Death By Overdose

Kate – Trust and listening

Kate – explains how having someone you trust is super important so that you can have a space space to go to

Sarah K – Coping

Sarah discusses how she copes with this unbelievably painful loss

Krista – “Opioids and Mental Illness”

Krista talks about opioids and mental health. Krista continues to grieve the death of her son from opioid overdose.

Sarah K – Talking to my kids

Sarah discusses the challenges of discussing her kids about their Dad;s death to heroin and helping them on their journey through grief

Kristal – Story of Lived Experience

Kristal discusses experiencing homelessness at multiple stages of her life and how that informs her work as a peer support worker. It gives her an understanding of the nuance that surrounds the community. She uses this experience to support people who are experiencing grief related to death from drug poisoning.

Krista – “Mental illness and self medicating”

Krista talks about mental health and self medicating. Krista continues to grieve the death of her son from opioid overdose.

Kate – Advice to my younger self

Kate explains things being authentic and honest to herself has been very valuable

Weathering the Intense Emotions of Grief

Grief often comes with powerful, unpredictable emotional shifts that can be painful to experience. While it’s important to find ways to sit with these feelings, to acknowledge the pain of grief and accept loss, it’s also necessary to find ways to ease and manage the pain. There are several simple activities that you can explore to help.

Kristal – The Value of all Those Lost

Kristal emphasizes that the lives of those lost to drug poisoning had value, they were an opportunity that was lost, and that the community is missing so much in their absence.

Sarah K – Story

Sarah tells the story of her husbands death to a heroin overdose.

Krista – “Range of emotions”

Krista talks about the journey towards acceptance.

Kristal – Poetry, Comedy, & Art for Grieving

Kristal discusses using poetry and other forms of creative expression as a distraction from her grief and to disassociate in a safe and productive way. She discusses grief being love with nowhere to go, so she puts it into art.