University of Lethbridge
Voices of addiction : an analysis of the lives of individuals living with addiction in Western Canada
Abstract
This research focuses on individuals living with drug usage in a small, western Canadian town amidst the opioid crisis. The opioid crisis has reached a record high in regards to morbidity and mortality. It has become more than a crisis of opioids or narcotics. It is a massive, complex, and multifaceted public health issue which has percolated to the very bedrock of our society. Oral history narratives were collected in order to gain a deeper understanding of the circumstances and experiences which profoundly impacted the lives of these individuals and contributed to their drug usage. Eight life histories were collected at a local harm reduction clinic from 2018 to 2020. Utilizing the methodology of Oral History helped to facilitate meaningful and insightful conversation. This research proved to be valuable in contributing to the discourse surrounding individuals living with drug usage; their stories, their struggles, and their successes.
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Authors
-
- Forster, Hannah Leigh
- University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science
Subjects
dc:subject × 40- drug addiction
- opioid overdose
- opioid crisis
- drug abuse
- narcotics
- Southern Alberta
- SCS
- supervised consumption site
- ARCHES
- harm reduction
- naloxone
- Narcan
- oral history
- oral narrative
- life history
- intergenerational trauma
- abuse
- ACE index
- indigenous
- Kleinman
- voices
- addiction
- addict
- drug addict
- IVDU
- PWID
- ILDU
- Drug abusers -- Alberta -- Lethbridge -- Case studies
- Opioid abuse
- Marginality, Social -- Alberta, Southern
- Intergenerational relations -- Psychological aspects
- Psychic trauma in children
- Psychic trauma in adolescence
- Colonization -- Psychological aspects
- Life change events
- Racism -- Alberta, Southern
- Southern Alberta -- Race relations
- Substance abuse treatment facilities -- Alberta -- Lethbridge
- Drug abuse -- Etiology
- Dissertations, Academic
Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- Identifier
- hdl:10133/5746
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:opus.uleth.ca:10133/5746