Amphetamine use in Australia includes many different substances. Crystal meth is the purest form of amphetamine that is available in Australia today and is the drug causing most consternation amongst parents, and big problems among users. Although most users start experimenting in their teens, the main addiction group is between 25 and 40. Only around 10% of users voluntarily seek rehabilitation services below the age of 25.

Crystal meth is usually smoked or injected. Strangely enough, unlike a heroin effect, smoking provides the quickest ‘rush’, which users find irresistible. Other methods of ingestion also exist, such as secreting in bodily orifices, or eating and drinking the drug. All consumption methods and all forms of amphetamines have physical and mental health impacts including a major susceptibility toward dependence.

Anyone who takes any drug in increasing amounts, with increasing frequency, will usually end up dependant. However not all people who use crystal methamphetamine become dependent or experience harm. And the same applies to all forms of amphetamine use in Australia.

The following statistics are the latest available

Current statistics taken from the National Drug Strategy Household Survey in Australia report that the percentage of people aged 14 years and over using Amphetamine type substances has not increased between 2010 and 2013. The survey also suggests that a static 2.1% of the population aged 14 and above have used amphetamines of one kind or another.

What has changed in amphetamine use in Australia is the shift from substances such as ‘speed’ to the more frequent use of methamphetamine (crystal methamphetamine, Ice), which is far more potent. The Survey reports that the use of crystal methamphetamine has risen form 22% of the users in 2010 to 50% of the users in 2013. Conversely, the shift from using less potent Amphetamine type substances, such as ‘speed’ has fallen from 52% in 2010 to 27% in 2013.

The frequency of use among users of all Amphetamine type stimulants daily or weekly has risen from 9.3% to 15.5%, whilst people using crystal methamphetamines with similar regularity increased from 12.4% in 2010 to 25.3% in 2013.

One frightening statistic that demonstrates how amphetamine use in Australia (especially methamphetamine) has mushroomed comes from a survey of 56 hospital emergency departments Nationwide. Recording the years of 2009-10 to 2014-15, the total number of meth overdoses by people aged 16 and over increased more than 10 fold from 470 to 4771. This sounds a lot, and is, of course, serious and alarming, but consider the overdose figures for alcohol in just one year (2015-2016) – 13,042 in the same age group.

This data clearly suggests, amongst wider amphetamine use in Australia, there is an increasing prevalence for the more potent form of crystal methamphetamine, which is high in purity and readily available. To addicts, that is a physical, mental and emotional magnet almost impossible to resist without appropriate treatment. The fact that the associated harms and carnage are multiplied by this fearful addiction is ignored until the habit has taken absolute hold. This physical and mental addiction may take weeks, months or years to manifest, but once it does, the inevitable downturn in quality of life, and the upturn in dangers and losses to mind body and soul take over.

The statistics will be updated in 2017 when the results of the 2016 National Drug Household Survey are released.
https://www.aihw.gov.au/

Alcohol problem in Australia – It is huge. Alcohol is the most widely used drug in Australia. Despite the current media speculation that stimulants such as amphetamines are at epidemic proportions, alcohol remains by far the most abused and most damaging drug amongst Australians. According to recent official statistics, the consumption and problematic use of Alcohol is catastrophic in comparison to all other substances, especially the much-heralded stimulant drug group.

Australia’s BIGGEST DRUG THREAT? ALCOHOL, not Methamphetamines

The National figures that demonstrate the extent of the alcohol problem in Australia read like a train wreck, with more locomotives approaching quickly!

Figures of the alcohol problem in Australia amongst young people are staggering. Almost all Australians over 14 have drunk alcohol, and perhaps worse, of the same age group, more than one-third drink every week. 1 in 5 of these is opening themselves up to alcohol-related health risks during their lifetime. Of more immediate significance, around 1 in 6 people aged 12 and above have drunk 11 or more standard measures during a single binge in the past year.

Moving away from stats that start with young teenage years, it seems that all ages and groups contribute to the alcohol problem in Australia. For example, almost a quarter of respondents of all ages said they physically injured themselves or others through drinking, and over 40% said they were drinking more than they felt is good for them. Frighteningly for the aged, Australians over 70 years of age comprise the largest grouping of daily drinkers, rendering the alcohol problem in Australia gaining traction from teenage to old age.

Pregnant women do not escape scrutiny as, against all guidelines, 25% of Australian women drink alcohol while expecting.

Looking at the bigger pictures in society is also alarming. Three statistics that stand out are: annual alcohol-related society expenses are $15.3bn, whilst only $7bn is generated annually by alcohol-related tax i.e net financial cost to the taxpayer $8.3bn; 10% of workers say they are negatively affected by a co-worker’s drinking; alcohol-related deaths (in the thousands) were more than double those from road accidents in 2005.

Meth Amphetamine (including Ice) National figures are meek compared to the alcohol problem in Australia stats.

