Former methamphetamine users are turning their experiences of addiction into a powerful tool for change, as advocates and health professionals gathered at the National Meth Summit to highlight the importance of recovery, resilience and lived experience.
Among those sharing their journeys were Trevor Lamb of Ngāti Raukawa and Rhiannon McCrae of Te Arawa, both former methamphetamine users now working towards helping others break the cycle of addiction.
McCrae, who battled addiction for 15 years, says finding support through Mana Enhancing Stop and residential rehabilitation helped her turn her life around.
After losing custody of her two eldest children to Oranga Tamariki and receiving a criminal record, she says she reached a point where change became necessary.
“I realised, hey, I wanna be able to give back to our whānau because they come from a place of understanding,” she says.
Now studying to become a counsellor, McCrae hopes her journey will show others that recovery is possible.
Lamb, a former user and seller, says addiction once consumed his every thought, with his life revolving around his next supply.
He says taking ownership of his future was a turning point, after feeling institutions such as Police, MSD and Oranga Tamariki were writing his story for him.
“Once I learned that actually I have the power to write my own story,” he says.
Now looking towards a career in counselling, Lamb hopes his lived experience will help him connect with people facing similar struggles.
The summit also raised concerns about younger generations being exposed to methamphetamine, with McCrae revealing she had heard of tamariki as young as 10 and 11 being affected.
Mana Enhancing Stop kaimahi Kapua Hollings says the summit aims to better understand the pressures and challenges keeping people trapped in addiction, while exploring pathways to recovery.
For those who have lived through addiction, the message is clear: it’s never too late to change direction and become a positive role model for whānau.