Addiction recovery centres in the City of Calgary set up booths along Memorial Drive on Sunday to help raise awareness and support for people struggling with addiction.
The one of the goals of the 6th Annual Recovery Day is to give people the skills necessary to help out if necessary.
“Today, we're educating people on how to use naloxone and what to do in the event of an overdose. We want to make sure we are keeping people safe and alive, allowing them the opportunity to have another day and find the path to recovery,” said Rosalind Davis with Change the Face of Addiction.
Davis says another goal of the event is to dispel the stigma associated with drug addiction.
“There's so much shame and stigma around substance use and that’s heartbreaking,” she said. “You should feel safe going to your doctor or loved one and saying ‘I’m not okay and I need some assistance’ and we haven't created a society that does that.”
Sheldon Bailey says he had a corporate job in the City of Calgary and issues in his personal life played a big part in his path to drugs.
“I lost the million dollar home, I lost the relationship, I lost everything and in the end, I lost hope.”
He says that his story isn’t the only one about addiction in the corporate world.
“Not a lot of people in the corporate world are coming forward. I don’t hear a lot of voices out of that world. I have come into recovery and I work with anyone and everyone.”
He says that all too often, when careers end up failing, hope ends up failing too.
“Career brings purpose and purpose brings hope. I know a lot of people personally who are struggling with that right now and it does affect their alcoholism or addiction issues.”
Bailey says that getting out of addiction is a challenge and supports need to be in place to provide help where it’s needed.
“I consider myself to be lucky. I’ve shown a level of resilience that comes truly from the work of the programs that I’ve worked to get me to where I am today but, in reality, people are dying.”
Lisa Simone, with the Fresh Start Recovery Centre, says there is a crisis situation on right now when it comes to opioids.
“I think we are in pandemic situation, we need more beds, we need more funding and people need to get well.”
She adds that addiction isn’t something that anyone can fight alone and that’s where organizations like hers come in.
“Addiction is a disease we cannot fight alone, we have to do it ourselves, but we cannot fight it alone. There are many people that can help transition and support you to get well.”
September is National Recovery Month and is aimed at increasing understanding of mental and substance abuse disorders.
(With files from Ina Sidhu)
