By Spencer Sterritt

MLA says stigma about addictions must end to solve overdose crisis

Aug 24, 2017 | 10:31 PM

NANAIMO — B.C.’s new mental health and addictions minister says of the many barriers facing those suffering with mental health issues and addictions, the stigma of being an addict is the most sizable.

MLA Judy Darcy visited Nanaimo Thursday as part of a tour meeting front line workers, stopping at the Snuneymuxw First Nation health centre, facilities in Brooks Landing and the overdose prevention site.

“These are our loved ones,” she told NanaimoNewsNOW about those who pass away from overdoses. “Every person who’s died in the overdose crisis has a family or friends who love them. Every single life is a tragedy, we can’t allow this to become normalized.”

She said one in five families is living with mental health issues and there’s an “enormous” number of families affected by addictions issues.

“I haven’t run into anyone who doesn’t have a family member affected by mental health or addictions. Yes, some of them are people who are living on the streets but it’s also middle-class professionals, people in rural communities, it’s people from all walks of life.”

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While visiting with Snuneymuxw First Nation health staff, Darcy said she heard an inspiring story of a young man who spiralled into addictions but has turned a corner.

“Through the help of his community and a cultural ceremony that brought his family and community together…he’s now back at school, has a job, is involved with sports and he has a pathway to hope.”

Not every story she heard has a happy ending however.

Darcy said for every story of success, there’s one of people struggling to get off the streets and re-assemble their life, from finding housing to getting new ID.

“I heard some wonderful stories about success and I heard heartbreaking stories. It’s really from one spectrum to the other.”

Nanaimo is the latest stop on Darcy’s tour.

She said in every community she’s visited, the response from healthcare workers is B.C.’s system is broken.

“They’re telling me we have a fragmented, uncoordinated system and we need to change that. They’re telling me people have to wait weeks or months to get treatment and to get support, whether it’s for mental health addictions or other illnesses. We need to get to a place where if you ask once, you get help fast.”

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit