Alcohol, drugs, and partying – know more, be safer

Festival season is here, so let’s take a look at how to party safer if you choose to drink alcohol or take other drugs.

Planning your night and knowing how alcohol and other drugs affect you can help keep you safe. This article covers lots of tips, including making sure your friends have your back, having a safe way home, and knowing where to get help if needed.

What to know before you use drugs

• Use of any drug can have risks. It’s important to be careful when taking any type of drug, especially if you’re unsure of the drug’s strength or effects.
• Your choices about drugs or alcohol are yours alone. Do not let peer pressure push you, or others, into doing something you are not comfortable with. Your body, your rules—saying no is always ok.
• If you choose to take drugs ‘start low, go slow’– everyone reacts differently. Have a small amount first and wait two hours before taking more. This gives you time to see if you experience any negative side effects and see how strong the drug is and its effects.^1,2
• Avoid taking large amounts of any drug.
• Remember you can never be 100% certain about what’s in a drug. Find out as much as you can about the drug through our Drug Facts pages, or the Text-The-Effects SMS service.
• Stay up to date with recent Drug Alerts – these alerts will let you know about any emerging drugs of concern, or if there are any particularly dangerous substances present in the current drug market. Check out ‘The Know’ to get the latest drug alerts from all around Australia.
• Visit a local drug checking service – there are some states and territories in Australia that offer drug checking (‘pill testing’) services. Have a look at our Insights article to find out if there’s a service in your area.
• Be aware that taking drugs or drinking alcohol can worsen feelings of sadness or depression. It may be a good idea to reach out for support during this time.^3,4
• Practice safer using – to reduce the risks associated with using drugs check out Hi-Ground. They provide important harm reduction tips such as not sharing needles, using sterile mixing water and using a clean straw/spoon when snorting.
• Organise safe options for getting home. Arrange a lift with someone who isn’t drinking or taking drugs, get a taxi or rideshare, stay with the party hosts, or in a hotel.
• On your Ps? You must have zero blood alcohol content (0.0 BAC). In other words, no alcohol at all.⁵
• And, always know the legal risks – using, selling or carrying illicit drugs is currently against the law in Australia.⁵

How to keep safe while you’re using drugs

• Avoid using alone, be with someone you trust to help if things go wrong.
• Tell your mates what you’re taking in case you have a bad reaction.
• Avoid mixing drugs. Taking different drugs at the same time (including alcohol, prescription medicine and over-the-counter drugs) can have unpredictable effects and may increase your risk of harm. Take a look at our Drug Mixing Calculator to find out more.⁶
• Limit caffeine use. Some drugs may contain caffeine. Caffeine can mask the effect that a drug is having on you. This can sometimes lead a person to take more, increasing the risk of overdose. It is best to avoid drinking large amounts of coffee or energy drinks when taking drugs.^7,8
• Be aware of the risk of dehydration and overheating when using MDMA (ecstasy). MDMA can increase your body temperature. And taking MDMA when the temperature is over 30 degrees Celsius or while dancing increases the risk of dehydration and overheating. Drinking too much water while taking MDMA is also dangerous, as deaths have occurred from ‘dilutional hyponatremia’ - a condition where a person’s brain swells from drinking too much water, leading to a coma. To reduce your risk: Take regular breaks to cool down and drink about 500ml of water per hour when being active, or 250mls when resting.^1,9
• Stay connected with your friends. Alcohol and other drugs may prevent you from thinking clearly, so stay with trusted friends. They can look out for you if you find yourself in uncomfortable or risky situations. If you or your friends are taking psychedelic drugs, consider designating a sober trip sitter who can watch out for everyone. Check out our Insights article to learn more about trip sitting.
• Don’t drive or swim. Alcohol and other drugs affect your reflexes, response times and judgement, so avoid driving or swimming. This includes when you’re coming down.¹⁰
• If it’s hot and you’re outside – slip, slop, slap, seek and slide.

After using drugs – how to deal with a comedown

If you’re going to have a big night or weekend using drugs and alcohol, you’re also going to experience a hangover or comedown afterwards.¹¹

Comedowns don’t last forever – they’re often unpleasant, but rarely dangerous. You should feel better in 2-3 days.^11,12

Your comedown experience will depend on the drug type, strength, amount you’ve taken, and your general health.¹¹

Here’s some of our top tips to help you recover:

• Know how long drugs remain in your body, especially if you’re a tradie, a driver, or hospitality worker - you’ll need to know when you’re safe to drive or work machinery. Find out more about how long drugs stay in your system.
• Be aware that taking more drugs will make the comedown last longer, make recovery harder, and increase the risk of developing a dependence on the drug.¹¹
• Eat well and drink lots of water.
• Hang out with friends.
• Rest up – whether it’s sleep or just lying on the couch, take the time to rest. Your body and brain need time to heal.
• Get some fresh air – a short walk or time in nature can release endorphins (‘feel good’ hormones) that can relieve stress and improve your mood.¹³
• Let trusted people know that you are coming down.
• If you can, avoid people or places that stress you out.
• Be kind to yourself and do things that make you feel good – put on comfy clothes, have a hot bath or shower, binge watch TV or listen to music.
• Remind yourself that this will pass.

What to do in the case of an overdose

If someone overdoses, or has a bad reaction while using a drug, it’s very important that they receive professional help immediately. A quick response can save their life.

Signs of a depressant or opioid overdose include:

• slow breathing, abnormal breathing or not breathing at all
• slow or no heartbeat and pulse
• cool, pale or clammy (wet and sweaty) skin
• vomiting
• choking or gurgling sounds
• small pupils.^14,15

Signs of a stimulant overdose include:

• chest pain
• racing heartbeat
• difficulty breathing
• hot, flushed (red) or sweaty skin
• spasms or seizures
• severe agitation, confusion or panic.^14,15

How to respond to an overdose

If someone is not responding or not breathing, take the following steps straight away:

• Use Naloxone, if you have access to it.
• Call triple zero (000) and request an ambulance. Emergency services are there to help and can provide instructions over the phone.
• Check if anyone nearby knows CPR, in case they’re not breathing, or they stop breathing.
• Lay the person on their side in the recovery position.
• Stay with them until the ambulance arrives.
• Tell the ambulance officers anything you know, like what drug/s they’ve had and how much.^16,17

Some people can become impulsive and irritable when they wake up. We also have some tips for responding to someone who is upset or aggressive to find out how to calm the situation.

When to seek help after using alcohol or drugs

If you’re having thoughts of suicide, or of harming yourself or others, seek help immediately. Contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on  1300 659 467

Remember that witnessing an overdose can be distressing or frightening. Keep an eye on yourself in the days and weeks after for any signs that you might be struggling.

If you are experiencing particularly low mood, high stress, anger or frustration for more than four weeks after witnessing a traumatic event, seek professional help for additional support.

If you’re concerned about physical health symptoms after using alcohol or other drugs, contact Healthdirect on 1800 022 222 or Nurse-on-Call on 1800 022 222 or 1300 60 60 24.