ATODS urging people with drug issues to get help before ending up in hospital

Addiction specialists are becoming increasingly concerned that Townsville drug and alcohol users are only seeking help after they hit rock bottom, as new statistics reveal the reality of addiction in the city.

Addiction specialists are becoming increasingly concerned that Townsville drug and alcohol users are only seeking help after they hit rock bottom, as new statistics reveal the reality of addiction in the city.

Townsville University Hospital recorded more than 1000 people turning up to the emergency department with drug-related health issues this year, and more than 800 people asking for help with chronic or acute alcohol use.

It’s the highest number of presentations in three years, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.

Of the 1026 people who needed help with drugs, 130 had to be admitted to hospital and 296 were taken into the emergency department for a short stay.

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More than 500 other people were sent home.

Despite the amount of people wanting help, most of the patients did not tell doctors what drugs they were on, with almost half of all patients not specifying what drug they were using.

The remaining patients used marijuana (147), amphetamine (120), medications (147), paracetamol (87), benzo diazepam (36), opiates (32) and illicit LSD (10).

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Services (ATODS) program manager Andrea Catt said it had been a challenging year, with about 250 users treated at any one time across their Townsville health centres.

Andrea Catt and Marta Bogacz-O'Malley from the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Service (ATODS) Centre in North Ward. Picture: Alix Sweeney

“There’s been a lot of stress in the community … people were displaced from their homes after the floods, some of them barely got back into their homes, and then COVID hit,” Ms Catt said.

“There’s been financial impacts after this … and we know that financial strains can lead to increased stress.”

ATODS is a free service that provides information, clinical assessment and treatment for anyone with alcohol or dug problems, with two health centres at Vincent and North Ward.

Team leader Marta Bogacz-O’Malley said every person was different, with some needing just weeks of assistance, and other decades.

“I think it all depends on a substance, and on what any consumer wants to achieve, what their goals are,” Ms Bogacz-O’Malley said.

A former drug user, who has been kept anonymous, said it wasn’t easy to kick the habit.

“I avoided seeking help for a long time and even then, it was only when I had hit rock

bottom,” he said.

Andrea Catt and Marta Bogacz-O'Malley from the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Service (ATODS) Centre in North Ward. Picture: Alix Sweeney

“At one stage I ended up leaving the program, but I was welcomed back when I was

ready with no judgment.

“Ever since then it has been so good knowing that I have a safety net available to me

if I do get into trouble or relapse.”

This year, 696 people also presented at the emergency department seeking help with acute alcohol abuse, 104 for chronic use and 53 for help withdrawing from alcohol.

Ms Catt said misconceptions about addiction treatment got in the way of some people getting help.

“Our addiction services are completely voluntary. If you want help, we are here to support you on your terms,” she said.

“It is okay to come and talk to us and not be ready. It is OK to try but not succeed at every attempt. We aren’t going to push you into anything that you aren’t comfortable with.”

Originally published as ATODS urging people with drug issues to get help before ending up in hospital