Support service providing help for people impacted by “ice” use in the Charters Towers region
Drug and alcohol support provider Lives Lived Well has seen a recent increase in the number of people seeking help for methamphetamine (“ice”) use in the Charters Towers region. The organisation’s Far North Queensland Manager Rachael Ham said the service had also seen an increase in younger people with issues associated with early psychosis due to “ice” use.
“Ease of availability and affordability means “ice” misuse is on the rise, which is of immense concern given its harmful effects.“This is a trend not local to Charters Towers but seen broadly across regional Australia,” Ms Ham said. Lives Lived Well offers free, confidential counselling for people aged 17 and over who are struggling with “ice” addiction or other drug and alcohol problems in the Charters Towers region.
“If people feel that “ice” or other drugs are impacting their lives, we urge them to contact us for help. We provide face to face counselling at the Prospect Centre in Powell Lane every Tuesday and phone support for people in Charters Towers, Hughenden, and Richmond during office hours, Monday to Friday,” she said.
The program provides individualised service, so people can receive the level of care they need, be it mild, moderate or complex and severe. Lives Lived Well counsellors are trained to support people who have problems with any kind of drug, including “ice”, and can offer flexible, intensive and holistic care.
“We recognise that every person we help has different needs so our counselling is tailored around the outcomes that are appropriate for them. You don’t need a referral to access our services; you can call us directly on 0448 609 599 or 1300 727 957 to make an appointment,” Ms Ham said.
As part of their counselling services, Lives Lived Well provides help to reduce the harms associated with drug and alcohol use and works with people to put together a plan and practical strategies to deal with or reduce use. They also give referrals to other treatment and support services and provide support in dealing with the impact of drug use on families and loved ones.
Examples of services they assist with include drug misuse and dependence, smoking cessation, alcohol dependence and “binge” drinking, opioid maintenance, relapse prevention, recovery resources, and education and prevention programs. Lives Lived Well is a state-wide, not-for-profit organisation delivering services in locations across Queensland. For more information visit www.liveslivedwell.org.au.
If you or a loved one has a problem with drugs or alcohol, give Lives Lived Well a call to see how our services can help on 1300 727 957.
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