SEVEN Magazine, February 18, 2010, Volume 3, No. 1

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I respect them because they showed me unconditional love, were tough with me when the situation called for it, and helped me grow into the person I am today by offering me guidance when I asked for it. However, I am writing today because I’ve had to sit myself down and give myself a talk about my spending habits. They’re bad. I have five, count them, five credit cards, a line of credit, a mortgage and a car loan. I’m drowning in debt. I have a toddler and am a single mom and should have a plan in place if, God forbid, anything should happen to me and I am no longer around for Riley (my aforementioned son). I do have life insurance and he’s my beneficiary so he’s covered. However, I never did get “that” talk. No one told me about managing personal debt. In fact, when I got my first credit card I got it by the stupidest means possible: I was a newly minted student heading off to campus at college and then BAM! There were credit card companies with welcoming booths waiting for my (and many others’) arrival. These companies like to offer free swag -- like a thermal coffee mug, T-shirt, or even a gift card -- in exchange for your signature on a shiny new credit card application. I totally fell for this trick. I was also irresponsible with that “shiny new credit card.” I recall having an emergency involving these very awesome leather boots at Aldo and I HAD to buy them. Oh the woe I caused myself. It took me a while to catch on (not that long), but I now pay all my bills on time and I try to be as shrewd as I can about my spending habits. I regularly find that I ask myself “is it a want or a need?” before I buy anything, which believe me is a huge improvement compared to that girl who was walking through those college doors for the first time several years ago. Anyway, back to my conundrum. I now want to be completely debt free, so I went to the repository of all human knowledge: the internet. Here’s what I learned: The most efficient way to pay your credit card(s) off (lean closer for this cause it’s good) is to pay at least 10 per cent of your balance on each payment. “Yes it’s going to hurt to begin with but it really works and it works quickly,” promised the blog where I gleaned this tidbit of wisdom. “You will find that within a year you’re out of debt or very close to it. Every time you pay at least 10 per cent, within a few months the payment is quite small and so is your balance. I.E. balance $7500, payment should be $750 that month and so on and so on. If you can’t afford that try 5 per cent to begin with.” I’m going to take on this challenge. It’s going to be a “bare bones” year, but that’s OK. We have food, a roof over our heads and each other. (that and Riley will be too young to remember so it’ll be easier to weather this out while he’s small). BTW: If you need a credit card when heading off to college, plan ahead by shopping for better rates! [teaser] => Am I alone? Am I the only reserve kid who never got sat down by her mom and dad to get the big talk about money? I love my mom and dad. Nay I idolize them because they did amazing things in their lifetimes respectively. My mom raised 10 kids and still is one of the strongest participants and volunteers at our community church. My dad worked seasonally for YEARS. In fact, at 74, my dad shows no sign of slowing down. He still works at the provincial park office for the Ministry of Natural Resources and he still goes out into the bush to go trapping, net fishing and hunting. They are formidable people each in their own right. I respect them because they showed me unconditional love, were tough with me when the situation called for it, and helped me grow into the person I am today by offering me guidance when I asked for it. However, I am writing today because I’ve had to sit myself down and give myself a talk about my spending habits. They’re bad. I have five, count them, five credit cards, a line of credit, a mortgage and a car loan. I’m drowning in debt. I have a toddler and am a single mom and should have a plan in place if, God forbid, anything should happen to me and I am no longer around for Riley (my aforementioned son). I do have life insurance and he’s my beneficiary so he’s covered. [log] => [format] => 1 [uid] => 93 [name] => Joyceh [picture] => files/pictures/picture-93.jpg [data] => a:5:{s:13:"select_avatar";s:0:"";s:7:"contact";i:1;s:14:"picture_delete";i:0;s:14:"picture_upload";s:0:"";s:14:"tinymce_status";s:4:"true";} [last_comment_timestamp] => 1278399165 [last_comment_name] => [comment_count] => 1 [taxonomy] => Array ( ) [files] => Array ( ) [epublish_abstract] => I was irresponsible with that “shiny new credit card.” I recall having an emergency involving these very awesome leather boots at Aldo and I HAD to buy them. )

