International Overdose Awareness Day, August 31
To recognize International Overdose Awareness Day, the Substance Use Service (SUS) team will be hosting a booth in the Peter Gilgan Atrium from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Friday, August 30, ready to chat about peer support and the SUS clinic at WCH. You can also find them on Saturday, August 31, the official day of International Overdose Awareness Day, at Barbara Hall Park from 1 – 4 p.m. alongside many other organizations also promoting overdose awareness.
Meet Walker
By Walker Akhlaghi
My name is Walker (she/her) and I’m a Peer Support Worker at Women’s College Hospital in the Substance Use Service clinic, on behalf of The Krasman Centre. Peer support refers to services provided by and for people who have similar lived experiences in whichever setting they’re in. In this specific instance, I have extensive experience in addictions and mental health, having struggled with my own substance use challenges and working towards getting to a place where it feels safer and more manageable.
My experience in the Substance Use Service Clinic has been extremely profound and eye-opening so far. Everyday I learn something new, I was completely unaware of all the resources that are available for substance users until I started working here, that I really wish I knew when I was in the pit of my addictions. I’ve been told by numerous clinical workers “I can’t help you if you don’t quit using substances”, and it contributed to my reluctance to reach out for help when I needed it the most. Knowing that there are healthcare providers who understand the complexities of substance use and are willing to work with individuals, without requiring that they abstain from using in order to receive support, are some of the fundamental values of peer support. In my opinion, it helps to break down the barriers and intimidation that comes with accessing services in institutional settings and to meet folk where they are at in their mental health and wellness journeys.
As for what I do here at WCH, I see myself as the non-clinical member of the team that is able to provide emotional and social support to peers, addictions and mental health resources, and a lens that is different to my colleagues. I also create and manage the harm reduction kits we have within our clinic, which are meant to encourage safer substance use by providing clean and sterile supplies to those who need them.
I try to remind both colleagues and peers that I am not an individual who carries a clinical viewpoint, and I am not any different than those who come to our clinic. I am merely a person who was once in the shoes of active addiction, whose goal is to allow peers to feel as though they are not judged or alone. I want them to know that their journey is not something they have to tackle by themselves. Having peer support available, especially in vulnerable settings, is extremely crucial. It’s been proven to reduce substance use, reduce experiences of psychosis and depression, increase social support, increase the ability to cope with stress, and increase the ability to communicate with healthcare professionals.
I am extremely grateful to be able to provide the kinds of support I could’ve used in my active addiction. One of my favorite things to hear from peers is that they feel comfortable talking to me because they’re speaking to someone “who gets it”. That reminds me of the importance of peer support, and I truly hope that having peer supporters available will eventually become the standard in settings that support people who use substances.