Let’s Be Better Humans

Almost 14,000 people have died since our province declared toxic drugs a public health emergency. 1-4-0-0-0. 14,000 people have died.

Even one death here is too many of our fellow humans. We can become better humans to, and for, other humans.

Back in 2016, when the public health emergency was first declared, I was someone who was struggling in life.

The short story is that I was drinking too much.

I was using alcohol to cope with the stress in my life.

2016 was a good year for me. It was the year I made the choice to quit drinking.

2006 was also a good year for me. It was the year I made the choice to quit smoking.

I know a thing or two about addictions.

Actually, I know a thing or two about mental health and addictions.

Recent (2024) news reports in British Columbia have indicated that we have just had the highest annual number of suspected toxic drug deaths ever recorded.

People are continuing to die because of mental health and addictions challenges.

Our chief coroner has called for a "systems change" that treats substance use as a health issue. We need to change the system.

People use substances or become dependent on substances because of pain, trauma, physical or mental health challenges.

I made the choice to address my mental health and addiction challenges. I was successful because of what came together within the systems I am part of.

You may not recognize it, but you play a role in the systems change that we need to address the mental health and addictions challenges in our province. You are part of the solution.

Your role is to become a better human to, and for, other humans.

Let’s be better humans.

Let’s be better humans in all aspects of our lives.

It is daunting and challenging work to be better humans. This requires us to embrace all of who we are, the light and the dark.

And as daunting as this may sound, it is simply impossible to avoid this work if you want to see change.

Reaching this level of systems change requires a focused and committed dedication as well as tremendous courage to do the internal work that many individuals resist or perhaps don’t even realize is required.

I offer you two concepts to consider. These concepts have been instrumental to me in my journey of becoming a better human.

The first concept is the Goddess of Never Not Broken, and the other is the concept of abandoning hope.

The Goddess of Never Not Broken is a goddess in India within Hinduism.

As someone who has experienced mental health and addictions challenges, I have felt broken and have struggled with shame.

Shame is an intensely painful feeling we experience when we believe that we are flawed.

We all struggle with shame, whether you have mental health and addictions challenges or not.

The Goddess of Never Not Broken derives her power from being broken. And it’s because she is able to break apart that she is so powerful.

We are never not broken, and that is okay. It is okay to be broken. We are never not broken.

Our power comes from breaking apart and putting ourselves together again, and again, as many times as we need to.

The concept of the Goddess of Never Not Broken can help us to keep going even when we may feel broken or are experiencing shame.

The second concept is the concept of abandoning hope. I have come to embrace this paradox.

To me, abandoning hope is about creating action. Action to change. Action to systems change.

You may be familiar with Dante’s Devine Comedy?

A best know quote is “Abandon all hope, ye who enter”, which is engraved above the Gate of Hell, which one must pass through to begin their descent into Hell and their journey, ultimately, to Heaven.

In a sense, living with mental health and addictions challenges is a bit like being in Hell. It’s a struggle.

And it’s a great starting place.

We can all hit bottom, whether you have mental health and addictions challenges or not.

And instead of hoping that things will get better, think instead of abandoning hope and creating action through hard work. Action to change.

The two concepts of the Goddess of Never Not Broken and abandoning hope are available to you, to use, for you in your journey to becoming an even better human.

Our role is to become a better human to, and for, other humans.

Let’s be better humans.

Let’s be better humans in all aspects of our lives.

I challenge you to discover even more concepts and more ways of being for you to be an even better human.

And part of this involves supporting those living with mental health and addictions challenges, whether that be yourself or your fellow humans.

SOURCE: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-sets-grim-record-with-2-511-toxic-drug-deaths-in-2023-1.7093528.

SOURCE: https://scienceandnonduality.com/article/the-goddess-of-never-not-broken/.

SOURCE: https://www.york.ac.uk/politics/research/current-projects/citizenship-futures/talkingabouthopeproject/hopeindantesdivinecomedy-partone/.

© Brooke Somers (2024)