Substance support
Supporting our community
At TikTok, we are committed to cultivating a supportive environment where our community feels safe expressing themselves. This includes the growing communities of people who are embracing the opportunity TikTok presents to connect, support, and learn from dedicated organisations and peers who have been affected by substance use (including drugs, alcohol, and tobacco).
We realise that everyone has their own beliefs and experiences with substance use. Whatever your experiences are, we want to offer information to keep our community safe and support you in making safer choices. That’s why we’ve partnered with people who are experts on these issues to help us make this resource.
These resources are for anyone:
- Who wants to learn more about how substance use can affect your mind, body and behaviour.
- Who may be thinking about using or is currently using substances.
- Who is seeking resources on how to change their relationship with substance use.
- Who cares for someone impacted by substance use.
- Who is looking for a supportive community where they can share their experiences.
- Who wants to have a supportive dialogue on the harms associated with substance use.
Substance use can be hard to discuss. We hope the resources and information on this page can help support you and your loved ones.
Questions you might have
What is substance use?
Substance use refers to the use of different types of substances, like drugs, alcohol, or tobacco. There are many ways people use substances, from trying it for fun, to more regular use, to developing an addiction to a substance (also known as substance use disorder). Read more about the different types of substance use below.
Experimentation
People sometimes experiment with substances when they’re in a specific situation, like at a party. They generally don’t crave the substance, or think about the substance until they’re about to use it. They will probably use it out of curiosity, or to have fun. Their lives don’t revolve around their substance use – it happens when it’s convenient.
Recreational Use
Can happen when people regularly use substances, outside of a medical reason. Substance use might be part of a routine they have – like drinking alcohol every weekend before going out.
Misuse
Happens when someone’s substance use has become riskier and more frequent, and they begin experiencing negative impacts in their lives because of their substance use. People who misuse substances will continue using them, even if it causes problems in their life. Friends or family may approach someone about their substance use at this time.
Dependence
Dependence to a drug happens when someone’s body adapts to a substance. This means that the body needs the substance in order to feel “normal.” Stopping the substance would cause symptoms of withdrawal, like fatigue, anxiety/depression, sweating, vomiting, seizures or hallucinations. Dependence can happen with some substances even when taking them as prescribed by a doctor.
Addiction
When someone is experiencing addiction, they continue to use a substance despite the harms it causes themselves and others. People might have tried to stop, but their cravings and withdrawals are too strong to overcome. Addiction can happen to anyone. It’s not a choice – it’s a treatable condition, and there are many different options for treatments based on a person’s specific needs. Addiction doesn’t mean someone lacks discipline – addiction is a condition.
Why is some drug use more risky than ever?
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 drug. There are 2 types of Fentanyl: 1) pharmaceutical-grade (made by pharmaceutical companies to control the doses) and, 2) “illicit” fentanyl, made by people selling or dealing drugs outside of any regulated pharmaceutical use. Illicit fentanyl is sometimes secretly added into other drugs because it’s cheaper to make and more powerful than many drugs. Fentanyl has been added into counterfeit pills (that look like prescription opioid painkillers but are made by people selling illicit drugs), or mixed with drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. As little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can kill someone- the amount in a few grains of salt. For this reason, fentanyl is a top cause of drug overdose deaths. Even if someone thinks they know what they’re using, even one time can be deadly.
- 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.
What is “harm reduction”?
You may have heard the term “harm reduction”. This phrase describes approaches that reduce the risks associated with drug use. Harm reduction is not about saying it’s okay to use drugs, or that it’s safe. It’s a way to protect and support people who use drugs and encourage positive changes without any judgment.
Some examples of harm reduction:
- Medications like naloxone, that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose, and other medications that can treat opioid addiction;
- Access to safer supplies and safe ways to dispose of them, and testing for diseases that can spread through the use of certain types of drugs.
What is recovery?
Recovery is a process through which people improve their overall wellbeing after experiencing issues with substance use. There are many paths to recovery and it’s a process that is unique to each person. Recovery can also mean different things to different people. For some, abstinence from all substances is key. For others, handling negative feelings without using substances is a more important part of recovery.
