Frequently Asked Questions

After watching Addicted Australia you might have some questions about services, treatment options available or what steps you can take. We try to answers some of these questions here.

Treatment and referral

How can I find addiction services near me?

If you are looking for help and are not sure where to start, there are national helplines and online services available that can assist you or concerned family and friends:

Alcohol and/or other drug support

For free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drugs, call the National Alcohol and Other Drug hotline: 1800 250 015. You will be connected to alcohol and other drug support services in your area.

You can also access Counselling Online, which provides 24/7 online counselling for those in Australia looking for support with alcohol or other drugs.

Gambling support

For 24/7 phone support contact Gamblers Help: 1800 858 858. You can also access 24/7 online counselling at Gambling Help Online.

Your General Practitioner

Your local General Practitioner may be able to help refer you to a service in your area and provide a referral.

Can I be treated for addiction at Turning Point?

If you are interested in accessing a Turning Point service and live in Victoria, please visit our Treatment webpage to learn about our different services available and referral pathways.

Please note, many of Turning Point’s services are not available outside of Victoria.

Due to the recent airing of Addicted Australia, we may be experiencing an increased demand for our services. We will get back to everyone who makes an enquiry with us as soon as we can.

Please also note that the treatment program shown in the documentary series is not currently available to the public, and we are unfortunately unable to accept referrals or requests for this.

The treatment program shown was specifically developed for documentary participants to show the positive changes that are possible if people have access to more extended and holistic care. While treatment elements shown in the series including detox admissions, psychology appointments and peer support groups are currently available, it is not currently standard practice that these are integrated and delivered through the one treatment service, and over 6 months of time.

This is a treatment model that we think all Australians could benefit from, so if you would like to help us Rethink Addiction and advocate for change in the addiction treatment system, join the campaign here.

I need help right now, what can I do?

If you need to talk to someone right now, please call the 24/7 national helplines:

In an emergency, call:

Detox

What’s the process for getting into detox at Turning Point?

Turning Point provides detox treatment for those in Victoria. If you are interested in detox you will require a referral from your General Practitioner (GP). You will also need either a face-to-face or telephone intake assessment to determine if detox is suitable for you.

What’s the waitlist for getting into detox?

Waitlists for detox can vary, based on the demand of the service in your area. Usually the wait is weeks, rather than months. It’s important to remember that waitlists can change with increased demand.