WINNIPEG — A support group for parents affected by drug addiction has spread to Manitoba from the United States.
The Addict’s Mom started in Florida seven years ago but Karen Pitsanuk, a Winnipeg mom who has two children battling drug addictions, brought the group to Winnipeg.
“Parents will have a place that they can go for support … we don’t have answers, we have experience, so each parent has to come up with their own answer and we’re here to help them through that,” said Pitsanuk.
Lang Watson is a member of the group. His son Adam, 27, died from a fentanyl overdose in February.
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“It doesn’t seem to get much better because as time goes on we miss him more, so it’s a real long struggle,” said Watson.
He said there were no signs his son would develop such a devastating opiate addiction, “Adam for all intents and purposes was a normal and healthy kid, he grew up in a loving home he has three siblings and an extended family that loved him.”
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Adam’s addiction started around six years before the overdose. Eventually he admitted to his parents he needed help but Watson said roadblocks in the health care system prevented him from getting the care he needed.
“There seemed to be no compassion and no real interest in saying let’s sit down and get to the bottom of this and try to work this out,” he said.
Watson and his wife bring that experience to The Addict’s Mom as members of the group.
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It began to form in the winter and held an awareness event at City Hall earlier this month.
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