Change Grow Live

New synthetic opioids, which are much more dangerous for people using them, have arrived in the UK. Drugs contaminated with these substances have sadly led to a number of overdoses and deaths. If you or someone you know takes opioids, please read our advice on staying safe: ➡ Try not to use drugs alone, and don’t let your friends use them alone either. Take it in turns to use and wait to see if your friend is okay before using yourself. Watch out for signs of overdose, which include difficulty breathing, blue colouring to the lips or fingertips, unresponsiveness, and limp limbs. ➡ Always carry naloxone. It’s available for free from all treatment providers. If someone overdoses, give naloxone to them and call 999. #Naloxone only works on opioids. However, if you suspect someone has overdosed give them naloxone even if you’re not sure they have taken an opioid. It will not harm your friend. In some overdose cases where synthetic opioids are involved, multiple doses of naloxone may be needed. ➡ Your drugs may look the same even if they are contaminated, so always start by taking a smaller dose than you usually would. Test the strength of your drugs by taking a quarter of your usual dose to start with. Allow plenty of time to see how you feel before taking another dose. Do this every time you use. It helps reduce your risk of overdose. Remember you can always get help if you need it, whether your goal is to stop using completely or just to reduce. Reach out to your local service to find out more about the medication services available to you. https://lnkd.in/eDUPwiWf

We’ve been working in partnership with @Gilead Sciences, The Forward Trust, Humankind Charity, NHS APA Turning Point, Via, WithYou, NHS England, and The Hepatitis C Trust to share learnings, resources and expertise about hepatitis.     Together, we are working towards the WHO target of eliminating Hep C by 2030.    This commitment to collaboration is a great example of how we can achieve  so much more together. 

In this week's #BelieveInPeople story we hear from Richard who tells us that volunteering was the best choice he ever made and about the change, growth and self-development he's experienced. “There are lots of stories like mine, and they all deserve to be shared. I’m in my 50s now and I’d been using substances since I was a teenager. Around two years ago I was on a prescription to try and give up substance, but I'd hit a wall. I felt like I had no future and was struggling with moving ahead. In 2020 my recovery coordinator recommended that I become a service user representative. I couldn’t see myself working at all, but I told them I’d give it a go. I didn’t think volunteering would be my way forward, but it turns out it was the best choice I ever made in my life. I’ve never been happier, I feel good, and that’s enough. In December of that year I had my first ever Christmas with no substances in my body, and I never thought I could live like that. The backbone of all of that has been the work I do at the Mansfield Change Grow Live office. I help with the needle exchange, I give harm reduction advice, I run four peer support groups a week – two of them over Zoom. I wasn’t too keen on Zoom at first, but the amount of people we can reach who wouldn’t usually be able to get to groups is amazing. But we still have face to face too. On Wednesdays we meet up for a walk outside at the park or the local nature reserve. Now I love what I do, I love who I do it with. I got involved with the National Lived Experience Group (NLEG) as well. I felt totally out of my depth at first, but they’re really supportive and loving. Through NLEG I’ve taken part in the Lunch with Russ and Mark broadcasts, I’ve spoken to staff about my experience with Change Grow Live, all sorts. I would have loved to stay in the group, but I can’t because I’ve just got the role of a receptionist here at the Mansfield service. It’s only the second job I’ve ever applied for in my life. I’m still stunned that I got it! I couldn’t have done it without the people around me, everyone from the people here at the service to everyone at NLEG. What people have done is show me I can be a decent human being. The things that are most important to me are my own change, my self-growth and development. If I’ve got that, I can go and do and be anything I want. And the work here, that’s just an awesome bonus.” Read Richard's full story on our website: https://lnkd.in/exKNvyCb

Our Chief Executive Mark Moody joined the Addiction Recovery Place podcast to discuss:     - Mark's journey from a frontline volunteer to our Chief Executive  - How drug use has changed, including the worrying rise of nitazenes  - How we support people involved with the criminal justice system  - How we're improving access to drug testing  - The service bidding process    🎙️Listen to the full episode:    https://lnkd.in/eduadrXP

In this week's #BelieveInPeople story we hear from Dudley. His experience with us has helped him to grow and give back to society. It's helped him to believe in himself and become a positive role model for others. "I’d always wanted to make a change in my life. I was born in a Christian family and I was the only one that had lost my way, so it was inevitable that it needed to happen sooner or later. I’d been addicted for 27 years to crack cocaine, heroin and all other different substances. Change Grow Live helped me by sending me to rehab. I was asked 'would you like to go?' and at first I couldn’t believe that I’d qualify. But I went along and had all the intention to get something out of this, even if it was difficult. I saw a light at the end of the tunnel and started to believe what I was being told. I stopped doubting the tools I had and began to believe in the advice I was given. People gave me hope and here I am today, free from addiction and helping others, which I didn’t believe could ever happen. I’ve grown so much since I recovered. My children have a father, my grandchildren have a grandad, my dad has a son. It’s amazing that they can come to me for advice. It’s helped me believe in myself, that my life experiences were for a reason. You tend not to believe in yourself when you’re in addiction, so to see someone pull through, whatever that addiction may be, is so important. There is a life beyond addiction. Your future might not be the same as mine because of your life experiences, but it could be even better than mine. Something miraculous could turn out for you, your gain could be better than mine. I’ve embraced mine, and it’s perfect for me, but yours could be even more perfect for you. I like giving people a positive vibe that life is amazing." You can read Dudley's full story over on our website: https://lnkd.in/ewf6c2fu

Congratulations to all returning and new MPs. We look forward to working with the new government ministers and local constituency MPs to achieve our manifesto asks and our commitment to securing high quality drug and alcohol treatment for everyone that wants to access it. https://lnkd.in/e7_82THX

After leaving the British Army in 2018 and ending up homeless and self-medicating with alcohol, cocaine and benzodiazepines, our National Service User Lead, Chris Barnes, has used his lived experience to improve veterans’ access to drug and alcohol services. Many veterans are battling PTSD, facing stigma associated with seeking help and confronting mental health conditions. 10% of UKAF personnel meet the criteria for alcohol misuse while amongst the general population, that figure is 3%. Sadly, research also shows that veterans are less likely than non-veterans to seek support for substance use. In 2021, we signed the Armed Forces Covenant and provided specific support for veterans which has led to an 87% increase in veterans engaging in treatment.  Read Chris’ article to find out more about the work we’ve done to empower veterans to get the support they need: https://lnkd.in/eUgahZej

The Women’s Treatment Working Group brings together leaders from the Drug and Alcohol sector. As we get closer to the general election, we are calling on all parties to do the following three things: -      Recognise the distinct treatment needs of women -      Improve evidence base for what works -      Prevent further harm Read more about these three asks below 👇

If you’re excited about watching the Euros with friends or family but trying to drink less, this can be difficult but don’t let it stop you having fun ⚽   Take a look at these top tips from our Change Grow Live Coventry service so you can make positive changes without missing any of the action:

Volunteers’ Week is over, but we appreciate our amazing volunteers and the hard work they do all year round 🌟      Our volunteers cover a range of roles including:  Young Person’s Resilience Volunteer  Group volunteers  Volunteer mentor  Outreach volunteers  Independent visitors  Recovery support volunteers  Meet and greet volunteers  Hep C Volunteers  And so many more! If you want to find out more about volunteering for us and the opportunities that are available near you, take a look at our volunteering opportunities 💜       https://lnkd.in/eAKPKuCx