This story is part four of a four-part series titled “What Worked for Me.” Content warning: This content includes themes related to substance use harms.
For much of his life, Dave Marlin lived for adventure, and in particular music.
“Life was an adventure to me for a lot of years,” he says. “I did a lot of travelling, playing with a few different bands.”
But alongside the excitement and freedom came struggles that began early on.
“I was exposed to cannabis at a really young age,” Dave explains. “When I did experience cannabis, it was like a warm hug from my mom that I didn’t have.”
Over time, substance use became more than experimentation. Following a serious motorcycle accident in 2011, Dave was prescribed OxyContin, which became a turning point that deepened his addiction.
Learn more about Dave's journey
What worked for me
Dave has been through treatment before but says this most recent chapter of healing has felt different.
“This time around, everything is just perfect,” says Dave. “I haven’t had one desire to use.”
A major part of that journey has been the support he received through Interior Health’s Mental Health and Substance Use (MHSU) services, including the Daily Addictions Recovery Program (DARP).
DARP is a program that helps individuals 18 and older build skills to abstain from substances and create relapse prevention plans. In Kamloops, where the program runs, it's located out of the MHSU centre on Landsdowne Street.
The program helped Dave develop tools that continue to support his recovery every day and reminded him that healing does not happen in isolation.
“At Interior Health in the [Daily Addictions Recovery Program] program, it opened doors for me, learning healthy ways to maintain self-esteem and self-compassion. I don’t know where I’d be without that kind of support. You definitely can’t do it alone.
Giving others hope
Today, Dave focuses on practices that help him maintain both his sobriety and his overall well-being.
“What worked for me was willingness to show up for myself,” he explains. “Having self-compassion, self-care, forgiveness of myself and forgiveness of others.”
By sharing his story, Dave hopes others struggling with addiction understand that recovery is possible and that support is available.
Get crisis support
Crisis Response Teams help you with crisis intervention, including assessment and links to appropriate community and hospital resources when you are experiencing an acute mental health or substance use crisis.
Call 911 for urgent, immediate help.
If you’re experiencing feelings of hopelessness or thoughts of self-harm, you can call one of these numbers. These services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays:
Mental health and substance use services
For help on your mental health and substance use journey, no matter what stage you're at, contact your local MHSU centre by calling 310-MHSU (6478). If you're an adult looking to access addiction care and withdrawal management/detox services, call Access Central at 1-866-777-1103 (toll free).
You can also explore these resources:
- Help Starts Here
- Toward the Heart (BCCDC)
You can also work with your primary health-care provider; this could be your family doctor or nurse practitioner. Or visit your local Health Centre or urgent and primary care centre (UPCC).
Explore our full range of services for adults and youth:
- Indigenous Patient Navigators
- Psychiatrists
- Opioid Agonist Treatment
- Seniors Mental Health & Substance Use team
- Outpatient Withdrawal Management (OWM)
- Treatment, Support and Recovery (TSR)
- Virtual Addiction Medicine (VAM)
- Adult Mental Health Services
- Youth Mental Health Services
- Adult Substance Use Services
- Youth Substance Use Services
Find services available in your community
We are committed to creating care that is culturally safe, free from racism, and grounded in humility, where all people, including Indigenous patients, families and communities feel respected and supported in their healing journeys.
By sharing his story, Dave hopes others struggling with addiction understand that recovery is possible and that support is available.
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