Mental Health

Alcohol and Drugs Adults

Some links on this page have been colour coded to make it easier to find the information you need:

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LOCAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL

LOCAL HELP TO SUPPORT YOU WITH ALCOHOL OR DRUGS

Alcohol and drugs can have a significant impact on your health, including your mental health. Tackling issues with alcohol and drugs can provide you with real support for your mental health as well as bringing many other health benefits.

There are some excellent drug and alcohol support services locally. Importantly there is also support for people who are concerned about someone else’s alcohol consumption or drug taking. The process of self-referral is explained below by patient info and then click below to find out details on the local services.

From Patient info
Information on the self-referral process and what to expect
Refer Yourself to NHS Drug and Alcohol Support Services Self-referral for drug and alcohol addiction services | Patient

SUPPORT FOR LIFE STYLE CHANGES TO ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

If you think you are drinking too much and as a lifestyle choice you would like support to help you reduce your alcohol then Be Healthy Bucks can help.

From Be Healthy Bucks
Cut down on alcohol Home – Be Healthy Bucks

FULL MEDICAL SUPPORT FOR ADULTS AFFECTED BY ALCOHOL OR DRUGS

If you think alcohol or drugs are impacting on your life then excellent full medical and psychological support is available locally to help you:

FOR BUCKINGHAMSHIRE PATIENTS

From One Recovery Bucks
Provide a confidential, free and easy-to-access service to anyone living in Buckinghamshire impacted by their own or someone else’s use of alcohol and drugs. Home – One Recovery Bucks

From Buckinghamshire Council
Summary of services available in Bucks
Alcohol and Drugs Where can I go for local help support and advice

FOR BERKSHIRE (SLOUGH)

From Turning Point
How do I know if I Need Help? Slough treatment, advice and recovery team (START) | Turning Point 

NHS SERVICE FINDER

If you live outside local boundaries and are not served by the services listed above you can search for drug and alcohol services closest to your postcode.

From the NHS
Find alcohol addiction support services Find alcohol addiction support services – NHS

From Frank
Find support near you (includes drug services) Find support near you | FRANK

NON-MEDICAL SUPPORT FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY ALCOHOL OR DRUGS

From Alcoholic Anonymous – For alcohol
You can find your local branch who are concerned “solely with the personal recovery and continued sobriety of individual alcoholics who turn to the Fellowship for help. Alcoholics Anonymous does not engage in the fields of medical or psychiatric treatment, or education though members may participate in such activities as individuals”  Alcoholics Anonymous – Great Britain

From Narcotics Anonymous – For drugs

SUPPORT FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AFFECTED BY SOMEONE ELSE’S DRINKING

From Al-Anon
There for anyone whose life is or has been affected by someone else’s drinking. Find a meeting near you al-anon uk /find-a-meeting

From Addiction Family Support

SUPPORT FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AFFECTED BY SOMEONE ELSE’S DRUG TAKING

From Addiction Family Support

From Families anonymous (Famanon)
Families Anonymous Meetings are for Families and Friends of those with a Drug or Related Behavioural Problem. Support near you. Local support is Aylesbury (Bucks) Meetings In The UK | Famanon

SUPPORT FOR CARERS CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH ALCOHOL OR SUBSTANCE MISUSE ISSUES?

One to one advice on all issues relating to carers locally.

From Carers Bucks
Dedicated to supporting carers, providing advice, information, emotional support and workshops and training Carers Bucks | Dedicated to supporting carers – Carers Bucks

Other carers services near Buckinghamshire can be found here using the search facility:
Caring for someone with alcohol or substance misuse issues? Caring for someone with alcohol or substance misuse issues – Carers Trust

Further information on carers

More information on supporting carers can be found under

Public Health Buckinghamshire

From Buckinghamshire Council
Alcohol and drugs Alcohol and Drugs What is Substance Misuse

under 18

If you are under 18 the children and young people services will support you and can be accessed under

NATIONAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL

NATIONAL HELPLINES AND SUPPORT

There are many organisations who can support and advise on drugs and alcohol both for people who are concerned about their drinking or drug taking, or people who are concerned about someone else.

