Goodbye, My Friends
Poem: Goodbye, My Friends
i guess this is goodbye my friend
i guess we saw you through to the bitter end
The end wasn't glorious
despite your fight
its getting added to the others
statistics and shite
my friends i know there’s many more than one
your lives meant something even
if they don’t see this as the battle you won
you hear and you read
with drugs comes all of these
viruses, thefts and crimes
tears, blood and grime
but maybe that wasn’t true for all
there's some you would swear had no issues at all
but that’s the front they put on
so the world wouldn’t know
but the records
and digital trails
prove you weren’t alone
your fight isn’t unique
only it’s not cancer
or one that invokes tears
it’s mental health and crazy
we get the awe poor fucking dears
well none of that matters now
the police call outs
rescues or lock ups
the hospital and referrals
if there was one
what did it help anything
or even just one
There’s a circular process unless you're over 45
if you're female and not into crime
you probably had kids
was the family kind
that would involve social services, substance services, and many
more too but what good did it do
apart from drag out the inevitable
and scream back yea fuck you too!
only it wouldn’t be written that way
it would something along this suit
dis-engaged, non-compliant, challenging,
abusive, hard to work with
but how many referrals would be sent for good
we know there’s social services
maybe a dentist if you're one of the lucky few
who knows maybe none of this applies
you’ve kissed arse
and ensured the help
liked you
how long does a service need to be involved
how long on meds before
they offer you life
is the aim of stability
is maintenance meds
and pressure
not rehab therapy
or group even to recover in all the news stories
fuck lord knows the many and few
not one of them points at anything being wrong
except of course
maybe it’s just you
If you are affected by any of the issues mentioned here, please visit the Support & Resources tab to find services, crisis support lines, and recovery options in your area.
This page is part of The Empowerment Stream project. We believe lives should be measured by care—not just statistics.
This page is dedicated to the memory of those we’ve lost to addiction and mental health struggles in our community. Alongside mortality data and news headlines, we’re including personal tributes and videos to remember the lives behind the numbers.
info@the-empowerment-stream.com
Drug $ Alcohol Deaths in Wales Are Rising
Using office for National Statistics (ONS) definations, Wales recorded 683 alcohol related deaths and 562 alcohol-specific deaths in 2023. That's a 10.5% and 15.6% increase, respectively, from the previous year. Hywel Dda, the health board covering Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, and Ceredigion, was reported to be above the national average for alcohol-specific death rates.
Pathos
SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING
Drug use is Widespread - and Lethal
in 2021 -22, Public Health Wales estimated over 51,000 problem drug users in Wales, including people not in contact with services. This includes users of opioids, cocaine, amphetamines, and injectors.
Valium & Pregabalin Are the Silent Killers
Recent harm reduction data shows rising concerns about benzodiazepines (like Valium) and pregabalin. While less attention-grabbing than heroin, these drugs are often present in local deaths - especially in "polydrug" overdoses where more than one substance is involved.
Post-COVID Trends? Not as Different as You Might Think
The European Health Report 2024 confirms that while COVID-19 temporarily spiked as a cause of death, deaths from non-communicable diseases like drugs, alcohol, and suicide remain dominant. The pandemic disrupted trends, but didn't cause most of the mortality we're seeing in our area.
This Report Uses National Data, But It Affects local Lives
These facts come from national data sources like ONS, Public Health Wales, and WHO Global Health Estimates. Why not Hywel Dda's own data? Because most regional authorities, including HDUHB, do not publish mortality data in a fully transparent or easily accessible way. That's why this platform exists - to connect the dots they won't.
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