Chasing the buzz, Facing the come down

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Chasing the buzz, Facing the come down

• Report on the Service Provision Needs of
  Psychostimulant Users
•  
• By SDF

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• Aim of the report
• To gain the views of stimulant
• users experiences of services
• and support they might need in
• the future

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METHODOLOGY

• 1-1 interviews and focus groups
• sample of 33 people
• Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Renfrewshire

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Sample Size

• Total Sample n33
•  
• Primary Opiate Users who have
• begun using stimulants
• sample size 17
•  
• Primary Stimulant Users
• sample size 6
•  
• Recreational stimulant Users
• sample size 7
• Ex-stimulant users
• sample size 3

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KEY THEMES

• Reasons behind their stimulant use
• Problems experienced
• Services accessed
• Support received
• Views on services
• And views on future service provision

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REASONS FOR STIMULANT USE
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PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED

• Psychological - depression, paranoia,anxiety, low
  self-esteem
• Physical - heart problems, respiratory problems,
  weight loss, injecting
• Social - Joining the Monday Club Financial,
  relationships, violence, criminal activity.

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Services Accessed

• GPs
• Drug Agencies
• Needle Exchanges
• None

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Support Received

• Information and Advice
• Harm Reduction Intervention
• Counselling
• Group Therapy
• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
• Acupuncture
• Complimentary Therapies

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Views on Support Received

• Ranged from negative to positive
• Perception that services are primarily geared
  toward opiate users is a barrier to access.

I felt stigmatised at the addiction unit. They
admitted they werent geared up for it. I came
out feeling worse because of a lack of knowledge
and understanding and left feeling vulnerable.
Addiction services were offering the same support
as for opiate users. Nothing for cocaine users.
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Views on future service provision

• Counselling
• Work on coping skills
• Alternative Therapies
• Drop-in centres
• Peer Support

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 Key Findings

• 1. Stimulant users are not a
• homogenous group
•  
• 2. Information and training deficit
• regarding stimulants among
• professional health and specialist
• drug agency workers. Services are primarily
  geared toward opiate use.
•  
• 3. Stimulant users are disinclined to discuss
  their drug use with GPs due to perceived lack of
  GP knowledge. Primary Opiate Users reluctant to
  approach GPs because of possible withdrawal of
  methadone.

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Key Findings

• 4. Many drug users state a preference for drug
  agency workers who have personal experience of
  drug use.
•  
• 5. Alternative therapies positively
• regarded by respondents as a
• treatment option fort stimulant
• users experiencing problems
•  
• 6. Stimulant users expressed a desire for
  counselling that explores the reasons behind
  their drug use.

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Key Findings

• 7. Respondents expressed a need for employment
  skills and help finding work.

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 Recommendations

• Drug agency workers and health
• care professionals need more information and
  training about stimulants
•  
• 2. There is a need for improved
• Coordination between services
•  
• 3. There is a need for early access to
• Advice and information without
• recourse to a GP.
•  
• 4. The present variety of treatment
• approaches should be encouraged

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Recommendations

• 5. Ex-users should be involved in
• delivering services
•  
• 6. Employment support and aftercare
• services are needed
•  
• 7. Short-term prescribing of
• dexamphetamine on a reduction
• basis may be helpful in harm
• reduction
•  

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Services for Stimulant Users

• Piper Project in Manchester 1997
•  
• Edinburgh Stimulant Users Service West
  Edinburgh Support Team and Crew 2000

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Reminder

• Effective Interventions Units Psychostimulants
  A Practical Guide
• http//www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/eiu/eiu.htm