Two women sitting face-to-face, one in a blue sweatshirt and the other in a black coat, engaged in a conversation in a room with white walls.

Drug and alcohol support for adults

For anyone over 18 who lives in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole worried about alcohol or drug use.

Whether you need advice for yourself, or to support a loved one, we work with you, side by side, to make sure we provide you with the right support. All our services are free. We'll never judge, and we're here to listen.

  • One to one support
  • Support groups and meetings
  • Support for family and friends
  • Clinical support and medication
  • Mens, womens and LGBTQ+ groups
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Support that's right for you

When it comes to recovery, we know that everyone’s goals are different, whether that’s making small changes, stopping completely, or finding new ways to stay safe and healthy.

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Money

Our services are free

Heart

We'll never judge

People

We're here to listen

How we can help

Whatever it is that you want to achieve, we’ll support you to get there - and we’ll be WithYou every step of the way.

We offer one-to-one drug and alcohol support, where you meet with a Recovery Worker regularly to work thought things you're struggling with. 

This could range from a single session to a more structured, longer-term series of meetings, depending on your needs.

We'll be as flexible as possible with where and when these sessions take place, to fit around your commitments. 

We understand that substance use can impact all areas of your life so we take a holistic approach. We'll also look at any potential contributing factors such as housing, finances, relationships and employment. This wrap around approach helps you to better understand your drug use, allowing you to take greater control.

Our support groups are a place for people who are experiencing issues with drug and alcohol to come together and help each other. They're sometimes known as Mutual Aid Partnership, or MAP, groups. We run both drug and alcohol groups, including things like cannabis and stimulant workshops.

Groups and meetings are a great way to make positive steps in recovery. Change is easier if you have other people to support you.

The groups are free and confidential. You can join for as little or as long as you want. Rather than focussing on how you’re feeling, our support groups are about helping each other find practical ways to deal with life’s challenges. 

The meetings are run by WithYou staff or by experienced volunteers who may have had issues with alcohol or drugs themselves in the past, and understand the challenges. 

 

In some cases, you might need medication to help you manage withdrawal symptoms or to prevent relapse. This clinical support is delivered alongside other structured one-to-one sessions, as part of your wider recovery plan. 

To access this treatment, your recovery worker will arrange an assessment with  specially trained clinicians, such as doctors and nurses, who can give you a prescription for the medication you need. 

The assessment will look at your substance use and wider health needs, so that we can offer you the right treatment. You will meet with the clinical team regularly to make sure the medication is working well and to make any adjustments. 

1-1 psychosocial interventions refer to individualised therapeutic approaches aimed at addressing the psychological and social aspects of dependency.

By focusing on factors such as coping strategies, emotional regulation, and interpersonal skills, these interventions provide essential support for those working to overcome challenges with drugs, alcohol and mental health. 

As a family member or friend of someone using drugs and alcohol, you may not know where to turn. 

Please be reassured, there’s support available to help you navigate this challenging situation.

We offer specific support for people who are affected by a loved one’s alcohol or drug use.

For anyone who injects drugs, we provide new, sterile injecting equipment to help keep you safe. 

We offer this service at: 

You don't need an appointment. You can just walk in and get what you need.

Alongside providing you with new equipment, our staff will be able to talk you through the different equipment options available to you and give you a demonstration on safer injecting techniques.

They are also happy to answer any questions you may have and discuss ways to help you stay safe. 

 

Blood borne viruses (BBVs) are viruses that spread through blood, and in some cases, bodily fluids. 

If you attend one of our drug or alcohol services, you will be offered a free BBV test. You can also ask for a test when you register with a service.

Our services in BCP provide Naloxone. 

The Naloxone injection (Prenoxad) or nasal spray (Nyxoid) are life saving substances that can prevent overdose. They work by reversing the effects of opioid drugs such as heroin, morphine and methadone. 

We provide people who use substances with Naloxone and training on how to respond to an overdose situation. We also make Naloxone available to family members and friends. 

 

Specialist services

Our Armed Forces Community programme provides specialist support for military veterans and their families who have challenges with drug or alcohol use and mental health, helping people to lead fulfilling lives not hindered by dependence.

We do this by acknowledging the specific experiences of people in the armed forces community, capitalising on the strengths of military identity and using this to enhance recovery.

Our staff are trained and guided to offer the best possible support for members of the armed forces community.

Contact us:

Find out more about WithYou’s drug and alcohol support for the Armed Forces Community

Who is our service for?

This service is for you if you’re:

  • 18 and over
  • living in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
  • worried about your own drug or alcohol use or someone else’s
David And James, The Borders 1

What to expect from our services

You’ll find a warm welcome and free, non-judgmental support and advice from the WithYou team.

We want you to feel safe and comfortable when seeking support, and your privacy is really important to us. Everything you tell us, whether in person or online, is confidential. The only time this might change is if we have serious concerns about your own or someone else’s safety.

 

How to access our services

To access our services, you can contact us directly using the number provided below.

Our appointments can be carried out at our office, online, or we may meet you in our local community.  

If you have a disability, are neurodiverse, or English is not your first language, please let us know when you get in touch. We make our services as accessible as we can, and we'll work out the best way to support you.

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