After roughly 15 years as an on-and-off heroin user, Daniel Snyder faced the challenge of being publicly vulnerable about his experience years ago.

香蕉视频直播淚 wrestled with it 香蕉视频直播� certainly for a time 香蕉视频直播� but emerged realizing that I really needed to own my story,香蕉视频直播� Snyder said.

That journey has allowed Snyder to co-host Off The Clock Toolbox Talk, a podcast launched by Mission香蕉视频直播檚 Fraser House Society to create conversations with men who work in the trades and construction industry about health and substance use.

The Fraser House podcast is a two-year project that will include up to 40 episodes over four seasons, produced with a financial contribution from Health Canada香蕉视频直播檚 Substance Use and Addiction Program.

香蕉视频直播淭his funding will enable us to create podcasts for men in the trades that will provide tools and information on pain, trauma and substance use while enhancing awareness, decreasing stigma and encouraging shared lived experiences,香蕉视频直播� Fraser House Society executive director Cynthia Coyle said.

Snyder co-hosts the podcast with Karen Janzen, a health promotion specialist who has worked with vulnerable youth in the mental health substance use field for decades. Janzen also came up with the concept for the podcast.

香蕉视频直播淔ifteen years ago, I saw how a lack of psycho-social resources fueled the misery of tradesmen in my life,香蕉视频直播� Janzen said.

In the first episode, Snyder shared his experiences as a tradesman who used heroin on and off for 15 years 香蕉视频直播� during which time he overdosed and survived.

He says if he were going through his addiction experience at any point in the last seven years, he wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be alive.

香蕉视频直播淚 know that in my heart because of the way I used to operate alone 香蕉视频直播� always kind of behind closed doors, locked in a bedroom or a bathroom, and very isolated, very secretive,香蕉视频直播� he said.

While Snyder is open about his experiences, he says finding others to be publicly vulnerable is a challenge.

香蕉视频直播淥ften, one of the real challenges is finding people who are still struggling or people who are perhaps using drugs and it香蕉视频直播檚 not dysfunctional 香蕉视频直播� and that is actually a large majority of people,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚f I香蕉视频直播檓 a guy who uses molly a couple of times a year or likes to do cocaine once in a while, I香蕉视频直播檓 not generally the guy that香蕉视频直播檚 gonna open up about that, especially on a podcast.香蕉视频直播�

He says a challenge of hosting is being aware of his own biases.

香蕉视频直播淸My] ways of thinking about this issue do not necessarily translate out onto every other person,香蕉视频直播� he said.

However, Snyder hopes his own experience with drug use can help people to open up on the show.

香蕉视频直播淚 have that lived experience in interaction with people on job sites, and I香蕉视频直播檓 well aware of the kind of drive to hide behaviours that society deems less than desirable.香蕉视频直播�

Snyder says the classic view of drug use usually involves addiction or homelessness. However, a large number of overdoses are happening in private residences with many of those people employed in trade and transport.

香蕉视频直播淎 lot of trades guys are working paycheck to paycheck in a difficult society. The financial burdens that people experience and香蕉视频直播� the wear and tear on the bodies of our tradespeople 香蕉视频直播� it香蕉视频直播檚 not a surprise to me that some of them are just hanging on and substance use is simply a way of self-medicating.香蕉视频直播�

According to Snyder, the trades industry has unique factors contributing to drug use that are difficult to research to truly understand why they are so impacted.

香蕉视频直播淚 obviously don香蕉视频直播檛 have all the answers,香蕉视频直播� Snyder said. 香蕉视频直播淭he podcast is an exploration of that and breaking down the stigma around drug use.香蕉视频直播�

The podcast hopes to drive home the idea that every story is unique and different and so are solutions.

The first season is now available on Apple, Spotify and Youtube with the second season on the way.