Keep in mind that recovery isn’t a linear process. Returning back to substance use while on the path to recovery is a common experience. This doesn’t mean that someone failed or can’t ever achieve their definition of recovery. People can and do recover.
What is substance use stigma?
Stigma is a set of negative attitudes, fears, misconceptions, and stereotypes about people who use drugs or are living with addiction. Stigma is one of the most common reasons why people don’t engage in treatment for their substance use. Everyone has a place in reducing substance use stigma. One way to do that is through changing the way that we talk about substance use.
At TikTok, we use what is called “Person-First language” related to substance use. This means that we don’t define a person based on a behaviour or diagnosis. For example, instead of calling someone a “drug user” we would say “a person who uses drugs.” Person-first language is nonjudgmental and treats people who are experiencing addiction with respect and empathy. Using person-first language is an important step toward reducing stigma toward substance use.
Here are some examples of ways that switching our words can help to reduce stigma against substance use.
| Instead of | Use |
| Drug abuse | Substance use disorder |
| Drug user | A person who uses drugs |
| Addict, Junkie, Drug abuser | Person living with or experiencing addiction; Person with a substance use disorder |
| Former addict | Person in recovery |
| Alcoholic | Person with alcohol use disorder; Person using alcohol in dangerous ways |
| Sober / Clean | Substance-free; Person in recovery/ abstinent |
| Stayed clean | Maintained recovery |
What is 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. Many countries and states 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.
Overdose symptoms differ depending on the substance, but they can include:
- Extremely pale and/or clammy face
- Limp body or extreme weakness
- Purple/blue fingernails or lips
- Excessive vomiting
- Person is unconscious or unable to wake up or speak
- Very slow or no breathing; Quicker breathing (for stimulants like cocaine & meth)
- Slow heart rate or no pulse; Fast or irregular heart rate (for stimulants like cocaine & meth)
- Choking or gurgling sounds
- Low body temperature Fever (for stimulants like cocaine & meth)
- Intense stomach pains
- Seizures
- Pinpoint pupils
If caught in time, opioid overdoses can be reversed with a medication called naloxone (sold under the brand names Narcan, Evzio or Kloxxado), a lifesaving drug that counteracts the effects of opioids in the body in the event of an overdose. 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 on what to do if you think someone is overdosing, check out Talk to Frank.
Can I trust the information I find on the internet?
Always be mindful of the information you find online about substance use, including on TikTok. People share lots of opinions about substance use, and some of them might not be based on facts. Always fact check information you see online. On this page, you’ll find facts about common types of substances, and links to resources where you can find more information.
For further resources on digital citizenship and media literacy, see our “Be Informed” series, a video resource series where the TikTok community is encouraged to think critically about not only the content they come across online, but also the content that they themselves create. Learn more
What are some different types of substances?
We offer facts so that you can be equipped with reliable information about different types of substance, including drugs and alcohol. We’ll share some facts about common substances you may have heard of, including what they are, how they feel, and the risks associated with each. On this page, we’ll use formal names to refer to each substance, but they often also go by different “street names”.
Opioids
What are opioids? Opioids are drugs that can have a strong pain relieving effect on the mind and body. There are various types of opioids, including:
- Prescription opioid painkillers: Come in pill or tablet form, like oxycodone and hydrocodone
- Heroin: An illegal opioid drug derived from morphine that can be smoked, injected or snorted. Prescription opioids and heroin are structurally similar. By binding to the receptors in the brain that relieve pain, both prescription opioids and heroin provide the same sense of euphoria.
- Fentanyl: Fentanyl can be prescribed to patients with severe pain or people with chronic pain who have tolerance to other opioids. There are 2 types of Fentanyl:
- pharmaceutical-grade (made by pharmaceutical companies to control the doses) and,
- “illicit” fentanyl, made by people selling or dealing drugs outside of any regulated pharmaceutical use.
- Illicit fentanyl is sometimes secretly added into counterfeit pills (that look like prescription opioid painkillers but are made by people selling illicit drugs), or mixed with drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
- As little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can kill someone- the amount in a few grains of salt. For this reason, fentanyl is a top cause of drug overdose deaths.
- Codeine: Commonly prescribed as cough syrup, but can also come as tablets. It’s weaker than other opioids, but it impacts the brain in the same way.
