Published: Friday, 24 December 2021 19:09
The Festive Season is a time of year where many people overindulge with their substance use. It is also a time of year when social pressures upon us can cause increased stress and mental ill health.
We hope that the harm reduction advice which we have published here in the run up to Christmas will help to keep folk in Orkney safer and better informed about substance use and its potential negative impacts.
We would like to remind everyone that there is no 100% safe form of substance use and all use holds some risks.
Look after yourselves and your friends, keep yourselves safe this Festive Season and remember that if you need help in an emergency or an overdose situation the best thing you can do is phone 999 and be as honest and informative as you can be about what the casualty has taken.
Orkney ADP would like to wish everyone in Orkney and outwith a happy and blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year.
If you need support for your substance use in Orkney over the Festive Period then please contact any of the following services:
Orkney Community Mental Health Team: The CMHT have a dedicated Drug & Alcohol team who can support you if your experiencing harm from your substance use.
Relationships Scotland Orkney offer counselling for problematic substance use, family support including the CRAFT programme, mediation and an assertive outreach worker who can support you.
YPeople Orkney offer counselling to young people up to the age of & support for anyone who has been involved with the criminal justice system due to their substance use.
Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs offer online and phone support for families of those suffering problematic substance use. They also offer bereavement counselling and facilitated group support sessions.
Narcotics Anonymous offer a variety of support for people experiencing problematic substance use including face to face and online meetings & fellowship support.
We Are With You are a national charity that offer website, telephone, videochat and webchat-based support.
Alcohol Change UK offer a wide range of online support including unit and calorie calculators, helpful factsheets and information and tips for how to cut down your drinking.
Alcoholics Anonymous offers a variety of support for people around their alcohol use, including online and face to face meetings. The Orkney AA fellowship meet every Thursday in the King Street Halls, Kirkwall. Contact them on 08009177650
Orkney Blide Trust offers online and telephone mental health support and a drop in service for anyone needing face to face support for their mental health. You can get in touch on 01856 874874
Samaritans Orkney – offer a 24/7 telephone counselling service for anyone in distress or crisis, dealing with feelings of despair or are having suicidal thoughts. Call them on 0330 094 5717 or 116123 or you can email them on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.