After her daughter’s death, a First Nations nurse practitioner and addiction specialist rallies against stigma.
Neither Connie nor her family use opioids or use drugs recreationally. Yet the enormity and complexity of the opioid crisis still casts a long shadow on her life.
Her background is in healthcare, with a speciality in managing mental health, addiction and related treatments for several organizations in Ontario. She has a unique skill set in being able to identify some of the complicating factors that impact care for people struggling with opioid dependency.
The factor at the top of Connie’s list is stigma.
“I find there’s a lack of understanding,” says Connie. “These are real people, who are in trouble, and need help. One of the root causes of misusing opioids comes down to childhood trauma.” She explains that those struggling with mental health can be at risk for becoming dependent on opioids.
But stigma, as Connie explains, can eclipse mental health complexity and lead friends, family, even care providers, to dismiss opioid dependency as ‘drug seeking behaviour.’ Preconceived notions that drug addicts are lesser-than puts everyone at risk. Not only from being exposed to today’s toxic street drug supply, but from many other, less obvious angles too.
Connie’s example is deeply personal and revolves around her daughter’s experience. “We’re Ojibwe First Nation,” says Connie. “There’s a stigma just around being First Nation. She had a rare blood disorder, and for over five years, she had excellent health care. But she also experienced stigma and racism, related in part to an opioid prescription.”
In 2022, her daughter passed away at home from multiple health complications at the age of 31. But Connie maintains that “The cause of her death was stigma.” In honour of her daughter—who she describes as an absolute people magnet who would, as a deeply ill patient, comfort nurses when they were having a bad day—Connie has spearheaded the Crystal Clear Code of Conduct. It is a comprehensive anti-stigma and anti-racism policy for all people, aiming to help create opportunities to building trust in the healthcare system. She hopes this will bring positive change and work towards eroding the stigma her family encountered.