Ben wants others to know that people with opioid use disorder are not “bad,” addiction can happen to anyone, and managing control is possible.
Ben was the youngest of five children in a busy household when he was growing up. His grandparents lived in the apartment above the convenience store his parents ran. Family was always nearby, food was always on the table, and it was a very loving household. Everyone had to take weekly shifts in the shop, get good grades, and attend College or University.
‘When I was 17, my friends started hanging around the shop with me, and that was the beginning of my experience with opioids and fentanyl. I started taking money out of the cash register so we could party after work. By 18, I was taking money every day, and I knew it was only a matter of time before my parents caught me. I was missing school and hanging out with a crowd who were experimenting with drugs regularly. Fentanyl became my drug of choice, and I was hooked.’
Ben recounts, ‘I will never forget the day my Nanny came into my room and found me passed out. She sat on my bed until I came to and confronted me. I wasn’t ready to have this discussion; I didn’t think I was an addict. It wasn’t until I lost one of my close friends to an overdose that reality set in.’
‘I lived in Niagara and knew I needed help. My not-very tech-savvy Nanny had already done some research but waited until I was ready to take control. We went to Segue Clinic together, and she held my hand as I took the first step towards my future. At 20 years old, I am in recovery and still using, but thanks to the Segue program, I am in control. I know I need Segue to maintain my power and my life. Today, I am working full-time and will go to University in the Fall. I have lived a lot of life in my 20 years and want to have a long, healthy life ahead of me.’
‘Thank you to all at Segue for making me feel comfortable and giving me the tools and confidence to move forward.’