stdClass Object ( [nid] => 802 [vid] => 970 [type] => blog [status] => 1 [created] => 1262997548 [changed] => 1267046393 [comment] => 2 [promote] => 1 [sticky] => 0 [revision_timestamp] => 1267046393 [title] => SEVEN Fitness Challenge [body] => I was active as a kid. I regularly played hockey, baseball, and soccer, both with friends and in organized leagues. I was rarely the “best” athlete out there, nor would I consider myself “fit”, but I was active and expending loads of energy. This changed when I entered high school, where I was only active in gym class or on a winter activity day. When I was about 19, I wanted to move from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active one (and to gain muscle, as scrawny young men are prone to desire), so I joined a gym. I had never lifted weights before, so going into my first session, I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. I asked the gym employee to show me some moves. I learned about the basics in lifting weights, such as the main movements, sets and repetitions. I read up on it more when I wasn’t working out, learning about other moves, diet, and the science behind all of it. I worked out consistently for about 1.5 years, putting on the muscle and strength. And people noticed, which felt awesome. Then, for financial and work-related reasons, I stopped going. Attempts to go back were thwarted by these reasons and others, including a couple of injuries (lower back sprain, minor rotator-cuff sprain). I lost the muscle and gained unwanted weight. For the past three years, intense activity has been sporadic at best. In the fall of 2007, I played in a ball hockey league for two months, and in the summer of 2008, I went treeplanting (where I happily lost 25 pounds). However, I always told myself I would go back and commit to it. And that’s the thing about staying fit: one must be committed. In that year-and-a-half of working out, I went at least three times a week and strove to outdo myself the following week. I overhauled my diet, budget and daily routine so I can go to the gym. And if I missed a session for whatever reason, I felt terrible. Upon hearing of the SEVEN Fitness Challenge, I knew I should take part. I completed my fitness assessment this afternoon, so I’m now an official participant. It’s somewhat unfortunate that it takes the Challenge to get me back into it, because staying fit is something everybody should be striving for; but it’s good in that it has made look back on my past experiences and remember how great it felt when I lifted more than I did the previous week, or when someone would say “Hey, someone’s been going to the gym!” So hopefully this challenge segues into a lifestyle, because it’s great for the body and mind. [teaser] => I was active as a kid. I regularly played hockey, baseball, and soccer, both with friends and in organized leagues. I was rarely the “best” athlete out there, nor would I consider myself “fit”, but I was active and expending loads of energy. This changed when I entered high school, where I was only active in gym class or on a winter activity day. When I was about 19, I wanted to move from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active one (and to gain muscle, as scrawny young men are prone to desire), so I joined a gym. I had never lifted weights before, so going into my first session, I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. I asked the gym employee to show me some moves. I learned about the basics in lifting weights, such as the main movements, sets and repetitions. I read up on it more when I wasn’t working out, learning about other moves, diet, and the science behind all of it. I worked out consistently for about 1.5 years, putting on the muscle and strength. And people noticed, which felt awesome. Then, for financial and work-related reasons, I stopped going. Attempts to go back were thwarted by these reasons and others, including a couple of injuries (lower back sprain, minor rotator-cuff sprain). I lost the muscle and gained unwanted weight. For the past three years, intense activity has been sporadic at best. In the fall of 2007, I played in a ball hockey league for two months, and in the summer of 2008, I went treeplanting (where I happily lost 25 pounds). [log] => [format] => 1 [uid] => 73 [name] => lennycarpenter [picture] => files/pictures/picture-73.jpg [data] => a:7:{s:13:"select_avatar";s:10:"teepee.jpg";s:16:"captcha_solution";b:1;s:13:"captcha_token";s:32:"c32c6020abf65a1b1344317a8a9fa362";s:14:"validationdata";a:4:{s:7:"form_id";s:13:"user_register";s:10:"preprocess";b:1;s:6:"module";s:9:"recaptcha";s:4:"type";s:9:"reCAPTCHA";}s:7:"contact";i:0;s:14:"picture_delete";i:0;s:14:"picture_upload";s:0:"";} [last_comment_timestamp] => 1278398764 [last_comment_name] => [comment_count] => 1 [taxonomy] => Array ( ) [files] => Array ( ) [epublish_abstract] => I was active as a kid. I regularly played hockey, baseball, and soccer, both with friends and in organized leagues. )

stdClass Object ( [nid] => 806 [vid] => 974 [type] => blog [status] => 1 [created] => 1263916289 [changed] => 1267046371 [comment] => 2 [promote] => 1 [sticky] => 0 [revision_timestamp] => 1267046371 [title] => Importance of drinking water [body] => Recently, I started drinking more water and less other beverages thinking this would be good for a blog for Seven as well as to better my health. I figured my body needed more water intake rather than taking in coffee, tea and other unwanted beverages on a day to day basis. I started on Sunday (Jan. 17) and we’ll see how long I could do this. I know I can’t live without coffee or tea but as a test run, I said to myself, for 2 weeks I will not drink any of the three except once per day (haha). A bit of why I decided to drink more water and less the other stuff. For the last little while, I had been experiencing a bit of irritability, fatigue, nervousness, dizziness, weakness and headaches. I then did an online research on why I was feeling like this then boom, it said, “An average adult body contains 42 liters of water and with just a small loss of 2.7 litres he or she can suffer dehydration displaying the following symptoms” that I had just written. As I got in-depth in my research about water, I learnt that it can have a lot of positive effect on the human body. Drinking plenty of water also gives you a glowing complexion to your face as well as you feel more energetic and more strength. Also, according to the website, www.laleva.cc/environment/water.html, it says that The beverages most people choose to consume are often counter-productive in promoting hydration. Coffee, tea, alcohol, soft and sugary drinks are all diuretics and will cause not only the loss of water they are dissolved in, but they will also draw water the bodies reserves. In normal conditions, the website states, your body needs to replace the fluids it has lost throughout the day. Most of fluids should be replaced by drinking pure water. The rest you should get from fruit, vegetables and their juices. Attention must be given that the elderly and children are meeting their daily requirements. Dry mouth is not the only indication of dehydration, in fact it is the last sign. You need to acquire the habit to drink water even when you think you don't need it and eventually your true thirst mechanisms will be reawakened. Phew. Yes, water is something we all need. It is something that our bodies need. It is our life saver and it also fights off unwanted deceases or sicknesses. Water is important to the mechanics of the human body. The body cannot work without it, just as a car cannot run without gas and oil. In fact, all the cell and organ functions made up in our entire anatomy and physiology depend on water for their functioning. • Water serves as a lubricant • Water forms the base for saliva • Water forms the fluids that surround the joints. • Water regulates the body temperature, as the cooling and heating is distributed through perspiration. • Water helps to alleviate constipation by moving food through the intestinal tract and thereby eliminating waste- the best detox agent. • Regulates metabolism As the website notes, Water is involved in all bodily functions: digestion, assimilation, elimination, respiration, maintaining temperature (homeostasis) integrity and the strength of all bodily structures. WOW. As I take up this challenge to drink ONLY water for the next 2 weeks, I shall see how things go in terms of my own weight and body strength. Oh yessss!!! Until then, keep the spirit of Seven alive! JayB [teaser] => Recently, I started drinking more water and less other beverages thinking this would be good for a blog for Seven as well as to better my health. I figured my body needed more water intake rather than taking in coffee, tea and other unwanted beverages on a day to day basis. I started on Sunday (Jan. 17) and we’ll see how long I could do this. I know I can’t live without coffee or tea but as a test run, I said to myself, for 2 weeks I will not drink any of the three except once per day (haha). A bit of why I decided to drink more water and less the other stuff. For the last little while, I had been experiencing a bit of irritability, fatigue, nervousness, dizziness, weakness and headaches. I then did an online research on why I was feeling like this then boom, it said, “An average adult body contains 42 liters of water and with just a small loss of 2.7 litres he or she can suffer dehydration displaying the following symptoms” that I had just written. As I got in-depth in my research about water, I learnt that it can have a lot of positive effect on the human body. Drinking plenty of water also gives you a glowing complexion to your face as well as you feel more energetic and more strength. [log] => [format] => 1 [uid] => 22 [name] => JamesB [picture] => files/pictures/picture-22.jpg [data] => a:5:{s:7:"contact";i:1;s:14:"picture_delete";i:0;s:14:"picture_upload";s:0:"";s:17:"mimemail_textonly";i:0;s:13:"select_avatar";s:0:"";} [last_comment_timestamp] => 1278398873 [last_comment_name] => [comment_count] => 1 [taxonomy] => Array ( ) [files] => Array ( ) [epublish_abstract] => Recently, I started drinking more water and less other beverages thinking this would be good for a blog for Seven as well as to better my health. )

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Jocely Formsma Contributor

The holidays are a great time for reflection on the year that has passed.  I hope you were able to learn from everything that has taken place this past year.  December 21st was the winter solstice – the longest night of the year, the day with the least amount of light.  Similar to some times in our lives it may feel like we won’t see light again, we must remember that the days ahead can only get brighter.