Dealing with the young first, it is noticeable that about 1 in 14 of Australians aged 14 and above has had at least one experience of meth/amphetamines use, whilst in the last year in the same age group, 1 in 50 used crystal meth or ice. Add to this the alarming knowledge that 3% of 12-17 year-olds have tried amphetamines, and the average age of first-time users between 14 and 24 is under 19, and it is clear there is a meth amphetamine epidemic amongst the young.

SafeHouse is acutely aware of and totally capable of treating alcohol dependence, as well as amphetamines, in its programs. Long term dependence, and excessive habitual binge consumption – both major manifestations of the alcohol problem in Australia – are extremely common issues noted by peoples’ enquiries to SafeHouse It’s often when ‘functional’ dependence turns to ‘chaos’ that a significant life-changing event is thrust upon an individual. This exacerbates the progressive nature of alcohol dependence and is hopefully the prerequisite to seeking the kind of help available in the SafeHouse Rehab Centre Treatment Programme.

External Sources and Further Reading

Australia found to have one of the world’s worst drug problem.
Article from the British Guardian Newspaper and Australian Associated Press. Published on Thu 29 Aug 2013.

Drug addiction in Australia getting worse.
News.com.au. Aug 27 2019.

Alcohol treatment in Australia, and the need for such, would seem to have diminished substantially, given the constant media coverage and public concerns regarding ICE (methamphetamine) use. Absolutely the opposite is the reality. Alcohol addiction is simply still the most widespread dependence of all in Australia.

Alcohol treatment in Australia, as well as for all other drugs, via the publicly funded Medicare, is at a significant point of transition. Whether for detoxification, residential rehabilitation, pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy, there is increasing evidence of huge demand for treatment and an abject lack of supply. The Australian media is awash with stats, comments and anecdotal evidence. Essentially, not even half of the people needing and seeking drug and alcohol treatment in Australia can get it – and that’s not even counting the hundreds of thousands who need it but aren’t yet seeking it. And the fact is, many, many people will die of alcoholism and addiction before even having a chance of receiving the help they need.

Even the preliminary process for accessing alcohol treatment in Australia is painstaking, bureaucratic, inefficient and time-consuming. The first step generally requires a full bio psychosocial assessment, underpinned by harm minimisation education and practise. This can often take 4 to 6 weeks. Assuming the subject is deemed suitable for entering treatment, it can easily take another 6 weeks to begin the detox, which generally requires a 7 to 10 day stay – or often significantly longer – in a residential facility. This process requires commitment, organisation and efficient communication on the part of the alcoholic. Frankly, even with the assistance of family, friends, or hands-on social workers, that is a very big ask!

Sadly, detox is only the beginning of recovery for an alcoholic. Any chance of success of drug or alcohol treatment in Australia – or anywhere else for that matter – depends on progressing from detox to rehab. This is generally simply not possible for those seeking publicly funded treatment, except for the lucky few. And for those for who rehab is not available immediately, the likelihood of instant post-detox relapse is so high, that the whole process would need to be undertaken again. It is a totally unrealistic process, and it is no surprise that the majority just lapse back into more long-term drinking.

The story around receiving alcohol treatment in Australia via privately funded centres is very different. A quicker admission process of as short as a week – including psychiatric referral and assessment – is generally available. Whether you have private health insurance to utilise or not, the whole process can be seamless, efficient, and therefore highly effective. It is estimated that only 15% of the population have private health cover sufficient to enter alcohol treatment in Australia. Alcoholics often simply cannot afford to maintain the premiums, or privately pay the high prices as shown below, which forces them back to Medicare.

Australians have a high dependency on the Government system to pay for and arrange health care and often don’t consider paying for service. Savings and superannuation are often overlooked due, in part, to the generational expectancy that the health system will take care of them. Government funding, staffing and protocols are simply insufficient to cope with the high demands of a society that has alcohol so deeply engrained in its culture.

The prices for private detox/rehab alcohol treatment in Australia generally start at way over $20,000 AUD per month (plus, plus, plus – as shown in recent adverse publicity), and rise to astronomical rates of $50,000 AUD even $100,000 AUD in some cases, given the captive audience.

SafeHouse is a fully private facility and has a very efficient and quick entry process for in-house or hospital detoxification, after which rehab follows seamlessly. Alcohol can be easily and comfortably handled with well-planned detoxification. It need not be an awful “cold turkey” experience. Alcohol is a drug and drug addiction takes time to recover from and gain new skills to create a full and meaningful life. These valuable assets are never gained in a 7-day detox. SafeHouse prefers a 30-day period post-detox to treat the mind-body and spirit, all of which will have been traumatised by years of alcoholism or addiction. SafeHouse will accept clients post-detox or pre-detox, for 30 days upwards. The program is eclectic, and the clinical staff are highly qualified and experienced. SafeHouse Rehab is absolutely worthy of due consideration as an alternative to alcohol treatment in Australia.

Methamphetamine addiction in Australia has been on the rise since the heroin drought of the late 90’s to early 2000’s. Speed users have moved to using methamphetamine, as have many career heroin users. Many people who are on pharmacotherapy programs also use methamphetamine fairly regularly.