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However you want to deal,
here's where to keep up with your jones. Although the information
below relates to the USA in regard to service provision their
data are universal.
START BY TALKING. Either
one-on-one with a therapist or counselor (see if your local
AIDS service organization can hook you up) or in a support
group. In New York City, check out the Substance Abuse Counseling
Program at GMHC (212.367.1354); in Chicago, the AIDS Foundation
of Chicago (312.922.2322) or The Pride Institute (773.907.4635);
in Atlanta, the Integrated Life Center (404.377.5556) or,
for women, the Union Mission (404.588.4009).
REDUCE THE HARM. If you're
not ready to stop drugs, at least find out how to lower the
risk to yourself and others. The North American Syringe Exchange
Network (http://www.nasen.org/
or 253.272.4857) and the Harm Reduction Coalition (http://www.harmreduction.org/
or 212.213.6376 in New York; 510.444.6969 in Oakland) can
connect you to needle-exchange sites. Injection-drug users:
Check out New York City and Oakland Positive Health Project
(http://www.positivehealthproject.org/
or 212.465.8304), Chicago's Recovery Alliance (http://www.anypositivechange.org/
or 773.471.0999), Los Angeles' Jump Street (310.855.0031),
San Francisco's Harm Reduction Therapy Center (http://www.poz.com/www.harmreductiontherapy.org
or 415.863.4282). And http://www.dancesafe.org/,
http://www.crystal%20neon.org/
(call 206.622.6925) and http://www.tweaker.org/
(call 415.502.1999) offer great survival guides for crystal
meth and other party-drug users, HIV positive or not.
TAKE A STEP...OR 12. The
recovery model that started more than 60 years ago with Alcoholics
Anonymous (check your local phone directory or Contact Local
AA at http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/
for meetings) has become the most widely copied and the most
successful—for addictions of all sorts, including generalized
drug addiction (http://www.na.org/ or 818.773.9999),
cocaine (http://www.ca.org/ or 310.559.5833),
speed (http://www.crystalmeth.org/
or 213.488.4455), pot (http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/
or 800.766.6779) and sex (http://www.sexaa.org/
or 800.477.8191, http://www.sa.org/, http://www.slaafws.org/
or http://www.sca-recovery.org/).
Meanwhile, http://www.al-anon.org/
(888.4ALANON) offers support for addicts’ loved ones. Many
cities offer special meetings for women, gays and/or lesbians,
people of color and HIVers, but don't limit yourself: 12-steppers
are a welcoming lot who just want to see you get better. It's
also not unusual for drug addicts to go to AA meetings (and,
less frequently, vice versa), especially in places where AA
predominates. Best of all: 12-step groups offer virtually
the only 'treatment' that is free for life (except for the
suggested $1-per-meeting donation to cover the rent on all
those church basements).
Don't like the 12-step model? Check
out these websites: http://www.smartrecovery.org/
(440.951.5357) or http://www.women%20forsobriety.org/
(215.536.8026).
GET TREATED. If you can't
stop with the help of a 12-step or other support group, you
may need rehab or medical treatment. Generally, outpatient
programs are easier to access and cheaper than inpatient (overnight),
which often require a professional referral and aren't well-covered
by insurance. A few treatment programs with a special HIVer
focus are: in Los Angeles, Tarzana Treatment Center (http://www.tarzanatc.org/
or 800.996.1051), where no one is turned away; in San Francisco,
the LGBT-serving New Leaf http://www.newleaf%20services.org/
or 415.626.7000), the Haight-Ashbury Free Clinics (http://www.hafci.org/
or 415.487.5634) or Waldenhouse (http://www.waldenhouse.org/
or 415.554.1100); in Chicago, Haymarket Center (312.226.7984);
in Atlanta, Our Common Welfare (http://www.ourcommonwelfare.com/
or 404.297.9588); and in Minneapolis, Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale,
Chicago, New York City and New Jersey, the LGBT-serving Pride
Institute (http://www.pride-institute.com/
or 800.54.PRIDE). For sex addicts, there's LA's Sexual Recovery
Institute (http://www.sexual%20%20%20%20recovery.com/
or 310.360.0130).
For a complete listing of treatment
programs near you, go to http://www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov/.
If you'e uninsured or on Medicaid/Medicare, call the National
Substance Abuse Directory at 800.662.4357 and ask for treatment
facilities in your area.
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