Drugs
A drug is a chemical which has an effect on our bodies when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body. Almost half of adult Kiwis will use an illicit drug at some point in their lives.
Drug use
People in New Zealand and around the world have used drugs for centuries. We use drugs for many reasons, such as:-
Pleasure and recreation
-
Spiritual discovery
-
Physical or mental performance enhancement
-
Experimentation
-
Peer pressure
-
Medicate physical problems or
-
To numb emotional pain.
Effects of drugs
-
Personal injury or illness
-
Mental health issues and addiction
-
Personal or social issues
-
Financial problems
-
Reduced quality of life and impact on whānau and communities
-
Legal consequences.
Need to talk?
Student Health Centre
M Block, Dunedin
Student Success
H Block, Dunedin
Support for drug use
If you want to talk to someone about your drug use or have concerns about someone else, there are staff available at Otago Polytechnic for you to connect with at Student Sucess and Student Health Services.
Time to change
The Ministry of Health provides up to date information on a range of topics including:
-
What to expect if you stop using drugs
-
Common withdrawal symptoms and
-
Where to get help for a drug use problem
-
What to do in an emergency.
Test your drug use
This quick tool gives instant feedback about how much influence your drug use has on your life.
Take the test
Getting unstuck | Seeing through the fog
Watch this video from DrugHelp - a website for any Kiwi using drugs who wants help to cut back or quit.
1:09References
