This week is National Addictions Awareness Week. I was honoured to be asked, by the Driftpile Maggie Willier Wellness Centre, to deliver the first day workshop on Addictions and Suicide.
This was fun with a great audience of community members. It was such an important topic as we know, particularly in First Nations communities, addictions is such a problematic issues. 
There is a definite increase in prescription drug abuse in the communities. Community members were provided with a great handout from the Drug Utilization Prevention and Promotion (DUPP) Project. There is some really great information in the handout. It explains how prescription drugs is becoming the "New Alcohol". That there are consequences in the community as a result of the misuse, The handout answered some questions, outlines different pills that are being misused but also talked about the necessity of awareness. It describes the Path to Spiritual Wellness as being:
1) Help change denial in your community.
2) Help share awareness of the problem and challenges we are facing.
3) Help create and participate in an action plan.
If you want this handout check with your local Health Centre to see if they can provide copies to your community.


In terms of Addictions and Suicide, we discussed many issues. There is a high rate of people who have died by suicide who were under the influence of Alcohol and/or Drugs including prescription pills. 
We talked about being able to:
1) ASK about Suicide
2) LISTEN to what they are going through
3) HELP them by using the resources around you, friend, family and professionals all can make a difference and be community supports

Here's their poster for the rest of the National Addictions Awareness Week.

If you are in the High Level area and need some training in Suicide Prevention and Intervention, these two workshops are great to have. 
The ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) is available on Monday and Tuesday, December 1 and 2nd, 2014.
Little Cub, Preventing Suicide in Aboriginal Children will be held on Wednesday, December 03, 2014.
The ASIST is a widely used training that helps ANYONE to learn the skills to help someone who might be at risk of suicide. 
Little Cub supports the idea that we need to address the issue of suicide in children under 12. It focuses on the protective and risk factors in helping a child.
If you have any questions you can message me or contact Liane at the number on the poster.
Please let others know about these workshops. The more people we have trained, the more helpers are available to prevent suicide. Thanks.