Death By Overdose

Kristal – Grieving the Whole Person

Kristal discusses the importance of recognizing and grieving the entire person who was lost – not just who they were before they had been using drugs.

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.

Krista – “Changes”

Krista discussed what has changed since her son’s overdose. Krista continues to grieve the death of her son from opioid overdose.

Kate – My story

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

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.

Krista – “Dealing with it”

Krista tells about the differences people have in dealing with it. Krista continues to grieve the death of her son from opioid 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

What Does Grief Support Look Like?

When we experience significant, on-going symptoms of grief that interfere with our adjustment to the reality of our loss, it can be time to seek professional help. It can be difficult to know where to find help and what grief support options are available.

Kate – Getting support

Kate talks about how difficult it is to ask for support

Sarah K – Therapy helps

Sarah talks about how grief and trauma therapy has helped her in grief for her husbands death and how much trauma she was experiencing from his substance use disorders and entail health challenges

Christian – Grieving those who died of drug poisoning

Christian talks about grieving, stigma and dying from drug poisoning

Krista – “It feels good to get the anger out”

Krista talks about it feeling good to get the anger out. Krista continues to grieve the death of her son from opioid overdose.