It's become an issue all over the province, it's a factor in steadily increasing violent crime in Moose Jaw, and it's put a huge strain on our local police service. Methamphetamine use has been on the rise in Moose Jaw for a number of years and is a major contributing factor to the rise of violent crime in the city by 122 percent since 2013. In Part 1 of a four-part series by Discover Moose Jaw staff about the negative impacts of meth use in our community, we share the perspective of mental health and addictions specialist, Garrett Kennedy.

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Garrett Kennedy is a registered nurse and mental health and addictions specialist from Lethbridge, Alberta. He now lives in Moose Jaw where he plans to help people overcome their addictions by addressing the mental health issues that he says are often the cause of addiction issues. people he worked with in Lethbridge, Kennedy said he also witnessed the lives of family members and friends change drastically because of the drug, so he decided to try to do something about it. 

"Rather than taking it lying down, I went and got my nursing degree and I got a job at a mental health and addictions centre helping people get back to their families."

In his work over the years, Kennedy said he's seen patients from all walks of life, including homeless people, lawyers, doctors, even a judge once, and says they all had one thing in common.

"Every single client I've ever dealt with in-house, once they were sober, said 'I wish I learned these skills in high school.' Every single one of them."

"The biggest problem that they had were their stress coping and their stress management [abilities]," Kennedy continued. "Whatever was causing them that strife, be it work, home life, feelings about themselves, they didn't have the tools that many people learn from their parents or from elementary school."

Kennedy now teaches mental resiliency, which he says is key for anyone either trying to beat an addiction, overcome an eating disorder, or make general improvements to their mental well-being.

 "We can, with a lot of work and a lot of support, have people successfully change. It's the exact same issues and the exact same tactics that are used to help people with problems eating will help people with meth."

There is a growing awareness globally of mental health issues. This year alone, the Saskatchewan Government included a $29.8 million increase for mental health and addictions funding throughout the province, at a total of $402 million for healthcare for the 2019-20 year. In 2018 the province also launched a targetted physician training program to address child and adolescent mental health issues. 

"After a few years," said Kennedy, "either from drug-induced psychoses, especially with meth that's a big problem, and really when it gets down into it, trying to tease apart which came first? Did the addiction come on to cover up symptoms of mental health, or did the mental health cover symptoms of the addiction? It really is a major problem."

If you or someone you know is suffering from an addiction, know that help is available. Healthy Living Consultants are available every day by same-day appointment at Crescentview Clinic, and on Wednesday evenings to drop-in clients. Physician care is also available at other walk-in clinics by making a same-day appointment such as Alliance Health. You can also call Mental Health and Addictions Services at the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Hospital at (306) 691-6464.  

Check Discover Moose Jaw on Thursday, Nov. 28 for Part 2 of our meth crisis series, 'A Divorce Letter to Meth.'