Transcript Alcohol, other drugs use and mental health in the deaf community

ALCOHOL, OTHER
DRUGS USE AND
MENTAL HEALTH IN
THE DEAF
COMMUNITY
By Debra Swann
and
Sandra Spadea
SANDRA’S PERSONAL STORY
“I was always questioned about deafness, when I could’ve
just talked about myself. It’s rubbish”
David
FACTS… FACTS… FACTS…
WHAT WE KNOW…
• Extend of alcohol and drug use in the deaf community
remains unclear
• Few trained substance abused counselors for both Deaf /
HH and CODA people
• Interpreters limited
• Staff not knowledgeable
• No accessible materials
WHAT DRUGS ARE OUT THERE?
WHY DO PEOPLE USE DRUGS?
• For fun
• Media Hype and peer pressure
• Boredom
• Social factors – poverty, crime
• Personal issues and traits
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE …..
CAN SOMETIMES OCCUR AT THE SAME TIME.
• Mental health means different things to different people
• Good mental health can be affect by external influences,
this includes drugs and alcohol
• Drugs like cannabis, alcohol, ecstasy and heroin, have the
ability to affect your mood
• Drugs interfere with the chemicals in your brain
BARRIERS TO GETTING HELP:
• Attitudes
• language
• Limited deaf services.
• Education
RECOMMENDATIONS
OPTION ONE: NEED FOR RESEARCH – SURVEY
QUESTIONNAIRES
OPTION TWO:
AUSLAN COMPUTER WEB CAM MEETING
– DEAF GET OFF DRUG AND ALCOHOL .
OPTION THREE:
Deaf, hearing impaired and coda’s to have access to
mental health professionals
OPTION FOUR:
Family members and friends to have access
to support
OPTION FIVE:
Education for young people and the wider
deaf community
QUESTION TIME
QUESTION ONE:
What unique barriers does one
faces when trying to access
services or professionals?
QUESTION TWO:
What support services and network do
you think would assist a deaf person
and CODA to take care of themselves?
QUESTION THREE:
If video calling was an option for you to
access services in Auslan and connect
with people similar to you, would you
use it?