Is there addiction counseling in rural areas?

Yes. According to the DHS, addiction counseling services exist across Germany. How far away the nearest one is depends on where you live, so it is worth searching in a targeted way. The addiction help directory of the Deutsche Hauptstelle für Suchtfragen (DHS) can be filtered by a radius of 2 to 100 kilometers. In addition, there are online services that work entirely without travel. This article shows how to proceed if the nearest service is far away.

Using the radius search properly

In the addiction help directory, you enter a postal code or town and then choose the radius. You can choose between 2 and 100 kilometers. A postal code is enough to start, so you do not have to fill in every field. The more criteria you combine, the fewer results you get. In rural areas, it therefore makes sense to search first by place and radius only, and narrow down the type of service later.

1. Enter your postal code or town.
2. Set the radius to the distance you are willing to travel.
3. Add the type of service, such as counseling, and check the results.
4. Note the services with their phone number and website.

The entries are based on information provided by the services themselves. Before you travel, call and clarify whether the service is responsible for your situation.

Online counseling without travel

For many people in rural areas, online counseling is the first step. According to the offer, the digital addiction counseling for cannabis from DigiSucht is free of charge and allows contact to be made anonymously. The online counseling of mindzone is confidential, anonymous and free of charge. Chat appointments are booked through the platform, and requests are meant to be answered within 2 working days.

If you would rather talk than write, you can also call the Sucht & Drogen Hotline. It reaches specialists for questions about addiction and drugs, without you having to travel to a service. The article Is there telephone counseling for cannabis? explains the options in more detail.

What to clarify locally

Counseling services in rural areas often work with few specialists and large catchment areas. For that reason, ask specifically about accessibility. These are the questions that help:

• How long does the trip take by bus or train, and is there a stop nearby?
• Are there outreach consultations in smaller towns in your region?
• Is a phone call or an online appointment possible as the first contact?
• How long do you usually wait for an appointment?

The article How long does it take to get a free appointment at addiction counseling? helps you with the question of waiting times.

Self-help and networks in the region

Alongside counseling services, there are self-help associations. The addiction help directory lists, for example, Kreuzbund, Anonyme Alkoholiker, Narcotics Anonymous and Blaues Kreuz. Some of these groups work with other substances, but they offer discussion groups that can help you share your experiences. Ask the counseling service whether it can put you in touch with contacts in your region.

When the journey is too far

Sometimes no service is within a reasonable distance. Then it helps to check the online services and to ask a service that offers appointments by video or chat. Whether a service also offers its counseling from a distance is only known once you ask. Write down who told you what, so you can compare your options.

Prevention and early help

If cannabis use stands out among friends or in the family, an anonymous online service can make the first step easier. According to the platform, DigiSucht is anonymous on request, and mindzone does not require an email address.

Emergencies in rural areas

Long distances do not change the emergency rule. In the case of respiratory arrest, unconsciousness, a seizure or cardiac arrest, call the emergency number 112 straight away. Call the emergency number immediately even if the nearest help is far away. The mindzone site describes first steps until help arrives.

Planning the journey and alternatives

Whether a counseling service is easy to reach depends on the distance and on the connections. Check the journey by public transport before you agree to an appointment. Changes and waiting times change the effort considerably.

If in-person counseling is too far away, ask whether an appointment by phone or video is possible. A specialist can then work out with you what the next step on site could look like.

Relatives should also ask this question when they are looking for help for another person. The article Is there anonymous counseling for relatives? lists further routes.

What you can do now

1. Search the DHS addiction help directory using your postal code and radius.
2. Check an online service as well, which works without travel.
3. Ask the service about accessibility, outreach consultations and waiting times.
4. Note the answers and compare your options.

For a first phone conversation, you can reach the Sucht & Drogen Hotline on 01806 313031. In an acute emergency, call 112.