How has P affected you?
Tell us your story at the Herald newsdesk
The Herald is running a six-part series on the damage methamphetamine is doing to New Zealand. We examine how the drug gets in, its devastating effect on society and what we can do to fix the problem.
Families of P users say they are at their wits' end trying to find treatment for the addiction.
Many emails in response to the Herald's series on the drug have raised the difficulty of getting suitable help.
"Two months ago my son tried desperately hard to get into detox and rehab," wrote one mother. "I watched him cry on the phone, begging them to let him in for rehabilitation."
The woman said her 30-year-old son had finally realised he needed to stay in a residential service, after four years on the drug and constant urging by his family.
But when he made the decision, he had to wait five to seven weeks to get into a detox programme because no places were available.
"He struggled on for the first three weeks but has now fallen back and is worse than ever.
"As a family, it is like holding your breath and waiting and hoping that we will get back the happy, wholesome son, brother, father that we had.
"I will not give up on him, but we are now at a desperate loss to keep our son alive and well."
Another mother, who described herself as middle-class and living in an expensive suburb, said her son tried going to rehab. "Some of the people being treated there are gang members and criminals - the sort of people he fears and would not be at all helpful to his rehabilitation."
She had been told that many career criminals went to rehab only because they could get their sentences reduced.
"Because of this the Government does not provide for someone like my son who has no criminal record but maybe has a better chance of beating this.
"In the last nine months our lives have been like a never-ending nightmare. Some days I just sit here and think that this cannot be real."
The manager of Auckland's Community Drug and Alcohol Services, Robert Steenhuisen, said there was a shortage of residential treatment for all drug and alcohol services. A report last year had found twice as many places were needed. But addicts also had to be determined to break their habit if the treatment was to work.
"Often, people just want the feeling to go away. They may have no resolve to stop using methamphetamine but they don't want the consequences.
"If you admit people under those circumstances, the rule is easy-in, easy-out. People make the decision when they feel despair, but the moment that lifts, everything changes."
He warned recovery was a long, slow process, involving setbacks and a great deal of personal commitment. "It's not like you roll up to the emergency department with a broken leg."
Mr Steenhuisen said families could help by being well informed about P and persuading the drug user to seek help early.
Other organisations, such as churches and employers, could play a role by helping addicts change their lifestyle.
This often meant changing their whole social circle if many of their friends were drug users.
He added that while P addiction was devastating and heart-breaking for addicts and their families, alcohol still caused by far the most damage to society and made up about 75 per cent of treatment services' workload.
Meanwhile, another anti-P campaigner is planning a national tour, a hard-hitting US-style advertising campaign and a celebrity boxing event to raise awareness.
Christina Stroud said her Hope of a Nation tour stemmed from her unpaid work coaching about 200 P addicts to give up the drug.
For details on the campaign visit info@hopeofanation.net
* Where to get help
Treatment providers include
Community Alcohol and Drug Service: www.cads.org.nz
Salvation Army Bridge Programmes: sab.org.nz
Higher Ground Drug Rehabilitation Trust: higherground.org.nz
For a full list of services go to www.addictionshelp.org.nz