- Morphine: Commonly administered in hospitals intravenously. It can be consumed as a tablet, patch, or suppository when prescribed for a patient to take home.
What are the risks? An opioid overdose can happen to anyone – even if it’s the first time taking them, or if they’re prescribed by a doctor or obtained illegally. For substances bought illegally, there is a risk that it has illicit fentanyl in it, which is a leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States. The risk of overdose increases when opioids are taken with other drugs that slow down a person’s pulse and breathing, like alcohol, prescription depressants, or other opioids. Someone who is experiencing opioid overdose may show the following symptoms:
- Extremely pale and/or clammy face
- Limp body
- Purple/blue fingernails or lips
- Vomiting
- Person is unconscious or unable to wake up or speak
- Very slow or no breathing
- Slow heartbeat or no pulse
- Pinpoint pupils
Naloxone is a lifesaving drug that counteracts the effects of opioids in the event of an overdose. In many countries, naloxone can be purchased over the counter or at pharmacies without a prescription. Naloxone comes as a nasal spray or injectable drug. After giving naloxone, call emergency services immediately, because it only lasts 30-90 minutes. If there’s no response from the person within 3 minutes after giving naloxone—like if the person doesn’t wake up—give the person a second dose. Stay with the person until help arrives.
What are the short-term and long-term effects? Short-term effects of opioid use include pain relief, drowsiness, nausea, constipation, euphoria, slowed breathing, and death from overdose. For some people, regular use of opioids can lead to addiction. Long-term effects can include developing dependence, stomach cramps, liver or kidney disease, and infections or injuries related to needle use.
Alcohol
What is alcohol? Alcohol is produced by the fermentation of yeast, sugars, and starches. Alcohol is the most commonly used drug in the world. There are many types of alcohol, including beer, wine, or liquor (like vodka, tequila, rum, gin, and whisky, among others). Alcohol is also found in other types of drinks, like hard seltzers, hard teas, or high-alcohol kombucha.
What are the risks? It is possible to overdose on alcohol (called alcohol poisoning). A person who is unconscious or can’t be awakened may be experiencing alcohol poisoning and is at risk of dying. If you suspect that someone has alcohol poisoning, call emergency services immediately. Signs of alcohol poisoning include:
- Confusion
- Excessive vomiting
- Seizures
- Slow or irregular breathing
- Blue-tinged skin or pale skin
- Low body temperature
- Difficulty remaining conscious
- Passing out/ unconsciousness and can’t be awakened
What are the short-term and long-term effects? The short-term effects of alcohol can include being talkative, relaxed, or social, but it can also make people feel anxious or aggressive. If someone drinks a lot, they might have slurred speech, trouble with coordination or blackout, and they might get a hangover the next day – delayed reaction time, slurred speech, difficulty walking, poor coordination or lack of motor skills, distorted perceptions, lessened inhibitions, distorted judgment, vomiting, coma, blackouts, and sedation. The long-term effects of alcohol use include a decrease in testosterone/ impotence, liver disease, cancer, or ulcers. Alcohol can also cause wrinkles, dry skin, and permanent redness on the face.
What else should I know? Mixing alcohol and other drugs – like opioids, prescription depressants, cocaine, methamphetamine, and ketamine – can be really dangerous. It can slow down someone’s breathing rate, which reduces oxygen flow and triggers the brain to start shutting down organs. Alcohol is also related to injuries and accidents, especially when driving after drinking. Driving after having even a few drinks is dangerous. Driving while buzzed can be just as dangerous as driving while drunk. Alcohol-impaired driving is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths each year.
Tobacco
What is tobacco? Tobacco is a plant where the leaves are dried and used to make products like cigarettes. The chemical in tobacco that can create feelings of pleasure or energy is called nicotine, and it is also addictive. There are different types of tobacco:
- Cigarettes are tobacco leaves rolled in thin paper, and are the most commonly used form of tobacco.
- Cigars, little cigars and cigarillos are made of tobacco and are wrapped in brown paper or whole tobacco leaves. Little cigars and cigarillos often come in flavours.
- Hookah (aka shisha, waterpipes) is flavoured tobacco that is smoked using a water pipe.
