Of all the hurdles people dealing with and recovering from addiction have to face, the most difficult is the stigma.

That91裸聊视频檚 what Jasmine, a harm reduction HIV and Hepatitis C outreach worker with AVI91裸聊视频檚 Campbell River office has discovered.

Jasmine, who did not want her last name used in this story, has a history of drug addiction and homelessness. Through her long difficult journey she found that the stigma and othering that people feel towards addicts is the most difficult thing to overcome.

In her experience, it is people who do the exact opposite and treat each other like human beings who make the real difference.

Jasmine started using drugs in high school, though at the time her use was more about partying and having a good time. Eventually, she ended up encountering heroin, which changed everything.

91裸聊视频淟ong story short, eventually me and heroin, our paths crossed and that was kind of like I found the one for me. It was the ultimate relief,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 was travelling a lot through the States and Canada91裸聊视频� Eventually, I (found I) can91裸聊视频檛 dabble in a drug like opiates at all because91裸聊视频� it kind of locked me in place in Vancouver. I couldn91裸聊视频檛 travel because I would end up getting sick.91裸聊视频�

After a few years, Jasmine found herself living in a tent on one of the main streets of downtown Vancouver with winter fast approaching. At the time she lived with a partner, and her partner91裸聊视频檚 family ended up tracking the pair down and moving them out east.

91裸聊视频淭he state we were in at the time, I didn91裸聊视频檛 have any ID, I had a dog, we couldn91裸聊视频檛 just jump on a plane or jump on a bus. His mother flew to Vancouver and rented a van and drove us to New Brunswick,91裸聊视频� she explained. 91裸聊视频淭he woman was a trooper, because we used all the way across. I know it was so distressing for her, but we didn91裸聊视频檛 feel at the time that not doing that was an option.

91裸聊视频淲e ended up kicking it in a farm in Sussex, New Brunswick. It was wild.91裸聊视频�

Jasmine and her partner recovered at the farm, but recovery from opiates is one of the most difficult things a person can do. Eventually, her partner91裸聊视频檚 mother brought them to the hospital.

91裸聊视频淭here was a doctor there91裸聊视频� when I walked in the room he sat down and said 91裸聊视频楯asmine it91裸聊视频檚 really nice to meet you. This is the best decision you91裸聊视频檝e made and I91裸聊视频檓 so looking forward to you becoming a part of my community,91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 can91裸聊视频檛 tell you91裸聊视频� the emotions that that brought up, just having a doctor be kind and welcoming me to his community and like saying that he was looking forward to it.

91裸聊视频淎 click happened and this belief in my self kind of happened. I realized 91裸聊视频極K I can be a part of the community, even the doctor wants me here.91裸聊视频� We all know doctors are seen as some of the leaders of the community91裸聊视频� it has been 13 years and that is still something that brings up emotions in me to this day.91裸聊视频�

Jasmine stayed in Sussex for two years after kicking her habit, learning how to be a person again. Her partner91裸聊视频檚 family had no judgments, and helped her learn certain social norms and rules. After a while she returned to B.C. and started building a life here again.

91裸聊视频淚t has been a long journey,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a lot of emotional stuff you have to deal with. My belief is that stigma is by far the most damaging thing to people, especially while they91裸聊视频檙e living it, while they91裸聊视频檙e homeless, while they91裸聊视频檙e using and even after. Afterwards you have a hard time connecting with people, and that91裸聊视频檚 what you need.

91裸聊视频淵ou need the connection ultimately to really thrive, and its really difficult to connect with people because you know that there91裸聊视频檚 a stigma to that.91裸聊视频�

After a few years of living in B.C., Jasmine got news that her partner with whom she had travelled to New Brunswick had died of an overdose. She became determined to be a part of the solution and started working with AVI, which works to break down barriers and stigma for people like Jasmine.

Through her work, Jasmine found a community that did not judge the life she used to live, and that built her confidence.

91裸聊视频淚 wouldn91裸聊视频檛 have told you this story three years ago,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 would have been absolutely terrified that you would have judged me, and now through these groups I found the empowerment of wanting to break through that wall of stigma more than being worried about being stigmatized.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 incredibly empowering to not see the life that I lived as a shameful part of my life, but just a part of my life. And also to be told that having the knowledge of that lifestyle is valuable, that is something that allows me to bring better understanding to the work I do now.91裸聊视频�

Since the pandemic started, Jasmine said her clients at AVI have reported feeling left behind. Things were closing, businesses were shutting down and services still have not come back to the place they were a year ago. While many people have been able to cope with the changes in some way, those most vulnerable members of the community were left out in the cold.

91裸聊视频淔or a lot of the people I91裸聊视频檝e worked with, part of what they were feeling is left behind,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淩each out to the people that you are connected to. Let them know that that91裸聊视频檚 how you feel and have a conversation.91裸聊视频�

People who are living outside, living with addictions or are recovering from addictions are no less members of the community, and no less deserving of compassion.

91裸聊视频淐ompassion is so valuable. People don91裸聊视频檛 realize it. No matter what you say to somebody who is homeless or using drugs, it91裸聊视频檚 never going to be as bad as the way they feel about themselves. They91裸聊视频檙e being told little tidbits of that every day anyway,91裸聊视频� she added.

91裸聊视频淚 wish I91裸聊视频檇 known that being somebody who used drugs didn91裸聊视频檛 make me subhuman.91裸聊视频�

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