Drug Poisoning and the Pandemic

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.

Kate – COVID and grieving with my parents

Kate shares about how COVID was stress on top of dealing with the loss of her brother

Kate – Stigma

Kate discusses how difficult the stigma is to deal with

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.

Laura- Loss to Covid & Disconnection

Nicole – Working in Community Outreach

Nicole discusses her work in community outreach and how she has lived experience with addiction and living rough.

Kate – Getting support

Kate talks about how difficult it is to ask for support

Kate – Miracle baby

Kate shares about her brothers daughter being born after he had died

Kate – My story

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

Christian – Grieving spaces

Christian talks grieving spaces and people coming together when grieving

Kate – Things I do that help

Kate talks about how art, hiking and visiting the cemetery can be very therapeutic