KRISTY

Kristy is a mother and a strong, compassionate harm-reduction worker. She’s also recovering from opioid use and her father’s death from his own addiction. Kristy continues to battle grief, judgment, and anger. When Kristy is stigmatized for substance use, it brings back the sense of weakness, making treatment tougher and more isolating. As she says, she “feels powerless.”

“People are mean, and I really think they need to take a step back and look at the whole picture. No one wakes up one morning and wants to be an addict. Nobody.” – Kristy

Jay

Jay is a chemical engineer, world traveller, and loving son. When his mother died, Jay started using substances to cope with his grief and the loss. When Jay is stigmatized for substance use, he feels small, making him less likely to seek help and much-needed connection. He wants to be treated like the adult he is. As he says, “It’s like you’re nothing.”

“People need to start treating people like people instead of looking at them like what they think they are.” – Jay