Drug Action Week 2008 is a week of activities held nationally to raise awareness about alcohol and other drugs (AOD) in Australia. It's important to note the co-occurring depression and anxiety which so often accompanies substance use.

beyondblue supports the work of the Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA) in leading the Drug Action Week initiative. For more information go to www.drugactionweek.org.au/

A growing body of international and Australian research and evidence illustrates the very strong links between depression, anxiety and alcohol and drug use. beyondblue is working to address these issues through participative research, primary care, community campaigns, and promoting the experiences of people (and their carers) to service providers and policy makers.

To raise awareness, beyondblue has developed information materials, a media campaign drawn from people's direct experience of depression and related disorders, and has funded applied research. beyondblue's clinical advisors who have expertise in this area, provide informed comment on the subject in the media.

• Click here to read beyondblue Media Release Start thinking about your drinking
• Click here to read statement by beyondblue Chairman Jeff Kennett There is no such thing as a recreational drug.
• Click here to see TV ad which focuses on depression and alcohol
• Click here to read beyondblue Fact Sheet 9 Reducing Alcohol and other drugs
  

Research Projects

 Click on the headings below to read more about beyondblue-funded research into depression/anxiety, drugs and alcohol

• Exploring Melbourne's Hidden Epidemic: Medication Overdose, Depression and their Management by First Responders  Click Here
• Treatment for Depression: A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences of Alcohol and Drug Users  Click Here
• Screening for Co-Morbid Affective Disorder and Substance Abuse Disorder by General Practitioners Click Here
• Depression and heroin use  Click Here
  
• Health Problems of patients with dual diagnosis: To what extent do these patients slip through the net? This study addresses the high prevalence of co-morbidity between mental health and substance-use disorders. Click Here 
• Determining the effectiveness of a new model of care for young people with co-occurrring depression and substance misuse Click Here
• Evaluation of a best practice integrated intervention for regular methamphetamine users with co-morbid depression  Click Here
• An integrated approach to young people presenting with depression and substance use  Click Here 
• Substance-using mothers and depression - An inter-professional intervention to detect and manage postnatal depression among drug-dependent pregnant women  Click Here
• Helping smokers with a history of depression quit smoking safely: Depression and smoking cessation outcomes among clients of a tailored Quitline call-back service offering doctor-Quitline co-management of smoking cessation and depression  Click Here
• Development of alcohol misuse first aid guidelines for Indigenous Australians  Click Here 
  
• Looking beyond dual diagnosis: Young people speak out Click Here
• Investigating the interaction between depression, tobacco and alcohol use in teenage Australians - Can we identify a high-risk group for poor outcome? A longitudinal study Click Here

Informing young people about depression/anxiety alcohol and drugs

• National Youth Depression and Alcohol Review. beyondblue was commissioned by the Federal Government in 2004 to complete the review.  Click Here
  
• Good Sports: Research has just been completed. Part of this research looked at whether the Good Sports program alone, through its 'responsible use of alcohol' approach had an effect on people's mental health. Click Here
  
• National Drugs Campaign. 'Where's your head at?"  Click Here 
• Melbourne Breaks. beyondblue contributed funds for the delivery of this hip hop theatre production in 2008. Click Here
  
• Red Frogs Schoolies 2007 and Uni planner 2007 and 2008. Red Frogs target school leavers and Uni students to support them during the high party times. beyondblue partnered with them at last year's schoolies events across Australia. A major theme is partying and drugs and alcohol and mental health.  Click Here
• Streetsmart. beyondblue is supporting this Streetsmart handbook that is distributed nationally to school leavers through schools and PCYC's. The handbook has a range of sections focusing on depression and anxiety, drugs and alcohol.  Click Here