Our distribution of time activity is designed to get you thinking about your substance misuse and whether it is having an impact on other areas of your life. You can complete this activity on your own, or use it as a tool to have a conversation with someone you know.
Distribution of time
In this circle, we have shown how someone’s life might be broken down if they are using a drug (including alcohol) but it is not impacting on other areas of their life. They are still able to have time for family, friends, relationships, hobbies and other interests, and school, college or work.
Reflecting on your own distribution of time
Now it’s your turn: grab a pen and paper, and draw a blank circle on it.
Next, shade in how much of your time you think is being taken up by drugs and/or alcohol – whether that is using them, planning to use them, getting the money to use them, or just thinking about using them. It might look something like this:
Reviewing your circle
Take a look at the circle you have shaded in. Were you surprised at how much or how little of the circle you filled in? Has it made you think that, perhaps, you would like to make changes – for example, reducing the amount you use?
If so, our teams are available to help. Substance misuse rarely occurs in isolation but is symptomatic of wider problems in young people’s lives. Our services provide targeted, age-appropriate substance misuse services for young people, that put the young person at the centre of treatment.