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.

For all media enquiries contact:

Michelle Saftich – Marketing & Media Officer
e michelle.saftich@liveslivedwell.org.au or marketing@liveslivedwell.org.au

There’s no quick-fix to overcome alcohol and drug problems, but a new short-term rehabilitation program is proving that intensive treatment offered in a supportive environment does help.

Early results from a new 28 Day Treatment Program being offered at the Mirikai Recovery Centre on the Gold Coast reveal that just four weeks of rehabilitation helps sets people up for success.

Mirikai is operated by leading provider of alcohol and other drug treatment services, Lives Lived Well, which initiated the short-term program last year to ensure clients who can’t stay in rehab for extended periods can still gain the tools and confidence needed to recover.

CEO Mitchell Giles said Lives Lived Well recently analysed diagnostic data and client surveys for 62 people that entered and exited the new program between July-November 2016.

“Our analysis showed that people felt significantly less depressed, less stressed and more able to live without drugs. We saw statistically significant improvements across many measures,” he said.

“For example, there was a clear improvement in clients’ confidence that they would be able to resist drugs in a variety of high-risk situations, such as pressure from friends or if they felt angry or upset.

“Some people will improve in rehab simply because they’re no longer using—we want to make sure we prepare people to better manage life challenges once they leave, and maintain positive changes.

“The results of our analysis give us confidence that the way we have structured the first four weeks of our rehab program is achieving desired clinical outcomes. It’s an encouraging finding.”

He said client feedback and current patterns of enrolment guided the design of the new 28 Day Treatment Program.

“We observed that as many as 40% of clients in our six-month program at Mirikai opted out within the first four weeks, for a variety of reasons including the need to return to work or deal with family situations,” Mr Giles said.

“Six months is a big commitment, and many of the core parts of the program are covered early—so it made sense for us to redesign the first four weeks to specifically cater for early exits,” he said.

“Now people receive more intensive support and personalised attention in the first four weeks as staff deliver one-to-one and group counselling. The program is underpinned by motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, positive psychology, and goal setting.”

Mr Giles said that all new clients now begin in the 28 Day Treatment program and can make a seamless transition into the mid and long-term programs if they are not ready to leave the centre.

“People vary in the severity of their dependency and need for support. We recognise that the journey to recovery looks different for different people, and the 28 Day residential program at Mirikai reflects that.”

Mirikai Recovery Centre is a Gold Coast service of Lives Lived Well. As part of a not-for-profit organisation, Mirikai aims to provide subsidised residential programs that require some payment, usually a portion of Centrelink benefits.

For all media enquiries contact:

Michelle Saftich – Marketing & Media Officer
e michelle.saftich@liveslivedwell.org.au or marketing@liveslivedwell.org.au

In our fast-paced world it’s all too easy to become dependent on drugs or alcohol to help cope with life or personal challenges. Now people can find a healthier way to cope through a new group counselling program being offered in Brisbane’s north, Life Back.

The free program is being run by leading alcohol and drug counselling provider, Lives Lived Well in north Brisbane, starting 27th March. It is funded by the Federal Government through Brisbane North PHN (Primary Health Network) and runs for two days each week over six weeks.

Lives Lived Well CEO, Mitchell Giles, said the main goal of this program was to help participants realise their life potential and get their lives back on track, free from the harms of alcohol and drugs.

“The Life Back Program is a six-week structured, non-residential day program for people wanting to address their substance use,” Mr Giles said.

“The period following withdrawal is a vulnerable time in which the potential for relapse is significant.  Life Back provides group-based, post-withdrawal support and relapse prevention.”

The program is for people over the age of 18 who would like to work on problematic substance use; or they may have completed a withdrawal program either at home or in hospital and are motivated to maintain their goals for the period of the program.

The program will support people to develop strategies to recover from substance use that is causing problems for them. Participants will learn how to manage challenging life experiences that have contributed to where they are today, and to embrace who they might become tomorrow.

Second intake of the Life Back Group Program in May

A second intake of the 6-week Group Program will commence from May 22 at Service Hubs in Brisbane North including Redcliffe, Caboolture, Strathpine and Deception Bay.

For more information and bookings, please phone 1300 727 957.