The NAN Youth Council has marked a new beginning:  2010 was the end of the NAN Decade for Youth Development so the NAN Decade for Youth Council sought a new name.  We will now be known as “Oshkaatisuk: The Nishnawbe Aski Nation Young Peoples Council.” This is a name that will carry us through the next 10 years and beyond!

The logo was donated by Patrick Cheechoo.

The Nishnawbe Aski Nation Seven Sacred Teachings Conference wrapped up in Thunder Bay at the end of January. Thank you to everyone who participated and volunteered and we hope to see you again next year!

I always love the new year because it brings new opportunities.  You can think about the year ahead and make plans for all kinds of things that you want to do.  Read more books, plan a trip to somewhere you have never been, or start getting in shape!  By the way I hope that some of you signed up for the SEVEN Fitness Challenge! This was the first time SEVEN has done something like this and they might be doing this again sometime so keep an eye out! The program began in January and the final weight in for this program is February 26th, 2010!

No matter where you are, you can always work toward something you want to do – the hardest part is getting started.  Once you’ve started though, I find it’s always easier to keep the momentum going.  Personally, there are several things on my ‘to-do’ list this year, but I think I would like to start off by getting back into shape, and learning to play guitar.  

So, look forward to the New Year with hopes and plans ahead because you are what you do, not what you have done.  Every day is an opportunity to be the person you want to be.

[teaser] =>

Jocely Formsma Contributor

The holidays are a great time for reflection on the year that has passed.  I hope you were able to learn from everything that has taken place this past year.  December 21st was the winter solstice – the longest night of the year, the day with the least amount of light.  Similar to some times in our lives it may feel like we won’t see light again, we must remember that the days ahead can only get brighter.

The NAN Youth Council has marked a new beginning:  2010 was the end of the NAN Decade for Youth Development so the NAN Decade for Youth Council sought a new name.  We will now be known as “Oshkaatisuk: The Nishnawbe Aski Nation Young Peoples Council.” This is a name that will carry us through the next 10 years and beyond!

The logo was donated by Patrick Cheechoo.

The Nishnawbe Aski Nation Seven Sacred Teachings Conference wrapped up in Thunder Bay at the end of January. Thank you to everyone who participated and volunteered and we hope to see you again next year!

[log] => [format] => 3 [uid] => 34 [name] => bumblebeeman [picture] => files/pictures/picture-34.jpg [data] => a:11:{s:16:"captcha_solution";b:1;s:13:"captcha_token";s:32:"d3103abc75ffd1c87c1094a5374d231e";s:14:"validationdata";a:4:{s:7:"form_id";s:13:"user_register";s:10:"preprocess";b:1;s:6:"module";s:9:"recaptcha";s:4:"type";s:9:"reCAPTCHA";}s:7:"contact";i:0;s:14:"picture_delete";i:0;s:14:"picture_upload";s:0:"";s:17:"mimemail_textonly";i:0;s:9:"mlm_lists";a:1:{i:53;i:0;}s:18:"admin_compact_mode";b:0;s:13:"select_avatar";s:0:"";s:14:"tinymce_status";s:4:"true";} [last_comment_timestamp] => 1278397059 [last_comment_name] => [comment_count] => 1 [taxonomy] => Array ( ) [files] => Array ( ) [epublish_abstract] => The holidays are a great time for reflection on the year that has passed.  I hope you were able to learn from everything that has taken place this past year. )

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Dr. Frances Edye Contributor

What are narcotics?

The word narcotic is used for the group of drugs or medications that are opioids. Opioids were originally developed from the opium poppy in parts of Asia. Some opioids are now made synthetically. The least powerful opioid is codeine, the most powerful is fentanyl. Heroin is almost as powerful as fentanyl. Commonly prescribed opioids are morphine, Dilaudid, and OxyContin.

Most opioids are powerful painkillers – in fact they are the most powerful painkillers available – they are very important in the treatment of pain, especially pain due to cancer or a broken bone.

So what harm are they?

Like so many things that are very good and useful, they have a dark side. Many people, usually not taking them to relieve pain, can become addicted to opioids. In Canada, the opioid people most commonly become addicted to is OxyContin.

Why would people become addicted to them?

We don’t understand fully how and why addiction happens but we have some good ideas. As well as relieving physical pain, opioids relieve emotional pain through the release of a chemical that makes us feel good. So if our life is difficult or stressful or things are not going well for us, we are particularly prone to become addicted to opioids because of its chemical components. We keep wanting to have that good feeling again and so after a time, the only time we feel normal is when we have our opioid on board. When used regularly, we go into withdrawal if we stop them suddenly. Withdrawal is a very unpleasant sensation that includes runny nose, runny eyes, cramps in our stomach, diarrhea, and aches everywhere. Even after withdrawal ends, a sensation known as craving continues. Because we have felt so good on the opioid, without it our mind and body keeps telling us that we need to have it. With opioids, craving can continue for years. Narcotic addiction is a very serious problem throughout Canada and indeed in much of the world. Narcotic addiction can happen to anyone and, when it does, it is dangerous and sometimes even fatal. It wrecks lives, homes, and even communities.  