- Smokeless tobacco is a type of tobacco that isn’t smoked or burned. There are different types of smokeless tobacco, including loose chewing tobacco, snuff, snus, and dissolvable tobacco.
What are the short-term and long-term effects? Short-term effects include activating areas of the brain that are involved in producing feelings of pleasure. Nicotine can also make people feel energized, dizzy, nauseous, stimulated, or relaxed. It can cause increased blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate that give a feeling of energy. Tobacco can also cause yellow teeth and nails, and breath, hair, and clothes that smell like smoke. Nicotine is an addictive chemical, so using tobacco can lead to addiction for some people. Long-term effects include lung disease, several types of cancer, heart disease and stroke, and increased risk of diabetes. It also increases the risk of chronic bronchitis, cataracts, and pneumonia.
Cigarette smoking also produces secondhand smoke, which is the smoke that’s inhaled when around someone who is smoking. Exposure to secondhand smoke can be harmful to the health of non-smokers, as well to our pets.
Vapes and E-cigarettes
What are vapes/ e-cigarettes? Vapes and e-cigarettes have many names, including e-cigs, vape pens, vaporisers, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), among others. E-cigarette users inhale an aerosol that is created by heating a liquid (called ‘e-juice’). There are hundreds of e-cigarette products and thousands of different e-juices. The E-juice in E-cigarettes can be made up of different chemicals, including the addictive chemical nicotine, which comes from tobacco plants. “Tobacco free nicotine” is made synthetically and is just as addictive as nicotine from tobacco plants.
What are the short-term and long-term effects? Short-term impacts of e-cigarette use include activating areas of the brain that are involved in producing feelings of pleasure, and can also make people feel energised, dizzy, nauseous, stimulated, or relaxed. It can cause increased blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate, and exposure to chemicals that are created by heating the coils in the device. Nicotine is an addictive chemical, so using e-cigarettes that contain nicotine can lead to addiction for some people. The long-term effects of using e-cigarettes or being exposed to them are still unknown. However, nicotine does have negative impacts on developing brains. Emerging data also suggests links to chronic lung disease and asthma.
Marijuana/ Cannabis
What is marijuana? Marijuana comes from the dried parts of Cannabis plants. Marijuana has many different street names. Marijuana is typically smoked as a joint or blunt, in a bowl or bong, or consumed as ‘edibles’ or ‘drinkables.’ Marijuana is legal in some countries (and many U.S. states) around the world either recreationally (meaning anyone over the legal age can obtain it), or medically (meaning that anyone over a legal age can obtain it, with a doctor’s prescription). In certain countries, drugs containing cannabinoids (the substances found in the cannabis plant) may be prescribed to people with rare forms of epilepsy, people undergoing cancer chemotherapy, people losing appetite associated with HIV/AIDS, and people experiencing chronic pain.
What are the short-term and long-term effects? The short-term effects of using marijuana can include altered senses, relaxation, sleepiness, mood changes, pain relief, increased appetite, and difficulty thinking or solving problems. The long-term effects of marijuana use are still unknown and being studied.
Synthetic Cannabinoids
What are synthetic cannabinoids? Synthetic cannabinoids are human-made chemicals that are designed to act like THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Synthetic cannabinoids are also called synthetic marijuana. Synthetic cannabinoids are a dried material that looks like potpourri, and are smoked or eaten as an edible.
What are the risks? Unlike marijuana, it is possible to overdose on synthetic cannabinoids. Synthetic cannabinoids sometimes are secretly mixed with other drugs, increasing the risk of overdose.
Short-term and long-term effects The short-term effects of synthetic cannabinoids can include feeling relaxed, forgetful, tired, or hungry. People may also experience hallucinations, paranoia, or panic attacks, rapid heart rate, vomiting, agitation, confusion, hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia and increased blood pressure. The long-term physical health effects of synthetic cannabinoids are unknown.
Prescription Depressants
What are prescription depressants? Prescription depressants are pills that slow down brain activity and cause drowsiness. Prescription depressants are also called benzos, benzodiazepines, sedatives, or tranquillisers. People may take prescription depressants to help with anxiety or sleep problems.
