This is what you can do if you have symptoms from using alcohol or drugs

If you use alcohol or drugs, you may find that you cannot live without them. You may experience the following physical or mental symptoms as a result of using alcohol or drugs, such as:

• Fatigue

• Weight loss

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Mood swings

Using alcohol and drugs can also cause you problems in your social surroundings, such as with friends family, at work or at school. You may experience the following problems:

• You have less contact with your friends or family.

• You argue more often, with friends or family. But maybe also with people at work.

• You do fewer social things. For example, because you prefer to use drugs or drink alcohol rather than meet up with friends.

• Your work or studies are not going well. For example, because you cannot concentrate due to use of alcohol or drugs.

• You are no longer honest with others. For example, because you do not want others to know that you use drugs or alcohol.

• Your social contacts consist mostly of people who also use drugs or drink. You no longer see or talk to people who do not. Or you avoid contact with them.

Problems with alcohol or drugs can have many different causes. Use of alcohol and drugs is common in the Netherlands. And not everyone gets into trouble for using them. Many substances are easy to get in the Netherlands and their use is socially accepted. Still, problems with alcohol or drugs are common among people in the Netherlands.

If you have fled to the Netherlands, you have often experienced intense things on your flight or in your country of origin. You may then be extra sensitive to the effects of alcohol or drugs. At first it may seem as if the drugs are helping you, for example because they make you feel relaxed or take your mind off the things you have been through. Unfortunately, drugs do not really help you relax. In the long run, drugs and alcohol, especially if you use them a lot, are bad for your health.

Do you recognise the problems or causes in yourself or someone? If so, you can do the following.

• Talk about it with someone you trust. For example, a good friend or family member. Or someone who helps you participate in the Netherlands, such as a social worker or volunteer.

• See your general practitioner for professional help. If the GP also recognises the problems you are experiencing, the GP will refer you to appropriate care.

• Contact an organisation that can help you with your mental health yourself.

There are different types of care for when you have problems with alcohol or drugs. It also depends on how many problems you experience and how bad those problems are. For example, sometimes you get therapy several times a month. But sometimes you get all-day care during the day. And sometimes you can also choose to stay in a clinic for a long time until you feel well again. All of this care is covered by your RMO health insurance. If the health care provider is affiliated with RMO, a telephone interpreter is also available during treatments