As humans, we actually produce our own internal opioids, called endorphins, which help us to soothe ourselves and relieve our own pain.  Most people know that, for example in a hockey game, someone may get a very painful injury, but continues to play and hardly notices the pain. It seems that when we are doing something that is really important to us, like sports, our bodies produce enough endorphins to relieve any pain we feel. Endorphins are also probably the reason that we feel so good from strenuous exercise. In fact, an exercise program is one of the important parts of the prevention and treatment of opioid (narcotic) addiction.

So what about treatment?

The most effective treatment for any addictions happens where the addicted person lives. For most people, the most important part of treatment is peer support groups. Examples of peer support groups are Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Methadone Anonymous (NA). The traditional teaching of AA is that the initial treatment of addiction is 90 meetings in 90 days. It is therefore important that meetings are available to addicted people daily either in their communities or online through chat rooms or via the tele-health network. If these groups are not available to addicted people in any community- including First Nations, then sometimes the addictions worker or workers in the community has to set them up and get them going. Addictions workers are also important for individual counseling and running groups for addicted people.

Occasionally, it is necessary for people to leave the community and go to residential programs for treatment for three to six months. When people leave the community for treatment it is very important to realize that residential treatment is only the beginning of real treatment. This, as in the paragraph above, needs to happen in the addicted person’s own community, where he or she lives.

Conclusion.

Narcotics are very important painkillers. They need to continue to be prescribed for people who need them. Some narcotic addiction is preventable, mostly by people having meaningful and satisfying lives. Some narcotic addiction will always happen – it is treatable, as outlined above.

Our current epidemic of narcotic addiction is not cause for hopelessness, but for action.

Dr. Frances Edye is a psychiatrist who also holds a bachelor of science in pharmacy. She was born in Sioux Lookout, now lives in Winnipeg and has been practicing medicine since 1985. She provides psychiatric service one day a week, by telemedicine, to First Nations in the Sioux Lookout zone.

[teaser] =>

Dr. Frances Edye Contributor

What are narcotics?

The word narcotic is used for the group of drugs or medications that are opioids. Opioids were originally developed from the opium poppy in parts of Asia. Some opioids are now made synthetically. The least powerful opioid is codeine, the most powerful is fentanyl. Heroin is almost as powerful as fentanyl. Commonly prescribed opioids are morphine, Dilaudid, and OxyContin.

Most opioids are powerful painkillers – in fact they are the most powerful painkillers available – they are very important in the treatment of pain, especially pain due to cancer or a broken bone.

So what harm are they?

Like so many things that are very good and useful, they have a dark side. Many people, usually not taking them to relieve pain, can become addicted to opioids. In Canada, the opioid people most commonly become addicted to is OxyContin.

Why would people become addicted to them?

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What are narcotics? The word narcotic is used for the group of drugs or medications that are opioids.

)

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Dear Friend,

My life after I quit prescription drugs has been a rocky road because at times I have used alcohol as a substitute, which is wrong. Alcohol has always been a backup for everything because it’s easier and cheaper to get.

I’ve been working hard to change my way of living for my daughter. I went back to school to get my education at the Red Lake District Adult Learning Centre a few years back,  now I only need to get my Grade 12 English, which is my last course. I want my daughter, who will be turning seven in February 2010, to know the importance of education and that the more education you have the more choices there are especially as she gets older.

I also recently secured an internship at a women’s shelter in Red Lake, Ont.

I have to keep busy all the time or I’ll get depressed and I’ll start thinking about the past which has always been a trigger for most of my using; I’ve been through sexual assault, grief, self mutilation and panic attacks. I live with those feelings and memories everyday of my life. It gets pretty annoying and depressing. To tell you the truth... I still would never trade my life for a better one because it has made me the person that I am today, which is hopeful.

Now by telling my story I’m hoping that it will give one person hope that maybe they are not alone; that there are a lot of people out there who are willing to help. But you have to be a person willing to accept help. It will be very hard at first when leaving behind a life involved with prescription drugs: I have suffered a relapse in the past and though I regret it I got back up again.

Most things in life don’t change: you have to work around the bad situations, yet there are good moments. I continue to work on my way of thinking by being positive and by realising that there are consequences to every action on my journey to a sober life. I’ve lost friends but gained good ones who support me in conquering my addictions. I am also seeing a mental health worker in Balmertown as part of my healing journey.

At times I get really aggravated by every little thing. Just imagine quitting smoking and multiply that by 200. I still get cravings and my stomach still does flip flops, my palms sweat and  my heart palpitates and trembles simply when I hear about prescription drugs.

Whenever this happens to me I try to change my thoughts and busy myself by talking with friends or family members. The single most important thing that has helped me ignore my cravings is knowing that I am creating a safe and stable environment for my daughter. My daughter is everything to me. She keeps me going everyday. She loves to draw and write notes to her friends. When I feel down I write down my thoughts and burn them afterward with a little prayer of hope and I give thanks for a brighter future.  

Martha

[teaser] =>

Dear Friend,

My life after I quit prescription drugs has been a rocky road because at times I have used alcohol as a substitute, which is wrong. Alcohol has always been a backup for everything because it’s easier and cheaper to get.

I’ve been working hard to change my way of living for my daughter. I went back to school to get my education at the Red Lake District Adult Learning Centre a few years back,  now I only need to get my Grade 12 English, which is my last course. I want my daughter, who will be turning seven in February 2010, to know the importance of education and that the more education you have the more choices there are especially as she gets older.

I also recently secured an internship at a women’s shelter in Red Lake, Ont.

I have to keep busy all the time or I’ll get depressed and I’ll start thinking about the past which has always been a trigger for most of my using; I’ve been through sexual assault, grief, self mutilation and panic attacks. I live with those feelings and memories everyday of my life. It gets pretty annoying and depressing. To tell you the truth... I still would never trade my life for a better one because it has made me the person that I am today, which is hopeful.

Now by telling my story I’m hoping that it will give one person hope that maybe they are not alone; that there are a lot of people out there who are willing to help. But you have to be a person willing to accept help. It will be very hard at first when leaving behind a life involved with prescription drugs: I have suffered a relapse in the past and though I regret it I got back up again.

