Safe partying

Here are some key things you can do to make sure your mind and body are prepped for the party ahead!

Safe Partying Tips to Consider

Preparing for a night out
  • Get a good night sleep
  • Have a decent meal
  • Plan the night out
  • Choose a sober buddy
  • Plan how you will get home
  • Set limits for what and how much you will consume
  • Check your headspace – Are you in the right mindset?
  • Consider the setting – will I be in the suitable environment for the drug I am consuming?
During Night Out
  • Pace yourself – start with a smaller dose
  • Some substances can be slow to take effect. It important to wait at least hour or two before taking more
  • Stay hydrated but don’t over hydrate stick to 500ml (one small water bottle) an hour
  • Take breaks from dancing to allow your body to cool down
  • Stay connected with your friends. How are they doing? Where are they?
  • Be aware that mixing drugs with alcohol can greatly increase your risk of passing out or freaking out
Recovery
  • Make sure you factor in recovery time
  • Dedicate this time for self-care; hang with friends, take it easy, get some sleep, eat a nutritious meal, hydrate
  • Check in with friends you were out with
  • Eat a nutritious meal to give your body fuel for recovery
  • If you are still struggling a couple of days post party talk to a health professional

Drug Classes

There are three main drug classes, It can be useful to know what class the drug you are taking sits in.

Mixing drugs from different classes can add extra strain on your body increasing your chances of blacking out, passing out or freaking out.

Psychedelics
  • Alters your perception of reality, you might see things and hear things.
  • Your altered sense of reality can mean you can unintentionally put yourself in harms ways so make sure you not alone.
  • Your setting is key to having a good experience. Check your mindset and think about the environment you are planning to be in.
Stimulants
  • Speeds up your thinking, inflates your confidence, increases your heart rate and blood pressure.
  • Taking stimulants while drinking alcohol might cause you to dangerously increase the amount you drink.
  • The more you take the greater the chance things could go wrong. Be sure to start slow and set a limit. Be aware you might feel the urge to re dose compulsively.
Depressants
  • Slows your thinking and judgment down, decreases your heart rate and overall function.
  • Combining depressants can be super dangerous so if you are planning to mix try and take smaller amounts.
  • Alcohol significantly alters the risk profile of other substances when combined and is often the reason for ending up in hospital.

What you can do if Something Goes Wrong

How to help someone based on the signs.
Freaking Out

Signs: If someone is feeling paranoid, panicky and generally freaking out.

What to do: Stay with them, move them to a quieter place, reassure them, check that they are not too hot or too cold, make sure they don’t go home alone, encourage some slower deeper breathing, offer them some water.

Really Out of It

Signs: If someone is not able to walk unassisted, blurry speech and generally out of it.

What to Do: Arrange for them to get home with yourself or a friend, don’t leave them alone, don’t try and give them food, only offer water if they are able to sit up. If they become unresponsive call an ambulance.

Bad Reaction

Signs: A bad reaction can include vomiting excessively, seizures, overheating, difficulty breathing, chest pains, drooping face, becoming unconscious.

What to do: Call an ambulance (000) if the person you are with is having a bad reaction.

At any point if you are worried about your friends safety or wellbeing it is best to call an ambulance.

The ambulance service are there to keep you safe and are not going judge you or call the police. They can help you assess the risk, provide advice and assist if needed.

Worried about your use or someone else’s

The signs of problematic use can include:

  • You or someone is hiding or lying about their use.
  • You or someone's work or study commitments are being negatively impacted.
  • You or someone is using more then they want to be and its affecting their mental health.
  • You or someone feels like they can’t or don’t know how to cut back or stop.
  • For more information and advice: Support Services (nsw.gov.au)

Support available for students

If you are in need of support, the University has a number of services available.