Gay and Lesbian Substance Abusers Finding Relief Through Prism

Constantly feeling like an outsider fuelled his addictions to drugs,
says Mike Varma.

"You set up this, the Buddhists call it the hungry ghost, the thing
that can never be fed. So it's just this insatiable appetite to
belong, you're always feeling left out, and that's a big fuel," the
44-year-old said.

Even in treatment groups over the years while trying to get help for
his addictions to marijuana, cocaine and crystal meth, Varma felt this
yearning. He identifies as "a sexual being with a homosexual
preference," and in mainstream treatment groups he didn't feel safe to
share his sexuality, which in turn stalled his recovery.

He's found two groups under Vancouver Coastal Health's Prism Alcohol
and Drug Services tailored to the diverse populations within the gay,
lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and transsexual community that have
helped him stay away from drugs.

Varma attends two support groups. In the group called WTF?!, gay,
bisexual and "two-spirit" men--a term used by some First Nations
groups to describe aboriginal people who are not "straight"--explore
their frustrations in making change in early recovery from addiction
and confront excuses not to clean up, he said.

He also attends Taking it Deep, a group for gay men who've been clean
for at least a few months, are on more stable footing and can deeply
explore their past, present and future.

Being able to openly speak about his fears and experiences has
relieved an overwhelming burden, the Commercial Drive resident said.
"Not having that weight of sexuality over top of us, it's like not
having that monkey on your back. You can get down to business then,"
Varma said.

Devon MacFarlane, community developer for Prism Alcohol and Drug
Services, said many queer men 35 and older need a safe place of support.

"A lot of queer men have lost enormous numbers of people [to AIDS] and
haven't had the support in the grieving process to be able to talk
about their losses in a way that's really true to what's gone on for
them," he said. "And then substance use often comes in as a coping
mechanism."

Work to improve addiction services for Vancouver's gay community has
been underway since 2000. Individual, couple and family alcohol and
drug counselling and support groups are now available in community
centres across the city. A variety of groups and programs are
available for different needs and age groups.

In March, Prism trained 295 staff from Vancouver Coastal Health and
community agencies to help people with addictions adjust their intake
questions. For example, asking a gay man "Do you have wife?" might
make him feel like it's not a safe place to come out to the
counsellors, nurses and doctors who want to help him.

A new group also runs out of the Vancouver Detox centre to connect
with queer and trans folks in its residential or day programs. For
more information, see www.vch.ca/prism or phone 604-658-1214.