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Answering the Cry for Help:

Martha’s Story gives a glimpse of the gravity of prescription drug abuse in our communities of Northwestern Ontario. Initially the problem began in the major cities of Canada, in particular, the CORE HOOD areas where many people live below the poverty line. Here unemployment, crime and drugs are rampant. For many, they are trapped in this modern day mentality and trend. Native people from remote northern communities have become part of this trend. They are the ones bringing this new drug into the north with big, fast money in return.

In our remote isolated villages, the problem with prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic.

For example, 80mg of Oxycontin sells for $400 per pill. A typical user will spend $200 per day to satisfy their basic need. A more chronic user will spend $400 to $600 per day just to feel normal and function. This type of person will do anything to get this fix. I have observed individuals who are addicted that will sell their TV’s, furniture and anything of value to get money to support their habit.

Here is a more detailed breakdown of prices (shared by pushers) in 2009:

Type of Drug	Amount/Size	Price
Oxycontin	20mg	$75-100
	40mg	$150-200
	60mg	$300-400
Percocet	5mg	$40-75
Tylenol	No. 1’s	$1-2
	No. 2’s	$3-4
	No. 3’s	$5-7
Codeine	100mg	$25-30
	150mg	$40-60
Morphine	30mg	$45-55
	100mg	$120-150
	200mg	$225 -->

Having been involved in mental health services and crisis intervention work for many years, I’ve seen many people both young and old, who have very severe problems and unresolved hurts and who’ve turned to alcohol and drugs for relief. From their pain and past hurts, I’ve encountered first-hand that several of our precious young people at the zenith years of their lives end their lives by suicide because they could no longer support their habit and/or don’t have services to help them break their drug addiction.

The question needs to be asked, “What make these prescription drugs (substances) so addictive?”

Two things and they are (1) reinforcement - meaning that addictive substances reinforce the use, the habit - meaning creates the urge to have more - use more.

How does this happen? Substances are more reinforcing if they:

• have a rapid onset of action - a sense of rush and buzz
• provide a powerful euphoric effect
• have a short duration of action
• quickly lead to tolerance (making client desensitized) to the drug causing a person to need more and more if wanting the desired effect
• increases the level of dopamine in the reward center of brain or ‘final common pathway’

The other answer to “What makes these prescription drugs so addictive?” is susceptibility!

Factors that influence a person’s susceptibility to substances of this kind include:

• genetics
• availability of the substance
• concurrent mental problems (We know this is common.)
• feelings of alienations eg. loss of hope and connection
• unstable living conditions eg. poverty, unemployment, family dysfunction

One medical doctor I talked to in regards to this epidemic said that a person who uses this type of drug won’t last 20 years. He said people who drink can last 40 years but for those on prescription drugs, their lives are cut in half. Before Christmas, Wawatay newspaper carried an article on the front page titled, “Keewaywin battles prescription drug abuse crisis,” on which the Chief sounded the alarm of how severe the prescription drug problem was in his community.

Keewaywin is just one of many northern communities who have this crisis. I believe this modern day reality will get even worse before we can truly confront and stop this massive problem. I truly believe it can done as you and I help individuals like Martha Kakegamic.

[teaser] =>

Answering the Cry for Help:

Martha’s Story gives a glimpse of the gravity of prescription drug abuse in our communities of Northwestern Ontario. Initially the problem began in the major cities of Canada, in particular, the CORE HOOD areas where many people live below the poverty line. Here unemployment, crime and drugs are rampant. For many, they are trapped in this modern day mentality and trend. Native people from remote northern communities have become part of this trend. They are the ones bringing this new drug into the north with big, fast money in return.

In our remote isolated villages, the problem with prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic.

For example, 80mg of Oxycontin sells for $400 per pill. A typical user will spend $200 per day to satisfy their basic need. A more chronic user will spend $400 to $600 per day just to feel normal and function. This type of person will do anything to get this fix. I have observed individuals who are addicted that will sell their TV’s, furniture and anything of value to get money to support their habit.

Here is a more detailed breakdown of prices (shared by pushers) in 2009:

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Answering the Cry for Help: Martha’s Story gives a glimpse of the gravity of prescription drug abuse in our communities of Northwestern Ontario.

)

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Kerina Wabasse Contributor

Booshoo! Wachyey Wachyey!

My name is Kerina Wabasse, I am 20 years old. I live in Webequie with my parents and four brothers in a big house. We recently had a new porch built this past summer by my grandpa. It was fun and exciting to be a part of that because we were helping each other complete something as a family.

We only see my mom’s parents/my grandparents once or twice a year. We had so many laughs when we were building the porch. I would’ve taken pictures if I had a camera but my camera was out of commission so we are just cherishing the memories.  I am currently working with Webequie Telecommunications/K-Net in Sioux Lookout.

When I first started writing I wasn’t writing poetry. I was writing what came to mind. All the content was meant to be lyrics for a song that maybe one day I could record. But as I read over what I was writing, it all made sense, the words, right in place of the paragraph. I stopped writing for a while. I just recently started again because I had found my old notes from years ago and it reminded me of how much I use to just love writing, writing about anything that came to mind in my own little world. The only thing I didn’t stop doing was taking photos and videos. I was always taking pictures of anything and with most people’s permissions to take pictures of them.

I was set to just take photos or videos if I was asked to.  You see: when I was just at a very young age (I was about 9), we had this old film camera that took pictures, and the first picture I’ve took was a photo of my grandparents who live here in Webequie heading out on the boat. Ever since then I’ve been taking pictures, I had upgraded from a Kodak film camera to a disposable camera to a digital camera through all these years.

I saved up to buy my own camera, which was pretty amazing for me because I got to say “This is my camera.”  I shared my camera with my brothers, but they only wanted to play around with it and not take photos of anything except the ceiling.

Those are one of the many things I love doing. I love to play guitars (acoustic and electric) and might I add I play a nice rhythm. I have one acoustic guitar and two electric guitars. I play whatever comes to mind which are my own practices or something I’ve wrote myself years ago because I wrote whatever came to mind and sometimes it would sound like a good poem which could be turned into a song if you give it all you’ve got. I guess most of the songs I play are rock alternative or sometimes it would just be a melody from a song.

