By Liam Verster

National Addiction Awareness Week

Education, accessing resources key focuses of Addiction Awareness Week in Grande Prairie

Nov 25, 2020 | 5:05 PM

National Addiction Awareness Week runs from November 23-28, and organizations in Grande Prairie are using the week to promote available supports and services, educate the public and erase the stigma.

Alberta Health Services’ Community Addictive Services Administrator, Korie-Lyn Northey, says addiction is a mental health problem that comes in many forms, including through addictions to caffeine, gambling, alcohol, tobacco and illicit substances.

She says there are lot of people struggling with their addictions, and they face many barriers in trying to break the cycle, with the biggest one being the stigma that exists around addiction.

“Our words matter. We want people to choose them wisely. Substance use disorder is a health condition, it can be treated successfully,” says Northey.

“Let’s all do our part in reducing the stigma. We’re trying to get people to use the words ‘substance use disorder’ and ‘people who use substances,’ and we hope that people commit to making this change in their language.”

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She says while it may be difficult for some to make this change, in the long run it will make it easier for those suffering from addiction to reach out for assistance and get the help they need.

Northey adds there are many resources that people can access online at the My Health and AHS websites, and that in-person supports and services are available at the AHS Addiction and Mental Health office in the Aberdeen Centre.

She adds that people can also contact the Integrated Crisis Access Team by calling 587-259-5513 to access supports, or the confidential Addictions Helpline at 1-866-332-2322.

Meanwhile, some hands-on approaches are being undertaken to educate the public on signs of overdoses and how to save someone when it happens.

Northreach Society offered two presentations, a Naloxone training event, and a substance awareness and harm reduction presentation.

Lindsay Loset, Community Based Health and STB Manager for Northreach, says both presentations, which were done virtually, focused on making people feel more compassionate and de-stigmatizing substance use, so that they can be better equipped to help someone battling addiction.

Northreach will be using it’s social media platforms to help raise awareness of the struggles of addiction and the services available over the rest of National Addiction Awareness Week, and though there aren’t any plans to hold any more presentations, Loset says there are still training opportunities.

“At any point of time if an individual or a business or an agency wants [Naloxone] training, please reach out to us,” says Loset.

“You can message us on Facebook, give us a call at 780-538-3388, or go to our website and send us an email, and then we can provide that training virtually again.

Statistics from the Alberta Government show there were 26 opioid- related deaths in Grande Prairie in 2019. So far, between January and June of this year, there has been 10 deaths linked to accidental opioid poisonings in Grande Prairie. Loset says it’s important for people to be educated on how to combat these deaths.

Naloxone, which can be picked up at Northreach or at a pharmacy, is used to combat opioid overdoses, which happen as the drugs decreases the heart rate, circulation and breathing rate of the individual until their body shuts down.

The resulting symptoms tend to be shallow breathing; pale grey-blue fingertips and nails and lips; and typically the body goes limp.

Loset says if the individual is not responsive, then Naloxone should be administered and 911 should be called. Loset adds that, under the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, the person who calls to report an overdose will be protected.

“Sometimes people are scared of calling 911 because they are usually participating in an illegal act while using street drugs and they don’t want the police to show up. However, there’s the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, so if you are responding to an overdose, or you yourself are overdosing and the police come and you have a small amount of illegal substances on your person, you can’t be charged for that.”

She adds that this encourages people to call 911 and get medical attention as soon as possible, while not delaying because they are scared of being arrested.