In recent years, Hamilton has seen an exponential rise in substance use and addiction, reaching crisis levels. Deaths and overdoses continue to increase. In 2023, Hamilton's opioid-related death rate was 41 per cent higher than the provincial average.  

The growing addictions crisis in Hamilton highlights the critical need for services like St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton’s Womankind Addiction Service.

Womankind is dedicated exclusively to women, offering comprehensive and compassionate care to help women facing substance use and related challenges all in one location. This November, the organization celebrated 20 years of supporting women across Ontario who are experiencing addiction through more than 13,000 admissions to various programs and supports.

Sarah, a client of Womankind, credits the organization with saving her life.

“I fought addiction for two decades. That’s years of abuse, crisis, conflict and ongoing dangerous and precarious situations. I didn’t have any idea how to cope with the feelings of anxiety I had suffered since childhood. I self-medicated these uncomfortable feelings of fear with alcohol and drugs,” she said as she described her experience.

“After years of drug abuse, I noticed it became increasingly difficult for my brain to recover. I would have rather been dead than insane and since I was beginning the journey of permanent insanity, I knew I needed help quickly.”

After desperately looking for help for months and consistently being denied, Sarah felt “utterly hopeless and broken”.

“I was desperate for a new life, I was desperate for a reason to live, I was desperate for a change,” she says. “I wanted help that seemed out of reach. I sat in my car for hours contemplating ending it. Substances were no longer helping me; they were exasperating my condition.”

That’s when her friend decided to take action; an act that changed Sarah’s life.

“On my behalf, my friend reached out to Womankind. I entered their detox a few days later. Womankind saved my life.”

Sarah described how the treatment at Womankind helped her learn about self care and taught her how to navigate her unpleasant feelings and past trauma without relying on substances.

“The treatment offered at Womankind provided me with a solid foundation which I build upon daily. I’ve always heard about the concept of self-care but failed to ever implement it in my life. Today I do. I walk 15km a day which benefits my physical and mental health. I spend my walks in nature, which is a power greater than myself”

During her time in treatment, she built a relationship with staff and described how they played a vital role in her healing journey.

“I speak to staff here every day. These women show up to work everyday and provide us with a safe environment to discuss our very personal emotions, struggles and our lives. Where often the world has met us with stigma, misunderstanding, judgement and hate, these women meet us and our vulnerabilities with compassion, empathy, love and tolerance,” says Sarah. “Their genuine care combined with my willingness to change has assisted me to identify and remove barriers to a healthy lifestyle.”

She talked about how their thoughtful care and treatment helped her regain control of her life and gave her the chance to reconnect with her loved ones.

“As you can imagine…when I think about Womankind, I think about gratitude. As a result of their help, I am now involved in the lives of my niece and nephew. They love their aunt,” Sarah says. “I am employable now and just recently obtained part-time work at Homesense. This provides me with motivation to one day decorate my own apartment. Something which would not have been possible without Womankind.”

Her journey demonstrates the crucial role of addictions and mental health services in restoring lives and rebuilding communities one step at a time.

“In recovery I learned that change had to come from within. In hindsight, I am grateful for that desperation because it propelled me into the life I have today. I am finally happy. Considering where I was just months ago, I never imagined that being truly happy (let alone sane) was in my realm of reach. But here I am.”

Sarah’s courageous journey from despair to hope highlights her determination and shows us how addictions support and treatment can help change lives.

“Thank you to the staff at Womankind for showing up and being there when I reached out for help. Your helping hands have saved my life, and I will be eternally grateful. So too are the ones who love me.”

Womankind provides people who are struggling with a second chance.

Sarah’s story is a reminder that with strength, resilience, and the right support, healing and recovery is possible. For people who feel lost and are struggling with addiction, Womankind can help support and guide you in finding the right path forward.