Helping behaviour among people who use drugs: Altruism and mutual aid in a harm reduction program

Abstract

People who use drugs, and particularly people experiencing addiction, are rarely afforded the opportunity to have their voices heard when it comes to drug treatment or drug policy or even when attempting to define themselves and their life experiences. Of course, there is much more to a person than one area of their behaviour. The current study seeks to capture and understand the lived experiences of people who use drugs, with a focus on their relationships and helping behaviour. We interviewed 32 participants in a harm reduction program seeking to provide understanding beyond stigmatizing and criminalizing drug narratives, by exploring their motivation and context for helping behaviours. Grounded theory methodology was used to understand the patterns of helping behaviour, along with the contexts in which help is or is not given. We particularly focus on participants' distribution of syringes and carrying medicine to reverse overdose (naloxone). Participants shared stories of altruism and mutual aid, along with barriers and disincentives to helping others. We situate these behaviours within contrasting environments of a free harm reduction program and the competitive market system of the U.S. society. Implications for practice and public policy are discussed.

Factors associated with take-home naloxone kit usage in British Columbia: an analysis of administrative data

“…PWUD continue to be on the frontlines of the toxic drug crisis, and are often the first to witness and respond to overdose events. It is important to recognize the resiliency of communities of PWUD and highlight the fact that members of this population are largely responsible for successes achieved by the THN program to date, in both supporting access to training and kits, as well as saving lives [ 43 ]. However, PWUD who respond to overdoses are constantly exposed to loss, trauma, and burnout, which negatively impacts their mental health and wellbeing [ 44 ].…”

Inmates in the Role of the "Wounded Healer": The Virtuous of Peer-to-Peer Programs in Prison

“…However, it is also advisable to research to examine the preservation and effectiveness of the benefits inherent in the role of the wounded healer in the long run, both for aid providers and for recipients. It is also recommended to examine the barriers and limitations that narrow the possibilities of former addicts and prisoners to participate in peerto-peer programs, such as the lack of incentives and low wages (Bathje et al, 2020).…”

“…Similarly, researchers in the field of crime desistance point out that aiding peers allows ex-prisoners to gain reinforcement and legitimacy for their new way of life (Maruna, 2002). This can be seen as an expression of the development of positive emotions such as gratitude and altruism used by those who wish to reform (Bathje et al, 2020), as emphasized in self-help groups for addicts (Ronel, 1998) and positive criminology perspective (Ronel & Elisha, 2011;2020). However, alongside the many benefits attributed to the "wounded healer" role, primarily for the aid providers as noted above, care should be taken not to romanticize the past injuries, assuming addiction has to value only in the context of recovery and healing.…”

Biohacking COVID-19: Sharing Is Not Always Caring

“…This is what Belk (2016) theorizes as selfish sharing. As an example, consider the case of injectable drug users, as in some of Bathje et al’s (2020) interviews; these users mentioned knowing about the dangers of sharing syringes but still did so in order to avoid being isolated from their community of users. Although egoistic sharing may not necessarily intend to harm others, it is hardly inclusionary.…”