SUPPORT FOR ANYONE AFFECTED BY ALCOHOL

From With You
Chat to us online Help and advice on drugs and alcohol – With You

From Alcohol Change UK (Drink Line)
Details of Drink Line: a free, confidential national helpline for people who are concerned about their drinking, or someone else’s. Support online: Get help now | Alcohol Change UK

From Drinkaware (Drink Chat)
Drink Chat: Free online chat service for anyone who is looking for information or advice about their own, or someone else’s, drinking. Alcohol support services | Drinkaware

From Alcoholic Anonymous
Get help with your drinking problem Get help now | Alcoholics Anonymous – Great Britain (alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk)

From SMART Recovery
Online course which “empowers people with practical skills, tools and support so that they may manage their addictive behaviour and lead satisfying and meaningful lives” SMART Recovery Programme – UK SMART Recovery

SUPPORT FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AFFECTED BY SOMEONE ELSE’S DRINKING

From Al-Anon
Helpline Helpline | Al-Anon UK

From Nacoa
Our helpline is for everyone affected by a parent’s alcohol problems is the heart of Nacoa’s work. We are here for children, adults, and concerned others. Helpline – Nacoa

From Addiction Family Support
Helpline supporting family, friends and carers affected by someone else’s alcohol misuse Home – Addiction Family Support

Support for children living with an alcohol dependent adult

From the Children’s Society
Information and links to helplines to support children living with an alcohol dependent adult.
Living with an alcohol dependent adult Living With Alcohol Dependent Adult | The Children’s Society

SUPPORT FOR ANYONE AFFECTED BY DRUGS

From With You
Chat to us online Help and advice on drugs and alcohol – With You

From FRANK
Telephone helplines:

From Release
Help and Advice: provides a free confidential and non-judgmental national information and advice service in relation to drugs and drug laws. Help and Advice | Release

From SMART Recovery
Online course which “empowers people with practical skills, tools and support so that they may manage their addictive behaviour and lead satisfying and meaningful lives” SMART Recovery Programme – UK SMART Recovery

SUPPORT FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AFFECTED BY A LOVED ONE’S HARMFUL USE OF  DRUGS

From Addiction Family Support
Helpline supporting family, friends and carers affected by someone else’s drug misuse Home – Addiction Family Support

FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS

TOOLS TO HELP YOU check your drinking risk

Some people will already know if they are drinking too much. For those that are not sure there are well established tools to help you assess your drinking.

From Gov UK
Includes a tool you can print off and complete to check your drinking risk
A simple test to check whether your drinking might have reached a high level of risk and if so some further questions to define the risk further ( Note : the alcohol unit reference is at the bottom of the page) Alcohol_use_disorders_identification_test_for_consumption__AUDIT_C_.pdf

From Alcohol Change UK (Drink Line)
includes a tool you can complete online to check your drinking risk

From the NHS and Patient info
Am I drinking too much? Alcohol and Sensible Drinking

THE IMPACT OF ALCOHOL IS NOT JUST PHYSICAL

Alcohol can have wide ranging impact on one’s life which can if excessive and prolonged affect physical health, mental health and social wellbeing.  The effects of alcohol are not necessarily felt in one moment of time, but generally gradually impact general functioning, including with relationships, employment, education and ultimately finances, as well as the physical and mental health decline it can cause. This is covered below:

From the NHS 

From With You

From Alcohol Change UK (Drink Line)

From Drinkaware (Drink Chat)

From Patient info

The power of alcohol to cause harm nationally is expanded on here:

From Gov UK
Health matters: harmful drinking and alcohol dependence Health matters: harmful drinking and alcohol dependence – GOV.UK

HELP TO REDUCE OR STOP ALCOHOL

You can self-refer to excellent local alcohol support services without needing to see your GP (See local self-referral section above). 

From NHS Better Health
Drink less. This includes a video and app. Drink less – Better Health – NHS

From With You

From Drinkaware (Drink Chat)

From the NHS
Alcohol support: provides an overview on alcohol problems, with links to other support sites and good advice Alcohol support – NHS

From Patient info and NICE
Alcohol problem drinking

LIFESTYLE CHANGES

Importantly you can also consider how one can make any changes part of a new lifestyle which is much more likely to make the changes permanent. Further information can be found under

HELP TO STOP DRUGS

You can self-refer to excellent local drug support services without needing to see your GP (See local self-referral section above).

From With You

From FRANK

From the NHS 

LIFESTYLE CHANGES

Importantly you can also consider how one can make any changes part of a new lifestyle which is much more likely to make the changes permanent. Further information can be found under

Videos and podcasts

On the videos and podcasts page there are links to some relevant videos and podcasts covering the topic of alcohol.

NHS 111

If you think you need medical help right now, 111 online can tell you what to do next.

Physiotherapy

You can now self refer for physiotherapy locally

Your Pharmacy

Seven common infections now treated by your local pharmacist

CAMPAIGNS

Show your heart some love, women of Bucks!

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