Why one paramedic relates to those suffering in B.C.'s fentanyl crisis

As the fentanyl crisis drags on in B.C., paramedics are often called on to save people from the perils of their addictions.

But for years, paramedic Clive Derbyshire endured those perils firsthand.

He has been a paramedic for over a decade and says he struggled with alcohol addiction through those years.

He also was recreationally using hard drugs until the aftermath of a "traumatic experience" seven years ago had him using more seriously.

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"I went for about a year and a half using meth and coke pretty hard," he said. "I reached out for help, and at the end of my usage, I was an IV user.

"At the time, I had nowhere else to go. I knew that my decision-making at the time was going to lead to death. Either by overdosing on stimulants and cardiac arrest or by killing myself."

His family and friends had had enough of him. His performance was suffering at work so much he felt treatment was the only way to save his job.

Says he relates on many levels

Derbyshire got treatment through work and says he's clean now. He sees the damage of opioid addiction every day as he helps people struggling through the fentanyl crisis.

"I relate to the powerlessness these people have. A lot of them are trying so hard to get out of where they're at. They don't want to be here. They're broken. They tell themselves, 'I'm never going to use again. I'm never going to have this overdose situation again.' And they use," he said.

"I can relate to that on so many different levels because I know … sitting there, saying I'm never going to use again, and then five hours later, I'm doing it again."

Derbyshire says many people want to get better, but they don't know who to talk to and there often aren't enough resources to help them all.

He says the moment someone asks for help is the time for action, before the addiction takes over again.

Even he goes through 'empathy fatigue' these days

While Derbyshire says he can relate to what people with addictions go through every day, he can understand why some people have less patience.

He calls it "empathy fatigue," and says there are days he doesn't have the sensitivity for addicts he knows he should.

"Yesterday, in one 12-hour period, I got called out to, I lost count, I believe it was eight overdoses," he said. "That's one unit! Even I start to lose empathy and compassion even though I can relate to exactly what's going on."

But they do deserve empathy and compassion, he says. He sometimes has to remind himself that less than a year and a half ago, he was that person in need of compassion.

"It's a sick person with a very devastating disease. And the disease is trying to kill them," he told On The Coast host Chris Brown.

"They have to reach out for help. They have to ask, and for that to happen, the stigma of addiction has to go away.

"Until people can see through that and people feel safe to reach out and ask for help then there's a barrier to any kind of help."

He says his hope is that every addicted person can find someone to reach out to who is willing to help.

With files from Jason D'Souza and CBC Radio One's On The Coast

To hear a full interview with Clive Derbyshire, click the audio labelled: Why one paramedic relates to those suffering in B.C.'s overdose crisis