Impacts-of-methamphetamine-in-Victoria-Community-Assessment-Penington-Institute

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Services noted that it was often hard to treat methamphetamine withdrawal. One AOD worker noted:“There’s not much we can do for them, except symptomatic treatment...there’s nopharmacotherapy.”The above quote focused on the longer-term challenges of staying off methamphetamine. However,many workers noted that a period in a withdrawal unit tended to be a positive circuit breaker.Initially, clients may be offered a tricyclics anti-depressant to reduce racing thoughts and help themsleep in the first few days in treatment. A big focus is building the therapeutic relationship in arelatively short period of time.“In the second week the work gets done dealing with core issues and triggers such as abuse, bullying,grief and loss and the family dynamic”.A withdrawal service offered supports to their clients after release including encouraging them andtheir families to contact after-hours if they needed support or were in crisis. Upon being discharged,the service ensured young people had access to wrap around supports (youth workers, AODcounsellors) within their local region.SummaryMany services spoken to felt challenged by the high levels of methamphetamine use withincommunities. Services providing a response to methamphetamine related crisis (such as psychosis),were particularly overwhelmed.52
7.8. Component five – discussions with methamphetamine usersCurrent use patternsOf the eight people interviewed, five reported no longer using methamphetamine, but hadexperienced problematic use in the previous 12 months. These people had very little positive to sayabout their experience with methamphetamine, saying “it’s just a waste of money”, and “ice friesyour brain, while speed just gives you a really big buzz.”Of the three people who were currently using methamphetamine, one descried himself as addicted –but tried now to only use on the weekends. Another said he was a frequent user, and Tasha, 42,described her use as “regularly occasionally - or occasionally regularly”. Five of the eight had injectedmethamphetamine.Reasons for using iceMethamphetamine users and their families were asked a series of questions relating to why theyused/had used ice, including any perceived benefits.Changes in availability of other drugsMost said that ice had replaced speed, with Jordon, 37, saying ice was ‘so much better than thespeed we used to get, you just don’t know what’s in speed. Ice ... you know what you’re getting... it’salways good. It’s just strong, it’s got no cutters in it”.Methamphetamine’s ability to keep people awake, and increase productivity were listed as beneficial,for example:“You get more bang for your buck, it lasts longer... [compared to speed]... you can get focused, areable to do a lot of jobs and achieve a lot. I do believe I have some form of ADHD so it focuses me...you can stay on task... it will prolong awakeness (sic) if required” Tasha, 42.William, 20, said it helped him stay and ”you can keep doing more things”, and along with Xavier, 18,noting it was an escape from reality and a “no fear drug”.History of substance useBoth young men from regional Victoria people interviewed for the study had a history of poly druguse. William said that before using methamphetamine he:“dabbled in all the [drugs] I can think of. I’ve dabbled in cocaine, used ice, heroin based pills, ecstasy,cannabis... and if I was using party drugs I’d be drinking heavily”It was a similar story for Xavier who had tried cocaine, MDMA and a range of other drugs.Predominantly however, he:“Smoked dope and [had] taken pills... and drinking pretty heavily... I’ve used heroin before... smokedit.”53
Page 1 and 2: IMPACTS OF METHAMPHETAMINEIN VICTOR
Page 4 and 5: CONTENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 61. EXECUT
Page 6 and 7: AcknowledgementsPenington Institute
Page 8 and 9: communications interventions. Local
Page 10 and 11: 3. IntroductionMethamphetamine is a
Page 12 and 13: Component Four: In-depth interviews
Page 14 and 15: That ABS analysis looked at 2010. I
Page 16 and 17: attribute poor health status to the
Page 18 and 19: Family relationshipsMethamphetamine
Page 20 and 21: Development of coalitions of suppor
Page 22 and 23: Table 2: Annual median purity of me
Page 24 and 25: Victoria accounted for the greatest
Page 26 and 27: methamphetamine-related offences ha
Page 28 and 29: 6.2.5. Data from Ambulance Victoria
Page 30 and 31: Table 8: Ambo Project summary of ca
Page 32 and 33: A homelessness worker in the Hume r
Page 34 and 35: Methamphetamine becoming cheaper:Al
Page 36 and 37: Compared with other substances, a n
Page 38 and 39: Many people noted that methamphetam
Page 40 and 41: “Indigenous communities are hard
Page 42 and 43: Services noted that methamphetamine
Page 44 and 45: An AOD worker noted that, in relati
Page 46 and 47: drug and alcohol stuff and the depr
Page 48 and 49: Police7.7. Impacts on service syste
Page 50 and 51: A leading addiction specialist base
Page 54 and 55: One of the respondents said he gene
Page 56 and 57: For both young men it was the escal
Page 58 and 59: Deciding to seek helpFor both Xavie
Page 60 and 61: 8. Drug testing populations: Waste
Page 62 and 63: Table 10: Number of doses consumed
Page 64 and 65: provision of wrap around services b
Page 66 and 67: 17. Australian Institute of Health
Page 68 and 69: 52. McKetin R, Lubman D, Lee N, Ros
Page 70 and 71: 87. Iversen J, Chow S, Maher L. Aus

Impacts-of-methamphetamine-in-Victoria-Community-Assessment-Penington-Institute

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