I first sought out an ADHD diagnosis when I was 23, and the psychiatrist told me, “No, actually you just have the learning capacity of a 16-year-old due to your drug addiction.” Yikes. It took me a couple of years to wrestle with that message – to make sure I rejected it on a deep level – before I tried again with another doctor. And boom, I was right: my ADHD scored off the charts. No wonder amphetamines help my brain feel regulated.

Dr Lachlan McPhail, psychiatrist with the Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network, has expertise in helping people who want to reduce or stop their drug use to manage cravings and triggers. Here’s his top tips.