Interior Health is working to change the way Canadians talk about substance use.
Corinne Dolman is the Director of Substance Use at Interior Health.
She told AM1150’s Early Edition people who use alone are at a higher risk of a fatal overdose.
“The reason that people use alone, is because of stigma. So I really feel that, after the contaminated drug supply, it is stigma that is really driving the overdose health emergency that we are currently facing in our province.”
On average there was a fatal overdose every two hours in Canada last year.
According to Dolman, de-stigmatizing illicit drug use will encourage people to seek help because people who use alone are usually trying to avoid stigma and shame.
“They're legitimately concerned about how people will perceive that in their life, how their family members will react, as well as there are concerns about employment. I know for women there are concerns, and men, about child care and losing their children and those kinds of real issues.”
Dolman said even terms like 'getting clean' can imply a person is dirty and therefore bring about shame.
Canadians need to change their dialogue and view it as a serious health condition, not as a social problem, said Dolman.
She explained, addiction often comes out of disconnection and is a more complex issue than just pain.
“I just think as a community we need to change the way that we talk about substance use that really will encourage people to seek help. If people don’t seek help, then they’re not going to get well and they’re going to be at risk of overdose and death in lots of situations,” said Dolman.
Last year over 4,300 people died of an overdose in Canada.