Life in Australia Guide

Australia approaches alcohol and drug problems as a health issue, not a matter for punishment. Feeling that you struggle to control it isn't a sign of weak willpower — it may be a condition that needs treatment, and a public support system exists nationwide for exactly this. The starting point is the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline 1800 250 015 — a 24/7 free, anonymous phone line that connects you automatically to the counselling and treatment services in the state you live in. Anyone can call, regardless of visa type.

1800 250 015 is a free phone line operating 24 hours a day, all year round. You don't have to give your name, and what you discuss is kept confidential. When you call, a trained counsellor listens to your situation and guides you to counselling and treatment services available in your area, or connects you to the specialist service for your state. It's fine to call just as you are, even in a 'I don't know what to say or how to say it' state.

In Australia, a standard drink is the amount containing 10g of pure alcohol, and a single can of beer or a glass of wine can be more than 1 standard drink. The official drinking guidelines recommend no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than 4 standard drinks per day for healthy adults (check the latest guidelines at health.gov.au). Separate from the numbers, look at whether any of the signs below feel familiar.

• Even when you try to cut down or quit, it doesn't work, and you need more and more to get the same effect
• When you don't drink or use, withdrawal symptoms appear, such as anxiety, tremors, cold sweats and insomnia
• You keep going even though you know it's disrupting your work, studies or relationships

Treatment is neither punishment nor forced detention. Depending on the level of support you need, you can choose step by step from light counselling to intensive programs, and at every stage it begins with your consent and is kept confidential. Services within the public system are free or low-cost.

Practical tips worth knowing when you actually use these supports. We've focused on the points that visa holders, international students and working holiday makers most often miss.

• Language is not a barrier — you can use every consultation with a TIS National (131 450) interpreter, so don't put off calling because of worries about English.
• There's a way even without Medicare — check the mental health and counselling coverage of your OSHC/OVHC insurance, and make the free hotline, online counselling and public services your first port of call.
• Handle prescription-medication dependence with a GP — stopping painkillers or sleeping pills on your own can be dangerous, so work out a tapering plan with a GP. You can reduce the cost of medication by checking whether the PBS (Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) applies.
• Family and friends are covered too — even at a stage where the person refuses treatment, family can get advice on coping strategies first through Family Drug Support (1300 368 186, 24 hours).
• Let go of worries about your record — your treatment history is medical information kept confidential, and voluntarily seeking help does not, in itself, become grounds for disadvantage (check your personal visa situation with a MARA-registered migration agent).

What slows recovery is usually not the problem itself but the wrong response to it. Here are 5 frequently repeated misunderstandings and mistakes.

• Quitting suddenly on your own — with some substances such as alcohol and sleeping pills, abrupt withdrawal can be dangerous. Always taper under medical supervision, such as with a GP.
• Avoiding treatment out of visa worries — counselling and treatment are protected by medical confidentiality. The far greater risk is letting the problem grow by leaving it unaddressed.
• Hesitating to call for help in an emergency — if an overdose is suspected, 000 comes first, no matter what. There are principles intended to protect people who call for help, but the law differs by state, so don't try to judge it — just call for rescue first.
• Going first to an unverified, high-cost private program — be wary of ads promising a 'quick cure', and start by checking the public and official services recommended by the hotline, a GP or your state health department.
• Treating relapse as failure — relapse is a not-uncommon part of the recovery process. If you contact the hotline or a GP again, support can restart at any time.