Mission Failure: Why do missions fail?

Missions fail for all sorts of reasons.

Communication breakdown

Whether we like it or not, our parents, caregivers, significant others and even our friends worry about us when we go missing. This doesn’t mean you have to let people know where you are EVERY minute of the night, but it is very important that you don’t worry people by going AWOL. Once again you don’t want to be the person who ruins your friend’s night by getting lost or losing communication.

Communication in terms of physical relationships is vital too. Compromise is a great skill to have, and to use in your relationships with other people, BUT compromising should never leave you in a position where you feel vulnerable.

Remember:

• It is against the law to have sex with someone who doesn’t also want to have sex with you.
• You NEVER have to do anything you don’t feel comfortable about.

Click here for more Intel on the whole sex thing

Lack of support services/resources

When you are faced with tough situations it can be hard to know who to call or what to do. Therefore the more research and preparation you do beforehand to develop a contingency plan, will mean you are more likely to make better decisions if, or when you are under pressure.

Research does not always mean reading lots of stuff, the websites and links that we have given you are fun, easy-to read and their messages are relevant to your party season. When you have the facts yourself and don’t have to rely on others, you will travel much better.

Enemy snipers

When you are out on a mission, you may come across the enemy who tries to sabotage your mission buy supplying you with, or selling you drugs or alcohol. They are not your friends… they are in it to make money.

For the low down on the legal consequences of buying or selling alcohol or other drugs have a look at: http://www.lawstuff.org.au/

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)

People who have a family history of mental illness are at higher risk of developing a mental health problem if they use drugs. Also, research tells us that young people who begin using drugs at an early age are at a higher risk of mental health problems and that using more than one drug at a time (mixing) increases the possibility of developing a mental health problem (don’t forget that alcohol is a drug too). So all in all …… drugs can mess with your head.

Emergency Evacuation

One of the scariest things that can happen on a big night is watching somebody collapse. This can happen for a whole lot of reasons, including too much alcohol, using other drugs or getting caught up in physical drama and fights. It can be intense, stressful and scary, and often when it happens it’s difficult to know what to do… BUT it is essential to stay calm, breathe, and call for help.

If someone collapsed at school or work in front of you, you would always call an ambulance. So, why is it any different at a party? Usually because people are afraid of getting into trouble. But it’s essential to call an ambulance if somebody becomes unconscious - regardless of what they have been doing. Ambulance officers are NOT police and unless they themselves are at risk of physical harm, or the person dies, they are not required to call the police. Their first priority is to help and to get people to hospital.

Really good first aid and CPR instructions:

If you have a friend who becomes unconscious, it is really important that you give the ambulance officer all the info about what he/she has been doing including any drugs that may have been taken. You don’t want to remember your big night for all the wrong reasons; you want to have good memories!

The number to call for an ambulance is 000 and 112 from mobiles.

Imagine if you were in trouble, would people be able to find your family contacts in your phone? How your contacts are arranged will impact on how fast emergency services can contact your family. It’s a good idea to keep it simple…Mum / Dad / Home etc.

On a similar note, imagine if you were ill and needed to be taken to hospital…..BUT had been using a fake ID. Think about how carrying a fake ID might impact an ambo being able to get in touch with your family, or how the doctors in the Emergency Department would find out who you are.