How does it feel? Prescription depressants can make people feel sleepy, relaxed, calm, uncoordinated, confused, or disoriented. Withdrawal symptoms can include agitation, anxiety, insomnia, overactive reflexes, shakiness, increased heart rate and blood pressure, hallucinations, cravings, and even seizures.
What are the risks? It’s possible to overdose on prescription depressants. The risk of overdose increases if prescription depressants are taken in combination with opioids or alcohol, because opioids, alcohol and prescription depressants all slow breathing. A drug called Flumazenil can be used to treat an overdose from prescription depressants. Only emergency responders have access to this medication.
What are the short-term and long-term effects? The short-term effects of prescription depressants can include slurred speech, poor concentration, dry mouth, slow breathing, and memory problems. The long-term effects of taking prescription depressants are unknown.
Cocaine
What is cocaine? Cocaine is a drug made from processing the leaves of the coca plant, which is native to South America. Cocaine comes in a white powder or rock crystal that is snorted, smoked, or injected. Cocaine and crack cocaine are chemically nearly identical. The main difference is in how the drug is consumed: powder cocaine is snorted, injected or swallowed, while crack cocaine is smoked.
What are the risks? It’s possible to overdose on cocaine. The risk of overdose increases if cocaine is mixed with other drugs or alcohol. Cocaine is also sometimes secretly diluted or mixed with other drugs, increasing the risk of overdose.
What are the short-term and long-term effects? The short-term effects of using cocaine can include feeling alert, anxious, excited, happy, panicky, paranoid, and agitated, higher body temperature, and higher heart rate. People using cocaine can also show violent or erratic behavior, psychosis, heart attack, stroke, seizures, or coma. Long-term effects of cocaine use can include changes in the brain, loss of the sense of smell, infections, weight loss, heart damage, and lung damage.
Methamphetamine
What is methamphetamine? Methamphetamine (meth) is a type of stimulant that comes in a white powder or pill form, while “crystal meth” looks like pieces of glass or shiny rocks.
What are the risks? It’s possible to overdose on meth. In recent years overdoses involving meth have been increasing. The risk of overdose increases if meth is mixed with other drugs or alcohol. Meth is sometimes secretly diluted or mixed with other drugs, increasing the risk of overdose.
What are the short-term and long-term effects? The short-term effects of meth can include alertness, being disinhibited, exhilerated, inability to sleep, decreased appetite, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, dizziness, and nausea. For some people, meth can lead to addiction, especially if it is injected or smoked. The long-term effects of meth can include violent behavior, anxiety, delusions, hallucinations, insomnia, extreme weight loss, severe dental problems, confusion, and intense itching.
Prescription Stimulants
What are prescription stimulants? Prescription stimulants are medications used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy (sudden and uncontrollable sleeping), and asthma.
What are the risks? It’s possible to overdose on prescription stimulants. Risks increase if taken with alcohol.
What are the short-term and long-term effects? The short-term effects of prescription stimulants can include higher blood pressure and heart rate, narrowed blood vessels, increased blood sugar, and opened-up breathing passages (which helps people with asthma). It can cause people to feel awake, excited, alert, energised, agitated, or aggressive. At high doses, prescription stimulants can lead to a dangerously high body temperature and irregular heartbeat, heart attacks, and seizures. Long-term effects include paranoia, psychosis, anger, and heart problems.
MDMA
What is MDMA? MDMA is also called molly or ecstasy. It comes in powder form or pills that can be made into different shapes and colours.
What are the risks? It’s rare for someone to die from an overdose of pure MDMA. But the risk of overdose increases when MDMA is mixed with other drugs.
What are the short-term and long-term effects? The short-term effects of MDMA can include lowered inhibitions, enhanced sensory perceptions, increased heart rate and blood pressure, nausea, fainting, sweating or chills, and a sharp increase in body temperature. Long-term effects are unknown, but it may impact learning and memory.
Psychedelics/ Hallucinogens
What are psychedelics? Psychedelics are often called hallucinogens. There are many types of psychedelics. They include man-made drugs like LSD and PCP, psilocybin which is found in certain types of mushrooms, or DMT (aka ayahuasca) and peyote (aka mescaline) which are found in certain plants or made in a lab. In some parts of the world, psychedelics are used as part of therapy, most often for mental health conditions like PTSD. In some Indigenous and Native cultures around the world, psychedelics like ayahuasca and mescaline are used as part of religious rituals.
