What might we learn if we listened?

Image by Couleur: Pixabay

Nobody knows the challenges of getting out from under harmful substance use like someone who has actually done it. The third event in the Peers Victoria speaker series on the toxic drug crisis brought together a powerful panel of six past and present substance users to talk about their journeys with frankness, wisdom and so much insight. (I was the lead organizer of the series.)

But while we've got a complete video of the event, it's a rare devotee of the subject who would watch the whole thing, clocking in at over two hours. So I made a "greatest hits" compilation, if you will - 40 minutes all in, with clips reordered and with a bit of categorization that helps bring more focus to the panelists' comments. 

Here it is for your viewing pleasure. If you have people in your circle who are still saying stupid nonsense about substance users not wanting recovery sufficiently or being content to exist in a state of oblivion, please share it with them. 

What kind of systems for substance disorders might we have if we just listened to the people who have already been through this toughest of life challenges? 

As these six voices remind us, of course, we would be foolish to just listen to ONE voice when designing approaches (Marshall Smith, you're on my mind). The path to healing is so very distinct and different for each person, and the underlying pain and trauma that lead up to harmful substance use are highly individual as well. But if we genuinely wanted to address this crisis, the experts are all around us.