
“I'm still in the grips of alcoholism and I value the group sessions because they’re almost the only people that I can tell. It is becoming quite draining, not being able to tell anybody that I know who is close to me and I think that's starting to affect me” — Heidi, 31, addicted to alcohol.
Many people share Heidi’s experience of trying to keep their addiction secret. Shame and stigma associated with addiction can be draining for people in recovery, as the secret itself can be a significant burden. Often, when people do tell their families, it’s still kept as a secret to the rest of the world. This can also take a huge toll on families, as it isolates them from their communities and support networks.
Families
In this episode we see some of the families attending a family peer support group run by Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC) for the first time.
“It’s a really big step that you are taking and one that families are so reluctant to do, yet we know that families getting support can actually change the length and severity of the addiction.” Angela Ireland – Self Help Addiction Resource Centre.
For every person suffering from addiction an average of 5 people close to them are also affected, with families typically providing essential care and support to their loved one.
We understand that family and friends are a really important group that also need to have support. If you are looking for support check out our Helping others section of the website.
High-pressure situations
In this episode, we see several examples of high-pressure situations for the participants and their families, including Stephen’s birthday party and the festive period. For someone in recovery, occasions where there is high-pressure or additional exposure to their substance can be particularly difficult. Craig, a peer support worker featured in the show, has written a helpful blog about Christmas and why it’s difficult, plus what you can do to make it easier.
There is also a great blog 'Get festive: 6 tips for self-kindness this holiday season' that you may like to refer to if you need some help getting through the holidays. Stephen’s family did many things to try and take the pressure off on his birthday — not having alcohol, having a morning gathering and keeping it to a small group of people.
Lapse and Relapse
In this episode, we see Lucas going through several stages of change, where he successfully abstains for a few days and then he experiences a relapse. This is common when someone is changing their gambling and shouldn’t be seen as a failure - it’s also an opportunity to learn and grow. Here is some helpful information about maintaining change and working through relapse.
Treatment Options
We see a range of treatment and support options depicted in this episode including:
Peer Support
A key part of the Turning Point treatment model is a weekly peer support group, where the participants meet to support each other and discuss they journey. Our online peer support forum provides a similar function and is available 24/7.
Counselling
Several of the participants continue with counselling sessions with clinicians in this episode. Talking to someone about where you are at and what you can do to make a change can be really helpful at all stages of recovery. Find out more about our online counselling. If you are concerned about chatting to someone for the first time, check out our blog ‘You’ve got this: 10 tips to overcome nerves about seeing a counsellor for the first time’.
We hope you found Episode 2 of Addicted Australia to be empowering and insightful. If you would like to help us change the conversation about addiction you can join the Rethink Addiction campaign. Remember if you or anyone you know is affected by addiction and need support, help is available:
- Online Counselling
- Peer support
- Email Support
- Telephone Support – 1800 858 858
Find help near you,