The Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs (APSAD) recently held its annual conference in Canberra (Ngunnawal country), from 30 September to 2 November 2024. The event featured Australian and international researchers, health professionals, and people with lived and living experience in the alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sector. 

NDARC Research Assistant and PhD Candidate, Paige Webb attended APSAD Canberra 2024 where she presented the session ‘Influences of methamphetamine use on family relationships: Interviews with family members’, as well as her poster ‘Qualitative exploration of the relationships between people who regularly use methamphetamine and their family and friends’. 

Here, she reflects on the experience. 

Paige Webb: 

I recently had the privilege of attending the APSAD 2024 conference in Canberra, which was an enriching experience on many levels. This year's themes were especially powerful, focusing on elevating the voices of people with lived and living experience of drug use—an area of deep personal and professional interest to me.  

Too often, people who have experienced drug use firsthand are excluded from conversations about research, policy, and support and treatment provision. Yet, these very individuals possess the insights and solutions that can drive meaningful change in the field. By prioritising these voices, the conference reminded us all that the contributions of people with lived and living experience are vital to creating more effective, humane, and person-centred research and service provision. 

One of my standout moments was delivering both oral and poster presentations on the first two studies of my PhD research, which explore the influence of methamphetamine use on family relationships. The first study involved qualitative interviews with people who use methamphetamine and explored the social benefits, as well as potential detrimental effects, of methamphetamine use on their social relationships. In the second study, family members were interviewed about their relationship with the person using methamphetamine. This study really highlighted the turbulent and emotional experience some families go through and the importance of providing tailored support to these families. This was my first foray into qualitative research and it was exciting to be able to share the findings with an audience of professionals and academics. 

Another significant moment for me was chairing a symposium discussion on the preferences for, and availability of, family support services across Australasia. This symposium brought together researchers and practitioners who are working on the frontlines of supporting families affected by a loved one’s alcohol or other drug (AOD) use. As a researcher exploring the intersection of family dynamics and substance use in my own PhD work, I was honoured to facilitate this important conversation. The main message of this session for attendees was the need to provide non-judgemental, evidence-based support to assist families in addressing their own health and wellbeing needs. 

Post-conference, I’m more motivated than ever to ensure that the voices of those with lived and living experience are not just heard but truly valued in the development of programs, policies, and practices aimed at addressing AOD use and harms. The conversations at this conference gave me the tools and inspiration to keep pushing for these critical changes—and to continue advocating for a more inclusive, compassionate approach to drug and alcohol research and service provision.