What are the risks? It’s unlikely for someone to overdose from pure psychedelics, but the risk of overdose increases when it’s mixed with other drugs.
What are the short-term and long-term effects? Short-term effects can include emotional swings, cause a person to experience sensations or visions, and can cause feelings of euphoria, energy, or anxiety, cause distortion of a person’s ability to think logically, communicate with others or recognise reality, increased blood pressure and heart rate, dizziness, and appetite loss. Long-term effects from psychedelics are rare, but can include paranoia, mood swings, or frightening visual hallucinations.
Ketamine
What is ketamine? Ketamine is a human-made drug used by medical providers and veterinarians as an anaesthetic or for pain.
What are the risks? It’s possible to overdose when using ketamine. The risk of overdose increases when it’s used with other drugs or alcohol.
What are the short-term and long-term effects? Short-term effects of ketamine can include problems with attention, learning, and memory, can cause a person to feel happy, detached, anxious, or confused, cause hallucinations, sedation or losing consciousness/ being unresponsive, confusion, higher blood pressure, and dangerously slowed breathing. The long-term effects of ketamine can include depression, memory issues, ulcers, stomach or bladder pain, and kidney problems.
Nitrous Oxide and other Inhalants
What are inhalants? Inhalants are types of substances people take by inhaling or huffing. Inhalants include a variety of products, like spray paints, markers, glue, and cleaning fluids. Nitrous oxide (aka nitrous, whippets, whip-its) is another type of inhalant. For many inhalants, the intoxicating effects wear off after a few minutes.
What are the risks? It’s possible to overdose on inhalants. Because inhalants can have very concentrated chemicals it’s possible to die from a single session of inhalant use, called “sudden sniffing death.”
What are the short-term and long-term effects? The short-term effects of inhalants can include confusion, nausea and dizziness, slurred speech, euphoria, feeling drunk, happiness, lack of coordination, drowsiness, lightheadedness, hallucinations or delusions, headaches, heart failure, seizures, coma, or death from suffocation. The long-term effects of inhalants can include liver, kidney, and bone marrow damage, nerve damage, and brain damage that can cause problems with thinking, movement, vision, and hearing.
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medicines
What are over-the-counter medicines? Over-the-counter OTC medicines can be helpful in reducing fevers, pain, diarrhoea, or allergies. Some OTC medicines can produce psychoactive effects if misused – like allergy medicines with diphenhydramine, cough medicines with Dextromethorphan/ DXM (the name of the medicine often has “DM” in the name), or diarrhoea medicines with Loperamide.
What are the risks? It is possible to overdose on all of these OTC medicines. Naloxone can be used to help someone who is overdosing on cough medicine with DXM.
What are the short-term and long-term effects? Short-term effects of using these OTC medicines can include hallucinations, euphoria, increased energy, restlessness, slurred speech, increased heart rate and blood pressure, heart problems, seizures, dizziness, nausea or vomiting. Long-term effects of using these OTC medications are unknown.
Sharing your experiences on TikTok
TikTok can be a great platform to inspire and educate the community by sharing your story about how substance use has impacted you. Your story may be of help or support to someone else. TikTok is powered by our community members. We all play a part in creating a safe and positive place.
But whether to share your story is an important personal decision. If you decide to share your story, be mindful of the content that you share, as it may trigger or upset others. People may also ask questions or share their own experiences after hearing your story. We also have developed a more general well-being guide if you’d like to read about sharing any stories you may have around mental health.
Before sharing your experiences with substance use on TikTok, first ask yourself:
- Who do you want to see your story? Do you want to share with close friends and family only, or with a wider audience?
- What are your reasons for sharing? Is it to support yourself, or others?
- Would sharing your story be helpful to yourself or others? Would it be harmful?
- If your story is about someone else’s substance use, how would they feel if they saw your post? Have they given permission for you to share a story about them?
- How will you react to responses? In response to your post, others may share difficult stories in return, or share opinions that could be hard to hear.