I learn by just listening to the rhythm of the song and count how many strums there are in the song. I first learned to play a keyboard maybe 10 years ago, which was around the time when I took my first photo. I am hoping to get a violin within the next couple months.

Kerina Wabasse

[teaser] =>

Kerina Wabasse Contributor

Booshoo! Wachyey Wachyey!

My name is Kerina Wabasse, I am 20 years old. I live in Webequie with my parents and four brothers in a big house. We recently had a new porch built this past summer by my grandpa. It was fun and exciting to be a part of that because we were helping each other complete something as a family.

We only see my mom’s parents/my grandparents once or twice a year. We had so many laughs when we were building the porch. I would’ve taken pictures if I had a camera but my camera was out of commission so we are just cherishing the memories.  I am currently working with Webequie Telecommunications/K-Net in Sioux Lookout.

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Booshoo! Wachyey Wachyey! My name is Kerina Wabasse, I am 20 years old.

)

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Jade Willoughby Contributor

I recently moved to Toronto to further pursue my modeling career, while attending post secondary at George Brown College. And while I will admit my life is significantly more hectic than before, I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s safe to say I am more accustomed to the big city life than I would have ever imagined. Moving away from home was harder than I expected, because it hit me like a brick wall, I wasn’t a little girl anymore. An entirely new life awaited in Toronto, a mere flight away.

Since moving to Toronto my career is slowly building momentum as my experience as a working model increases. When my agent calls to inform me that I have booked a job, there is always a moment of surrealism. Because it naturally causes me to look back and realize how far I have come.

Thinking back on all the memories, some more painful than others. I acknowledge and appreciate how difficult my life was.

photo by Maxime Bocken

Willoughby is tall, thin, has striking facial features with a healthy complexion and an engaging smile that comes easily. Her mother Tracey said Jade wasn’t always so healthy. She has a kidney disorder (Nephrotic Syndrome) so rare it strikes only one in every 100,000.

“Essentially what happens when she has an episode from her condition is: her entire body would swell. Her immune system would kick in at 200 per cent, get confused and attack the filter to her kidney resulting in massive water retention.”

That, in turn, would land Jade in the hospital where she would need to be stabilized by doctors on a “pretty regular basis” starting when Jade was seven.

“I was actually pretty large up until about (four) years ago,” Jade said. “If anyone had seen me then compared to now, they’d be surprised at how different I look, because at my worst, I could have been classified as obese because of all the water I was carrying.”

Tracey said her daughter can’t have salt because it causes water retention. She also said Jade became the butt of jokes because of her illness by other kids.

“The water retention was so bad and affected her whole body that her entire face would also swell,” Tracey said. “Because it was water swelling, that water would drop to the lower half of her face and make her look moon-faced. So that’s what the kids called her at school: moon face.”

Through all the pain that was caused by my illness and my peers, I would like to extend my gratitude because it was beneficial in the end in the sense that it’s given me strength to deal with the challenges that being in this industry presents.

Recently I shot a beauty spread for Verve Girl magazine for the February/March issue. This job was very special to me as it showed the beauty of multiculturalism and it was my first magazine booking. It was a true pleasure to work with such a diverse group of models and be able to see the beauty each had to offer. As well, I had the opportunity to work with Celebrity Makeup Artist Paul Venoit for a special featured on E talk daily. Having the chance to work with him was sort of unreal. It is a true blessing that each job is so diverse and holds an individual beauty specific to who we are.

Many view the world of modeling with a starry-eyed idealism, admiration, hopefulness, but with many misconceptions. While this profession can be quite glamorous offering travel and one of a kind opportunities. It is important to realize that behind the glamour there is the hard work, the endless waiting hours both on and off set.

This is a demanding job both physically, mentally and sometimes emotionally. What I hope is realized is the amount of time it takes to create that one image. The jobs are often eight hour days beginning at 8 am or earlier and can sometimes go into 14 hour days.

The hair and makeup alone can take anywhere from one to three hours for just one look and more often than not, there are usually multiple looks. But through all the changes of the day, standing and holding a pose for what can seem like forever. You are able to translate the story and get that one perfect image that brings it life.

In order to succeed you in anything you choose to pursue, exemplary drive and determination not to mention passion are required. It sometimes gets hard, dealing with the rejection or not booking the job because you don’t have the desired look. Especially when this industry is dominated by a certain look. But like anything we do and with any passion you have to persevere.

It’s important that with anything you do to never forget who you are. For instance compromises are sometimes required if a shoot may compromise one’s personal moral standards. But communication as with any relationship is key especially with yourself. In part of never forgetting who you are. It’s important that you’re always conscious of your actions. You can’t behave irresponsibly as this will have a negative effect on your image and reputation as a model. Which are two key qualities anyone has to posses.

One of the biggest challenges for me, is that I have to be away from home. While I do travel back quite often and vice versa, it gets a little harder each time our visits come to a close. But being on my own has helped me to truly appreciate the time I have with my friends and family.

My family is extremely supportive with my decision to follow my dream and they have been my greatest strength in not giving up. My friends as well are always there to listen and share in my happiness. One of my good friends recently traveled up to Toronto to spend the weekend with me. And its gestures that truly let me know I can do this.

This life change has offered a great deal of experiences both negative and positive. These have afforded me a clearer view of what matters most on this life journey. Because time isn’t important.

Only life.

I believe my illness was a blessing in disguise. While I will admit for a long time, I could not be view it any other way than negatively I have now come to understand the beauty that was the preparation for my life now.

About Jade:
Whitesand First Nation band member
Doesn’t wear makeup outside of jobs.
Has grown the coveted half inch and now stands at 5’9.
Best friends with hoop dancer, Beany John.
Oldest of 4.
Still orders no salt.

[teaser] =>

Jade Willoughby Contributor

I recently moved to Toronto to further pursue my modeling career, while attending post secondary at George Brown College. And while I will admit my life is significantly more hectic than before, I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s safe to say I am more accustomed to the big city life than I would have ever imagined. Moving away from home was harder than I expected, because it hit me like a brick wall, I wasn’t a little girl anymore. An entirely new life awaited in Toronto, a mere flight away.

