Embedded Files
(Ubirailo, 2021)
It is incontestable that drug and alcohol addiction is a significant issue experienced by Indigenous peoples throughout Canada. In a national health survey conducted by the First Nations Information Governance Centre for example, 82.6% of respondents reported that misuse of drugs and alcohol were their primary concerns for the wellness of their community (Sullivan et al., 2013). There are various issues that contribute to the prevalence of substance abuse among Indigenous individuals that are often ignored. Firstly, perhaps the most prominent factor perpetuating addiction is intergenerational trauma (National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls [NIMMIWG], 2019). Colonialism was a direct contributor to the trauma experienced by Indigenous peoples, especially through the residential school system (NIMMIWG, 2019). As explained in the previous section, Indigenous children were subject to horrendous abuse and distress in residential schools, the effects of which spanned across multiple generations (NIMMIWG, 2019). Due to the trauma experienced in the schools and the lack of adequate support available, the residential school survivors became vulnerable to drug and alcohol addiction as they searched for a means to cope (Maina et al., 2020). Unfortunately, even those who did not directly attend residential schools were still greatly affected (Maina et al., 2020). Many children and grandchildren of residential school survivors experience traumatic childhoods (Chansonneuve, 2007). These individuals describe growing up with parents who, dealing with their own trauma, struggled with addiction and psychological distress which sometimes led to violence and abuse (Chansonneuve, 2007). These children of residential school survivors, having also experienced trauma growing up, are themselves then prone to addictive behaviours and becoming abusers (Chansonneuve, 2007). Thus, it is evident that Indigenous peoples, as a direct result of colonialism through residential schools, experience a cycle of intergenerational trauma contributing to drug and alcohol addiction.
Along with colonialism, capitalism and racism also perpetuate the addictions of Indigenous peoples. When Indigenous peoples decide to seek treatment and medical attention for their addictions, they are often faced with institutional racism (NIMMIWG, 2019). They are, for example, frequently blamed for their health issues by medical practitioners (NIMMIWG, 2019). Prominent medical models tend to over-emphasize individual responsibility and avoid addressing the systemic issues described above that contribute to Indigenous peoples’ struggles (NIMMIWG, 2019). Further, culturally relevant sources of assistance and treatment are not present in mainstream mental health and addiction treatment institutions (Maina et al., 2020). Some assert that the spiritual needs of Indigenous peoples must be adequately attended to and that the interconnectedness between the mind, body, spirit, and emotions must be emphasized for full recovery to be achieved (Sullivan et al., 2013). Finally, as we live in a capitalist society, the addiction, trauma, and racism experienced by Indigenous peoples both contribute to their poverty and are perpetuated by poverty (National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health [NCCIH], 2017). When struggling with adverse mental health, addiction, and institutional racism, obtaining and maintaining employment is difficult (Hinders, 2018). Due to the lack of adequate treatment for addiction available for Indigenous peoples as described above, poverty often ensues. In turn, this poverty increases stress, hinders access to non-insured health benefits, and transportation for medical appointments thus further perpetuating addiction struggles (NCCIH, 2017; Hinders, 2018). Therefore, using an intersectional lens to examine alcohol and drug addiction among Indigenous peoples exposes how colonialism, capitalism, and racism intertwine to perpetuate this issue.
Cycle of trauma and addictions (Middleton-Moz, 2004)
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse