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

Thatsa国际传媒檚 what Jasmine, a harm reduction HIV and Hepatitis C outreach worker with AVIsa国际传媒檚 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.

sa国际传媒淟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,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚 was travelling a lot through the States and Canadasa国际传媒� Eventually, I (found I) cansa国际传媒檛 dabble in a drug like opiates at all becausesa国际传媒� it kind of locked me in place in Vancouver. I couldnsa国际传媒檛 travel because I would end up getting sick.sa国际传媒�

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 partnersa国际传媒檚 family ended up tracking the pair down and moving them out east.

sa国际传媒淭he state we were in at the time, I didnsa国际传媒檛 have any ID, I had a dog, we couldnsa国际传媒檛 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,sa国际传媒� she explained. sa国际传媒淭he woman was a trooper, because we used all the way across. I know it was so distressing for her, but we didnsa国际传媒檛 feel at the time that not doing that was an option.

sa国际传媒淲e ended up kicking it in a farm in Sussex, New Brunswick. It was wild.sa国际传媒�

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 partnersa国际传媒檚 mother brought them to the hospital.

sa国际传媒淭here was a doctor theresa国际传媒� when I walked in the room he sat down and said sa国际传媒楯asmine itsa国际传媒檚 really nice to meet you. This is the best decision yousa国际传媒檝e made and Isa国际传媒檓 so looking forward to you becoming a part of my community,sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚 cansa国际传媒檛 tell yousa国际传媒� 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.

sa国际传媒淎 click happened and this belief in my self kind of happened. I realized sa国际传媒極K I can be a part of the community, even the doctor wants me here.sa国际传媒� We all know doctors are seen as some of the leaders of the communitysa国际传媒� it has been 13 years and that is still something that brings up emotions in me to this day.sa国际传媒�

Jasmine stayed in Sussex for two years after kicking her habit, learning how to be a person again. Her partnersa国际传媒檚 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.

sa国际传媒淚t has been a long journey,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 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 theysa国际传媒檙e living it, while theysa国际传媒檙e homeless, while theysa国际传媒檙e using and even after. Afterwards you have a hard time connecting with people, and thatsa国际传媒檚 what you need.

sa国际传媒淵ou need the connection ultimately to really thrive, and its really difficult to connect with people because you know that theresa国际传媒檚 a stigma to that.sa国际传媒�

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.

sa国际传媒淚 wouldnsa国际传媒檛 have told you this story three years ago,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淚 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.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 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.sa国际传媒�

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.

sa国际传媒淔or a lot of the people Isa国际传媒檝e worked with, part of what they were feeling is left behind,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淩each out to the people that you are connected to. Let them know that thatsa国际传媒檚 how you feel and have a conversation.sa国际传媒�

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.

sa国际传媒淐ompassion is so valuable. People donsa国际传媒檛 realize it. No matter what you say to somebody who is homeless or using drugs, itsa国际传媒檚 never going to be as bad as the way they feel about themselves. Theysa国际传媒檙e being told little tidbits of that every day anyway,sa国际传媒� she added.

sa国际传媒淚 wish Isa国际传媒檇 known that being somebody who used drugs didnsa国际传媒檛 make me subhuman.sa国际传媒�

For more news from Vancouver Island and beyond delivered daily into your inbox, please