God why me?
By: Joanne Helm On a very cold day this year, I came home from work, sat on my bed with tears in my eyes, and asked God: why me? Believe it or not a voice in my head boomed out: why not you Joanne? Like many of you, I took my child’s mental illness,...
My Journey with My Son
By: A Toronto Mother We started noticing a change in our son at 14. The checkboxes for mental health red flags we are instructed to look for in our children were all there: School refusal? Check. Self-isolation? Check. Excessive sleeping? Check. Decline in...
The Case for Common Sense
By: Kathryn Eve When I was a teen, I developed a real problem with alcohol and drugs right out of the gate. My experience with addiction was fast and furious. It quickly went from being fun to just problems. Of course, I didn’t see my substance use that way. I...
A Funeral March for Change
By: Angie Hamilton, Executive Director, Families for Addiction Recovery Angie Hamilton (left) and Irene Reilly-Paterson (right) It’s April 16 - the National Day of Action on the Overdose Crisis 2019. On arriving at Queen’s Park, I’m offered a...
A Failure of Caring; My Son’s Death
Addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disease that kills thousands of people yearly. Our son, Ian Maude, died of this disease at 32. Ian died because despite the loss of life and huge societal costs of this disease, it is not taught in our medical schools. He died...
Our Journey with Myles
Myles was an intelligent, talented and caring young person. He loved learning and was an honor roll student. He was an active member in his school’s jazz band, concert band and choir, as well as being involved in many other extra-curricular activities. He loved...
Our Journey With Matthew
At the age of 12, our son Matthew was diagnosed with depression. He was suffering from suicidal thoughts and was admitted on more than one occasion to the adolescent psychiatric ward. Matthew was prescribed different medications for his depression. In addition to...
Our Journey with Chloe
Chloe, our daughter, is 17. Chloe has been suffering with depression and anxiety for the last 7 years.
Twenty-One Year Old Writes Minister Philpott; Asks for Action to Save Peers
August, 2016 Dear Minister Philpott, I know the odds of you actually reading this letter are slim but it’s worth a try. Not for me, but for the countless teenagers and families of adults across the province of Ontario. As a general practitioner, I’m quite...
My Son Todd’s Last Days
By: Donna White My son Todd became addicted to OxyContin a few years ago after a break up, when he was severely depressed. After the formula was changed to make OxyContin tamper proof he became addicted to fentanyl. Fentanyl is very expensive and he started stealing...