Safety Center

Substance support

Updated: December 12, 2024

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Understanding Substance Use

If you or someone you know has questions about substance use or addiction, it is important to know that help is out there and you are not alone. TikTok partners with expert organizations to provide professional resources that can support our community.

Substance use refers to the use of different types of substances, like drugs, alcohol, or tobacco, including vapes and e-cigarettes.

Dependence and addiction (also known as substance use disorder) happen when people’s bodies require a substance to feel “normal” and cravings are too strong to overcome.

Substances are used in various ways. This can range from choosing not to use them at all (abstinence), lower-risk use and higher risk use which can lead to addiction, also known as substance use disorder.

Getting Help

Want to talk to someone? There is support out there for people looking for help. If you’re interested in resources for yourself or a loved one, here’s a few helpful search tools to find local options for treatment, support, and recovery in your area:

Recognizing the Need for Help

Reaching out for help when you're struggling can be hard, but you are not alone. Recognizing the signs and reaching out for help is a positive step. Here are some ideas if you think you might be in need of some support:

Community support. Friends, family, or a religious community, can be a great source of support and encouragement. They can listen to how you're feeling with empathy and remind you that you don't need to go through a tough time alone.
Professional guidance. You can always consult with your doctor, a mental health professional or contact a specialist substance use counsellor who can provide you with tailored advice and explore appropriate treatment options.
Peer support. You can connect with peers who have experienced similar challenges with substance use through support groups or online communities. This can help provide you with a sense of belonging and give you practical tips for managing cravings or triggers. Seeing peers who have overcome similar substance use challenges can inspire hope.
Crisis or support helpline. Reaching out to a helpline will connect you with a trained professional who will ask questions about how you're feeling and if you're at risk of hurting yourself. At some helplines, you can get support via texting or calling, depending on your preference. You don't need to be in a life-threatening crisis to reach out to a helpline. You can talk about anything that is bothering you, including substance use in an anonymous, confidential setting.
Twelve Step (12-step) or other recovery-oriented groups. If you are seeking support with the goal of stopping your use of substances or want to try an abstinence-based recovery group, there are 12-step programs including Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Nicotine Anonymous around the world. If you are interested in non-abstinence based recovery groups, those also exist and are searchable online.

Supporting a Friend

If you think a friend might be experiencing problems with substance use, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure of how you can help. Here are some positive actions you can take to support a friend:

Start the conversation. If you're concerned about changes in a friend's behavior around substance use and think something might be wrong, don't be afraid to bring it up with them.
Listen with empathy and without judgment. Begin an open conversation to express your concern, and keep an open mind. Listen actively without interrupting or making your friend feel guilty for their behavior. This shows that you're there to listen and support them.
Offer to connect them with resources. There are lots of resources to help you talk about substance use. The Partnership to End Addiction has talking points tailored to different age groups, and talking points to connect with a teenager. You can also suggest seeking assistance from healthcare professionals, counsellors or dedicated support groups.

More information about how to support friends who are experiencing mental health difficulties is available in TikTok's Well-Being Guide.

Learn more

Are vapes harmful?

Vapes and e-cigarettes have many names, including e-cigs, vape pens, vaporisers, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), among others. Vapes and e-cigs are battery-operated devices.

The effects of vapes and e-cigs are still being studied however, there is clear evidence that e-cigarette aerosols contain toxic chemicals and metals (think formaldehyde, nicotine, chromium, nickel and manganese), and can cause cancer. Emerging data also suggests links to chronic lung disease and asthma. See resources such as Talk to Frank to learn more.

What makes drug use so risky?

No one can be sure how drugs will affect them. But lately, it can even be hard to know if a drug is really the substance a person thinks it is. Two big reasons for this are fentanyl and counterfeits.

Fentanyl is a powerful type of synthetic opioid (man-made) drug. There are two types of fentanyl:
Pharmaceutical-grade (made by pharmaceutical companies to control the doses) and
Illegal fentanyl (this type is made by people selling or dealing drugs, and is not regulated). This type is particularly dangerous and is sometimes secretly added into other drugs (such as painkillers, etc) because it's cheaper to make and more powerful than other drugs. Fentanyl is a top cause of drug overdose deaths.
Counterfeit or fake prescription pills like benzodiazepines (often called “street benzos”) have been found to be dangerously potent and/or to contain other very harmful and dangerous substances that are not for medical use, leading to hospitalisations and deaths.

How can you help someone who may be experiencing an overdose?

Overdoses happen when someone takes too much of a substance. Overdoses can easily be fatal. If you think someone is experiencing an overdose, call emergency services immediately.

A number of jurisdictions around the world have “Good Samaritan” laws that provide protection against arrest, charge, or prosecution for possession of drugs or paraphernalia when individuals who are experiencing or witnessing an overdose call emergency services.

Naloxone is a life-saving drug that counteracts the effects of opioids in the body in the event of an overdose. Naloxone works only for specific drugs, so it's important to learn more. In many countries, naloxone can be purchased over the counter or at pharmacies without a prescription or obtained for free from public health organisations. For more information see:

For bereaved friends and family

If you find this page, first let us say we are sorry for your loss. If you're interested in learning more about resources to navigate grief related to substance use, we welcome you to look at the resources for bereaved family members on Song For Charlie.

How can I safely share my experiences and/or engage with the #RecoveryTok community?

We’ve seen our community embrace hashtags, like #recoverytok, #sobertok, #addictionawareness, #sobercurious as well as #sobernative, #blackandsober, #soberlatina, #sobergay, #soberlesbian, and #transandsober which offer hubs for conversation, learning, and encouragement.

If you’re looking for a supportive community where you can share your recovery experience, connect with other community members who have similar experiences or just quietly watch some TikToks, these hashtags can be a good starting point. Visit the Safety Center guide on How to Safely Share Your Story to learn more.

Disclaimer

The content provided on this page is for informational purposes and educational use only. “The Substance Support Page” should not be deemed a substitute for medical, psychological, or psychiatric diagnosis, treatment, or advice. Do not hesitate to seek professional medical support or immediate emergency assistance if you, or any other person, are in a crisis, danger, or experiencing a medical emergency. Please remember that you are not solely responsible for others' safety--you can get help.

This Safety Center page was developed with expert consultation from The Public Good Projects. Special thanks to Song for Charlie, We Are With You, Talk to Frank, Truth Initiative for helping shape this resource.