Families of drug users get help

A need in the community has prompted St John of God Hospital Bunbury to set up a program to help the friends and family of loved ones using the drug ice.

The hospital's South West Community Alcohol and Drug Service has set up the Family and Friends Group as an educational tool to help people care for others using the drug.

The program began yesterday at St John of God Hospital and will run weekly on Mondays with the idea to bring it to other parts of the South West.

Service manager Jonathan Farr said the program had been set up in response to concerns in the community about the drug.

"Since June 2014 there has been a 16 per cent increase in the number of people using our service that presented with the primary substance of concern being methamphetamine," he said.

"In the past six months it has overtaken alcohol and cannabis as the most common drug of concern for people that use our service.

Mr Farr said the program would give family and friends skills to help them with their loved ones who were using the drug.

"We'll talk about how to manage the behaviours associated with methamphetamine, talk about addiction and the avenues for seeking assistance," he said.

"People who want to make changes to their substance use need motivation and unless they have that then it is difficult to help them.

"They don't change until they perceive a need and family and carers can help them manage their situation in their own environment.

Contact the South West Community Alcohol and Drug Service on 9721 9256 to register.

"People who want to make changes to their substance use need motivation and unless they have that then it is difficult to help them" - Jonathan Farr