Speaker by Various Artists

Thanks heaps for sharing, Amberleigh.

Thank you for writing and sharing this beautiful piece. I am so sorry your brother died. How awful for you all that he is no longer here.

Thanks for sharing Amberleigh. I love this sentence: "Ask me how he lived though." So right.

Thanks for writing and sharing what I think of as an important piece. It is so truthful, and it gets to the heart of the matter that most of the people who die from a illicit drug overdose don't want to die... It is simply a matter of existing in a world where products don't come in precisely measured amounts and use of them is relegated to the shadows.

And the strange thing is that often we approve of methadone treatment for heroin addiction without considering that they are very similar drugs, with very similar consequences, but one is legal and the other illegal. Which, to my mind, tends to indicate the very problem is the illegality. I've seen both methadone and heroin users function socially to a very high-degree. In fact, by definition, being a dependent user existing in an illicit market requires high functioning.

I hate young lives lost through the consequences of a misguided drug-policy. Life itself is a risk. Crossing roads definitely is. But we should all be able to work together to minimise that risk. And, you are right, it does mean talking about it... and talking about it in an informed and non-prejudicial way...

Ask me how he lived though.

The question no one asks regardless of cause of death - my mum died of cancer... people would ask when she was dying if she smoked... she did... the look of sympathy would fade to be replaced by a look that was devoid of, um, being polite... empathy

Sorry your brother is no longer and thank you for your moving words

This is so good to read. Thank you.

Great writing. Readers will all grieve with you.

Thanks for writing this. It’s sad and terrible. And then the painful silence.
Not the same, but I lost my brother to suicide/depression, and it’s also been hard to talk about – except with some remarkable people, who just who get it. 20 years ago this May, and I still miss him.

Until we remove heroin and overdose from the list of dirty words, the problem will never go away.

The problems never going to go away until WE get our noses out of peoples lives and minds, allow for individual differences and choices. But some unspoken adherence to a dead mindset just keeps getting reanimated, usually by those who want to appeal to a mass audience for their own advancement and gain. It used to be religious drones now its political fuckwittery that others people who dont fit an imaginary and restrictive norm.
He lives on in your fond memories, its all he would have asked Im sure.

My brother lived a full and wonderful life for 35 years.

Nowhere long enough. Thank you for giving us this, Amberleigh.

Amberleigh, if your brother was anything like you, he was amazing. Thank you for writing this.

I know a woman who used heroin for many years, and nobody knew. Her family knew something was the matter, but had no idea it was that. She only opened up after she got clean, which she did with almost no support, because people who loved her didn't know.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Amberleigh. And for yours, Rob. I'm sure your brothers would be so proud of you.

What? Was I off on my own little tangent there?
Ya get that sometimes, sorry
And to Amberleigh

Thank you for writing this Amberleigh.

Yes thank you for writing this, and sorry for your loss.

In the 1970s heroin (and other drug use) was pretty common. Not by me (I have often been the odd one out). Overdose was a constant risk and we often had to support various flatmates to keep them upright and conscious and slowly the effects wore off. We were forbidden to call an ambulance, because of the illegality of the cause. They eventually grew out of that activity and became ordinary and usually successful citizens with (perhaps) Hep C as the only legacy.

But although none of my flatmates died at that time, I knew some people who did. All young, bright and so tragic. One friend in his early 20s was just lovely, so sensitive and creative.

Your post has caused me to remember them again. Four decades on. Never forgotten.

Wouldn't it be great if addiction was treated just as type 2 diabetes is. Both diseases develop in adulthood (mostly). Both so easily treated.
Twenty years or so ago I read of a hospital somewhere in the UK where people dependent on heroin could pick up their required dose from the hospital daily. All these people were valued, high functioning members of society. There was no judgement made; the patients just managed their own lives with the help of the drug, just as diabetics do.
I'm so sorry you lost your brother Amberleigh. Awesome brothers are so important to their sisters. It's just too sad.

What I definitely do know is that grief never leaves

Give me a time machine.

Dial back forty three years and let me tell my father....don't.

Please, don't.

Wouldn't it be great if addiction was treated just as type 2 diabetes is.... Both so easily treated.

I think you might be underestimating the ease of treating both of these conditions, sorry.
Certainly each would be made easier if the stigma attached to them was less.

I think you might be underestimating the ease of treating both of these conditions, sorry.

Very true. I think what Prudence was trying to say is that addiction could be more effectively treated if it was seen like any other heath problem.

"I think you might be underestimating the ease of treating both of these conditions, sorry."
Yes sorry is appropriate. The patronising "It's harder to treat than YOU think" is one of the brick walls we come across. It's too hard so we'll just do nothing.
I'm not likely to underestimate how hard it is to treat a disease I suffer from, neither did I imply it was easy.

Amberleigh, thank you for what you've done here. It's very brave. I worked in the same industry and had the opportunity to meet your brother and hang out on a few occasions. You should know your brother was well loved by all and is remembered by how he lived and the people he continues to inspire.

remedy to destigmatizing heroin overdose

As Amberleigh illustrates its not the person using and overusing with tragic consequences, that is the problem.
In this and many other areas its how everyone will view it thru their own personal mental focusing tool or brain (if you like). And some are completely haywire is all I was trying to say, and this will be used to detrimental effect by the unscrupulous.
We’ve all got to put a lot more effort into caring and accepting of others, and that is hard now with so many pressures on everyone. And it all gets to much sometimes.
But enough, this post is in honour of a loving caring brother. Wish we all were thus blessed

What a lovely piece. Both moving and thoughtful. Thank you.

Thank you.

A brave article beautifully written, thank you for sharing.

A friend of mine died almost two years ago to the day; same cause, complete surprise to all of us who knew him. It was a difficult thing to process; he had two bright, lovely early-teen kids who he loved spending time with... and suddenly he was dead, out of the blue. It did make it hard to talk about; or hard for me to be compassionate about.. with his kids left behind with an entire father-less life ahead of them it seemed like such an asshole thing to do - but I understand it wasn't his intent. Clearly not a "bad way to go" just dying in an opiate haze, but.. eh. One can only hope that for each heroin overdose there are others who get a useful "course correction" from that mistake.