After you’ve asked yourself these questions and decided that you do want to share your story, here are some suggestions for your post:
- If your post is about recovery, use recovery-oriented hashtags to join the TikTok conversations that are already happening (e.g. #recoverytok, #addictionawareness, #quitsmoking, #fentanylawareness).
- Within your story, don’t reveal or spread rumours about other people’s experiences with substance use, treatment, or recovery. Don’t reference someone else, unless they have given you permission to share.
- Encourage people to seek support, and consider including a local helpline in your video and caption.
- People might have different experiences, so avoid comparing your experiences with others. If people reply to your story, be considerate and show empathy.
How can I 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.
While we choose not to use certain words like “sober” (as some people may find them stigmatising), at TikTok we support people identifying themselves as they prefer. We encourage people to find community through their self-determined identities.
Feeling pressured to try drugs, alcohol or tobacco?
Friends, classmates, co-workers, etc., are important in our lives. But sometimes they might encourage or persuade you to do things you’re not comfortable with when it comes to trying substances or using them in risky ways. It can happen in person or online, and it can be really hard to resist. Here are some things to keep in mind that could help:
- Remember that you’re not alone. It might feel like everybody else is doing it, but most people don’t use drugs.
- Prepare yourself. Know how you’ll respond if someone offers you drugs, tobacco or alcohol.
- Find someone you trust who you can confide in – it could be a parent, sibling, or friend. Someone you trust can listen and help you figure out how to deal with different situations.
- Try saying ‘no’ firmly and clearly, but without making a big deal about it. If they try to change your mind, hold your ground.
- Pay attention to how you feel. If something doesn’t feel right about a situation, it probably isn’t right – even if your friends are okay with it.
- If you’re finding it hard to be yourself around certain people, take a step back. Maybe it’s time to find a new group to hang out with.
If you have questions about different types of drugs, check out the other sections on this page or visit Talk to Frank for more information.
Resources & Crisis Lines
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:
How to report concerning TikTok content
Being part of the wider TikTok community means making sure your fellow community members feel safe and supported. We encourage you to let us know if you feel concerned about another person on the platform, or if you see something that you don’t think should be on TikTok you can say something.
In order to keep our community safe and positive, we empower our community to report content that violates our Community Guidelines. All of our reporting is anonymous, meaning the original uploader will not be notified of your identity if you decide to report a piece of content!
How to anonymously report a video:
If you see a video on TikTok that you believe violates our Community Guidelines, please report it to us.
To report a video in your TikTok app:
- Go to the video you need to report.
- Press and long hold on the video.
- Select Report, tap on ‘Illegal activities and regulated goods‘ and then submit report under ‘Drugs and controlled substances‘
- You can also use our online form to report content on TikTok
What happens after you report a piece of content:
- We use a combination of human and machine moderation to review our content for Community Guideline violations, and take appropriate action.
- We will update you on the status and progress of your report in your Inbox.
For parents and caregivers: How to talk to a child about substance use
Parents and caregivers can have an important influence in a child’s life, and they play a big role in a child’s experiences with substance use. But it can be hard to talk with a child about them. Here are some tips for talking with a child about substance use.
Know what’s going on
- Children sometimes start experimenting with substances when a friend offers them. If they have friends over, say hello and introduce yourself.
- Encourage them to get involved in activities that they enjoy and are interested in, and touch base with teachers, coaches, or instructors to ask how they’re doing.
- Offer support and encouragement to your child.
Have open conversations about substance use
- Avoid lecturing. Ask for their honest opinions, and keep an open mind. Show that you understand how tough it can be to be their age, and you’re there to support them.
- Think about how you’ll respond if asked about your own experiences with substance use. If you’ve used substances in the past, it can be helpful to share lessons you learned from those experiences.
- 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.
Other steps you can take
- Establish rules and consequences – but also offer them a solution. For example, you could explain that it’s never okay to get in a car with someone who has been drinking alcohol. But if they’re ever in a situation where they need a ride home, they can call you and ask for a ride, no questions asked.
- Be aware of your child’s activities and whereabouts.
- If you have prescription drugs or over the counter medicines at home, keep track of them.
Disclaimer
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