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Support with alcohol or drug problems

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Where to start

If you are worried about how much you are drinking, or about your drug use, or if you think that you have experienced an injury or illness as a result of alcohol or drug use, then the best place to first seek help may be your GP. Your GP can discuss your concerns with you, assess the nature of your problems, and help you choose the most appropriate treatment. Your GP may offer to treat you, or may refer you on to another service.

The NHS website provides lots of information on seeking help and advice over alcohol or drug use:-

If you are not comfortable talking to your GP about your use of alcohol or drugs then many local support services will accept direct self-referrals. The organisations below provide advice and support for people who may have a problem with alcohol or drug use.

The Drug and Alcohol Wellbeing Service run by Turning Point and Humankind offers advice and support for substance misuse issues for anyone aged 18+. Contact them by:
Phone: 0330 303 8080
Email: daws@turning-point.co.uk

The Alcohol service run by CGL offers advice and support for those with issues around alcohol misuse for anyone aged 18+ within

GPs, family members, carers and friends, or any other agency, such as social services, can refer someone into the service.
Contact them by:
Phone: 0800 014 7440
Email: thealcoholservice.info@cgl.org.uk

Insight Westminster and Insight KC run by Humankind provides free information, advice and help to young people aged between 12 and 25 who are living with or affected by drug or alcohol issues. The service is available to young people living or attending schools within the boroughs of Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster City Council.

The Club Drug Clinic is run by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL). This clinic works with residents of the three boroughs and is based at 69 Warwick Road, SW5. Their highly specialist team includes specialist addiction doctors and psychologists, nurses, counsellors and peer mentors with 'lived experience'. The Club Drug Clinic is an innovative service for adult clubbers and LGBT people who have developed problems with a range of `club drugs'. Contact them on 020 3315 6111

 

Feeding back on these services

If you have used any of the above services then your local council would welcome your feedback, good and bad, on your experiences; go to our Complaints and feedback to your council page for more details.

The Drug and Alcohol services in Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster are commissioned by the Tri-Borough Substance Misuse and Offender Health Commissioning Team. If you are not happy with a response from the Complaints and Feedback team and want to take the matter further then the Commissioning Team can be contacted on 020 7641 4666 

Many people with a problem with alcohol or drug misuse will be violent or abusive to a partner or to others close to them. If you are a victim of domestic violence then please go to our pages on Domestic abuse for more information.

Advance support women who are experiencing a variety of different issues, including problems with alcohol and substance misuse.

There are organisations that work with residents who are in recovery or working towards recovery alongside the specialist treatment services. These are led and run by peers and are often run in evenings and at weekends.

  • BOB (Build on Belief) does not offer therapeutic services, but instead provides a range of socially based services intended to support people through their treatment journey while they work to move forward with their lives. BOB have services in both Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea and is open to residents of all three boroughs.

  • Outside Edge theatre group is for people who are in early recovery from substance use who have very little or no experience of drama but are interested in taking part. This is open to residents of all three boroughs. There is more information on their website including their current productions or you can phone them on 020 7371 8020.

General

Advance support women who are experiencing a variety of different issues, including problems with alcohol and substance misuse.

Samaritans provides confidential non-judgemental support, 24 hours a day for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair - phone 08457 90 90 90.

Families Anonymous is a world-wide fellowship of family members and friends affected by another's abuse of mind-altering substances, or related behavioural problems.

Adfam is an organisation providing support to families affected by drug or alcohol use.

SMART Recovery (SMART) is a science-based programme to help people manage their recovery from any type of addictive behaviour, including an addiction to alcohol.

We Are With You provide free, confidential support to people experiencing issues with drugs, alcohol or mental health. You can Chat online.  

Support with alcohol use

NHS Better Health has support, information and a mobile apps which you can download to your phone that offers reminders, support and practical advice to change your drinking habits for good.

Many people will have heard of Alcoholics Anonymous, an organisation which allows people who have problems with alcohol use to support each other to stop drinking and to stay sober. If you call their helpline (phone 0845 769 7555) today they will put you in touch with your local support group.

Drinkaware is a national independent charity whose website has a wealth of useful information and tips on reducing alcohol consumption and drinking sensibly.

Drinkline is the national alcohol helpline. If you're worried about your own or someone else's drinking, you can call this free helpline (phone 0300 123 1110), in complete confidence, 24 hours a day.

Alcohol Change UK is a charity which is committed to reducing harm from alcohol-related problems.

Alcohol problems are more common in the LGBT+ community. London Friend provide support for substance and alcohol misuse specifically tailored to lesbian, gay bisexual and trans* people. Helpline: 020 7833 1674 (10am-6pm, Monday to Friday)

Easy read button The Easy Health website has gathered together various easy-read leaflets which will help people with learning disabilities to understand more about the effects of alcohol.

Al-Anon provides support to anyone whose life is, or has been, affected by someone else's drinking, regardless of whether that person is still drinking or not.

Support with drug use

Narcotics Anonymous is a non-profit society of men and women for whom drugs have become a major problem. We are recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other stay clean.

Cocaine Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other so that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from their addiction. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using cocaine and all other mind-altering substances.

The FRANK website provides confidential advice on all aspects of drug use for young people and their carers, and includes a live chat service.

Last updated: 12/07/2021
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