Since moving to Toronto my career is slowly building momentum as my experience as a working model increases. When my agent calls to inform me that I have booked a job, there is always a moment of surrealism. Because it naturally causes me to look back and realize how far I have come.

Thinking back on all the memories, some more painful than others. I acknowledge and appreciate how difficult my life was.

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photos submitted by Jamie Corston From top to bottom: Adrienne Sutherland of Attawapiskat and Chris Sutherland of Moosonee perform for the crowd, Kris Turner of Moose Factory, Dawn Scott of Fort Albany,  John Kapashesit of Moosonee with band.

Music.

It reverberated through his house for as long as he could remember. It has become an integral part of his identity.

“My father is in one of the longest running bands here in Moose Factory: The Smalls, and that influenced me a lot,” said Jon Kapasheshit, a youth musician who recently performed at Oshki Negamowina (New Songs) Showcase 2009, an event meant to showcase existing and up and coming Aboriginal youth artists from northeastern Ontario. “He always played guitar as he watched TV, jamming out to CCR, Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, and a whole lot more.”

As a matter of fact, music runs in Kapasheshit’s family.

“I have uncles and cousins who have played music so it has come quite naturally to me.”

Kapasheshit’s solo music creations usually fall under modern rock and alternative genres with hints of folk.

“The folk probably comes from the music my dad played over the years,” Kapasheshit said, adding he’s very drawn to rock and acoustic elements with very catchy tunes. “My iPod is filled with David Bowie, the Beatles, Queen, Bob Dylan as well as modern artists such as Arcade Fire, Metric, Cold Play, The Killers, Radiohead, so my music tends to mix through influences.”

Kapasheshit is also in a band.

“I have a band that writes original music that also shares the same sound except my band ‘The August’ tends to steer more into the rock scene,” Kapasheshit said. “We’ve been writing new material for a good three years now and have a lot of unreleased songs under our belt, but it’s all just a work-in-progress in what we feel best represents us.”

Kapasheshit says his solo act is a way to express music in different ways with calmer, mellower songs.

“I have a solo EP in mind sometime in the future.”

And it was with celebration of music in mind that Kapasheshit went to Oshki Negamowina (New Songs) Showcase 2009, which was held at Ecole Secondaire Theriault in Timmins on Dec. 18 and 19, said event organizer Victor Linklater.

“Many audience members were so impressed by the sheer talent that James Bay has to offer with this first event,” he said, adding that Kapasheshit performed alongside other talent including the likes of Marilyn McLeod; Kris Turner; Dawn Scott; High Ridge Singers Caleb Turner and Brennan Govendor; Adrian Sutherland; Karen Sutherland; Andrea Jolly; Nicole Corston; and Chris Sutherland.

“There were all kinds of genres represented at the shows from hip-hop and country to rock and roll and pow wow,” Linklater said. “All the songs and artists stood out on their own merit because they had different vocals, unique personal styles and differing messages.”

Linklater noted that the talent are young.

“And for their age, they certainly showed how professional they were… and the way they carried themselves, with stage presence and charisma, I think the youth deserve to be given a leg up by older folks like myself stepping up to lend that extra hand on the music scene. Once they see that done on a consistent basis, they will always have something positive to get excited about and to work towards, and to see it as a beacon of upbeat encouragement to push themselves to create and write good songs.”

Linklater also said the event’s organizers – Moose River Broadcasting Association – intends to make Oshkinegamowina Showcase a bi-annual event.

“Unofficially, the next ON event will be in December 2011, so word to all those talented and aspiring singers out there – you have one year to get ready and get those songs of yours written, completed and ready to go!” said Linklater.

In the meantime, he also said Moose River Broadcasting Association has recorded this past year’s event on a digital 24 track mobile unit with plans of cutting a live CD that contains the event’s performances.

“The live CD, if funded, will be available by the spring of 2010 possibly between March and early May,” Linklater said, adding he would also like any youth artists, aged 16-30, who have original songs and want more information on being slotted to perform during the ON 2011 showcase, they can email him at vlinklater@gmail.com.

[teaser] =>

photos submitted by Jamie Corston From top to bottom: Adrienne Sutherland of Attawapiskat and Chris Sutherland of Moosonee perform for the crowd, Kris Turner of Moose Factory, Dawn Scott of Fort Albany,  John Kapashesit of Moosonee with band.

Music.

It reverberated through his house for as long as he could remember. It has become an integral part of his identity.

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Music. It reverberated through his house for as long as he could remember. It has become an integral part of his identity.

)

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Forrest Shapwaykeesic Contributor

My name is Forrest Rain Shapwaykeesic. This story is about my journey to get my high school diploma.

My family and I grew up in Thunder Bay Ontario. Our family moved all the time, from house to house, school to school. Although my mother quit drinking when we were young, our home life was still not a simple one. I am the youngest sibling of three older sisters.

When I failed Grade 1 I was told I had a learning disability. And since then, I’ve struggled through school. Words like, “dumb and stupid” were part of a daily vocabulary to me.

By Grade 9, they diagnosed me with dyslexia. In order to read books I had to place a purple film over the pages to see the words properly.

In high school my mother worked out of town. My youngest sister and I had the task of raising our young nephew. We were alone most of the time and we fought often in those days, sometimes even over food. During these trying times I turned to drugs and alcohol to deal with the pain I felt in my life. When the anger was too great I learned that self mutilation would often relieve the hurtful feelings inside me. This became my coping method, which then became another addiction.

Forrest shows his diploma. The tattoo on his left arm translates into Shapwaykeesic.

Original artwork created in Photoshop.

Again I changed schools when my mother moved my nephew and I to Grand Portage Minnesota.

My troubles didn’t improve, at one point I was admitted to a mental hospital in Duluth for trying to hurt myself during a drinking binge. After a few days with those “crazies” I was released.

It wasn’t long before I moved yet again. I moved back to Thunder Bay to live with a sister, then with a friend and even in Sioux Lookout for a while. At the beginning of the next semester I went to live with my oldest sister in Dryden to help with the kids. I was in Grade 11 by this time and was being funded by my band to go to school.

