Death By Overdose

Nicole – Stigma Surrounding Drug Use

Nicole discusses how the stigma around drug use has an impact on how people feel able to grieve when those in their community are lost.

Kate – Stigma

Kate discusses how difficult the stigma is to deal with

Thoughts on International Overdose Awareness Day 2023

We lead multifaceted lives, and the deaths of those we love who have died by drug poisoning contain multitudes. The death of a loved one can bring intense grief, shock, anger, shame, or guilt. People who use drugs, and those who love them that they leave behind, face stigma in North America’s dominant, settler culture.

Kristal – Professional Experience and Work

Kristal discusses being a peer support woker, working on a one on one level with community members to help them with their goals related to substance abuse. She supports those in the community dealing with loss and grief. She speaks to everyone’s experience with loss and grief being very individual.

Krista – “Grief counselling helps”

Krista talks about how a listening ear has helped her. Krista continues to grieve the death of her son from opioid overdose.

Kristal – Harm Reduction

Kristal speaks to the importance of harm reduction and how it can save lives. She discusses how accessing harm reduction leads to the creation of connections with community support. It allows community outreach members to connect with community members and get to know them, and to know to look for them if they don’t see them when they usually do.

Christian – “Stigma of opioid death”

Christian talks about the social acceptance of an opioid overdose.

Kate – My story

Kate tells her story of being away when her brother died of an opioid overdose

Christian – Autonomy for the homeless

Christian discusses those who are unhoused and how they want a space that is theirs and how we need to take that seriously especially when it comes to grief

Kate – Advice to my younger self

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

Krista – “The way I dealt with shame”

Krista talks about confronting shame head on. Krista continues to grieve the death of her son from opioid overdose.