21 December 2020
Every year we face it. Holiday madness. Love the season or hate it, whether you celebrate Christmas or not, it’s hard to escape it.
We feel you.
Whether you’re stressed by family commitments or celebrating summer freedom, if you’re likely to be drinking or taking drugs this summer then it’s a good idea to think about your use and plan ahead. With a bit of forethought, you can still have a great time, while looking after your wellbeing.
Maybe your social calendar is full of parties, before you head away to some festivals with friends. If that includes using alcohol or other drugs then make sure you stay safe. Take a moment to read some tips (below) from Wendy Allison of KnowYourStuffNZ.
Or maybe you’re feeling completely overwhelmed by all the boozy social events, on top of family pressures and post-Covid financial stress. Maybe you’re wondering how you’ll ever survive another whānau Christmas without taking a hit of something.
It’s ok to think honestly about your alcohol and other drug use. Be kind to yourself, and focus on what you can do – you don’t have to be perfect right now. If you’re looking for some help to navigate the silly season, then read on – we might be able to help.
The Really Happy Hour could be just what you need to put down the rosé, step away from the beer and find some ways to do more of the things that really make you happy this summer.
If you’re doing the festive season sober for the first time, Lotta Dann (AKA Mrs D) knows what that feels like. She has a few tips and tricks up her sleeve that might just help, you can find the rest in her Silly Season Survival Guide.
Mrs D’s tricks for staying on track:
Planning a few parties or festivals over the summer?
Wendy Allison from KnowYourStuffNZ says test your drugs if you can, and always look after your friends. Here’s what to look out for:
High-dose MDMA and cathinones (synthetic substitutes) – especially eutylone – are common right now. Also be on the lookout for fake benzos (benzodiazaprine) and GHB. Where possible, get your substances tested ahead of time.
There won’t be any more drug checking clinics until the new year, so in the meantime you can buy reagents for checking from Hempstore and Cosmic. But remember these tests only show the presence of the desired substance, they can’t tell you if there’s something else mixed in. So if you do get your substance reagent tested, you should still exercise caution.
Tips for staying safer:
For more information, see knowyourstuff.nz
Articles on a public health approach to drugs in Aotearoa New Zealand are regularly published here.
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