My studies continued to frustrate me. Grade 11 math was hard and I couldn’t keep up with the rest of the class. Soon I was skipping classes then eventually just stopped going.

In the first semester my room and board was cut off. In the New Year I found a job working as a gas station attendant.  Later, I was kicked out of the house and found myself looking for a place to live in the middle of winter. I eventually rented a house with two friends. We agreed to split the bills. In order to pay for my part, I quit school and started working full time at the gas station.

As the years passed I continued to move around. In a dramatic turn of events I left Dryden and had to leave all of my possessions behind.

I moved to Duluth and worked at Fond-Du-Luth Casino. During this time I continued to drink and do drugs. Although I still struggled with money, I had a job and had made some good friends.

Then suddenly after two-and-a-half years, I was let go at work and couldn’t pay my rent. Without my high school diploma the only job I could hope for was working at a fast food restaurant. Even then I couldn’t find a job.

Having nowhere to turn, my youngest sister took me in to live with her in a bachelor apt. back in Thunder Bay. We took all we could carry in a small 2-door car. All that I had rebuilt in the last two-and-a-half years was lost again.

When I came back to Thunder Bay I began learning about being positive and learned to feel good about myself. I realized that I needed to set some real goals for myself. One of my goals was to get my Grade 12 diploma. I stopped excessive drinking and quit drugs. With the support of my sister and the clarity to chase a dream I started to attend Lakehead Adult Education Centre, which offers programming for those who wish to finish their high school diploma outside of the regular high school system.  

Surrounded by positive supporters and with the help of the people around me, the challenges of school were obstacles I could overcome. I spent hours working on homework at the apartment, and when nobody was around to help with a question, I looked on YouTube for answers with math.

During this time I joined a gym and started working out. I ate better and started to feel better.

There were other activities such as softball that I participated in. When there was paying work, I’d do different jobs and began learning different trades. My hobbies then included learning Photoshop and making all kinds of photo manipulations.

As I let go of the past, I began to live in the present and plan for the future. I stopped hurting myself completely.

Six months after returning to my hometown I completed the final credits for my high school diploma. On December 18th, 2009 I became a high school graduate at the age of 27. I made it to my goal.

I’m now setting new goals. With my own apartment, I’m building up my life again. College, career, travel and family are all the things I look forward to in my life. Now that I made it to the first goal, I know I can make them all.

Forrest is an Eabematoong First Nation member

Another one of Forrest’s hobbies is creating different style’s of aircraft made with only paper and tape.

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Forrest Shapwaykeesic Contributor

My name is Forrest Rain Shapwaykeesic. This story is about my journey to get my high school diploma.

My family and I grew up in Thunder Bay Ontario. Our family moved all the time, from house to house, school to school. Although my mother quit drinking when we were young, our home life was still not a simple one. I am the youngest sibling of three older sisters.

When I failed Grade 1 I was told I had a learning disability. And since then, I’ve struggled through school. Words like, “dumb and stupid” were part of a daily vocabulary to me.

By Grade 9, they diagnosed me with dyslexia. In order to read books I had to place a purple film over the pages to see the words properly.

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Hello Joyce

My name is Daniel MacPherson, but everyone calls me Twix. I’m a young Nishnawbe from Aundeck-Omni-Kaing First Nation, Manitoulin Island. I saw your December 10th issue. There was an article that caught my attention: Closer or Farther Apart? I would like to say that I understand where the column’s writer coming from. Maybe not actually, but I was raised in Children’s Aid all my life. From the time I was 2 years old to age 16 I went through a lot of different homes and lives.

And right now at this point in my life, I’m raising my one-year-old daughter on my own. It’s not an easy thing. I dropped out of school. I started doing anything to get money to give my daughter everything she wants and needs. I’m only 18, and out of everything I’ve done in my life, the hardest thing is trying to raise my daughter on my own. I want her to have everything I never had while growing up, but it seems that the more I try, the more it gets harder. I messed up. I tried going the easy way and selling drugs and stealing to get money, but it never paid.

I’m sitting in jail away from my daughter who I love and miss so much. She’s too young to understand what’s going on right now, but sooner or later she’ll know. I’ve got to thank my grandma who is watching my little girl right now. I have a secret that I’m hiding from my little girl, which I never want to tell her because I know it will break her little heart. And that is: shortly after my daughter was born, her mother committed suicide, which left me heartbroken and alone. I’ll never be able to love anyone the same way again. But one thing that bugs me the most is this question: how do I tell my little girl?

I soon will be released from here. I know it is not easy for single mothers to raise kids on their own and I respect any woman who can do it on their own. I know it can get hard, but you have to remember to look at your child and remember that they love us no matter what. I respect this young woman for sharing her story in your magazine. It gave me the courage to share my story with you. I would appreciate it if you would share my story with others.

Thank You
Daniel MacPherson

[teaser] =>

Hello Joyce

My name is Daniel MacPherson, but everyone calls me Twix. I’m a young Nishnawbe from Aundeck-Omni-Kaing First Nation, Manitoulin Island. I saw your December 10th issue. There was an article that caught my attention: Closer or Farther Apart? I would like to say that I understand where the column’s writer coming from. Maybe not actually, but I was raised in Children’s Aid all my life. From the time I was 2 years old to age 16 I went through a lot of different homes and lives.

And right now at this point in my life, I’m raising my one-year-old daughter on my own. It’s not an easy thing. I dropped out of school. I started doing anything to get money to give my daughter everything she wants and needs. I’m only 18, and out of everything I’ve done in my life, the hardest thing is trying to raise my daughter on my own. I want her to have everything I never had while growing up, but it seems that the more I try, the more it gets harder. I messed up. I tried going the easy way and selling drugs and stealing to get money, but it never paid.

I’m sitting in jail away from my daughter who I love and miss so much. She’s too young to understand what’s going on right now, but sooner or later she’ll know. I’ve got to thank my grandma who is watching my little girl right now. I have a secret that I’m hiding from my little girl, which I never want to tell her because I know it will break her little heart. And that is: shortly after my daughter was born, her mother committed suicide, which left me heartbroken and alone. I’ll never be able to love anyone the same way again. But one thing that bugs me the most is this question: how do I tell my little girl?

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