A teenager’s incredible transformation from severe addiction to advocacy and youth education.
From the depths of an alcohol and opioid addiction to becoming a youth educator and Indigenous relations executive across multiple organizations, A is an inspiration.
She is also only 17 years old.
In her early teens, A suffered from severe mental health issues. Part of this came from intergenerational trauma stemming from the abuses of Canada’s residential school system. At age 14, she was raiding her older brother’s alcohol stash to self-medicate. She ended up in an addiction centre. There, she met someone who introduced her to cheap, readily available hydromorphone pills.
I didn’t think I would become addicted at 15, but I did just by trying it once,” says A. “It can really happen to anybody, whether it’s someone who is using drugs to cope with their pain, like I did, or someone who got introduced to drugs through partying.
She suffered an overdose when she was 16. Luckily, someone was able to administer naloxone, giving first responders enough time to save A’s life.
“I couldn’t believe I got to this place of using opioids—it just all happened kind of fast,” she says. “All my relationships were messed up. That’s when I realized I wanted to change.”
And change she did. A mustered the willpower and drive to seek out resources in her community. Through outpatient services, the support of a close sister, and finding purpose in volunteering, she found sobriety and a purpose to help others overcome similar challenges.
“My life is centered around helping people—using my story to help people feel less alone,” she explains. “I’m grateful that I was given another chance to make it this far and stay compassionate and loving towards others. It heals me to help other people the way I wish I could have been helped when I was younger.”
Today, she is a youth educator and aims to study clinical psychology in university. She has a passion for illuminating the challenges and stigma faced by Indigenous people, and the links of trauma and mental health with substance abuse. In these pursuits, she writes research papers, organizes donation drives, does presentations, and liaises with Indigenous organizations.
Her message to anyone suffering is: “There is a life you can build beyond all your trauma and pain. There’s a place you can go to heal it.