Long-term Considerations

Unwanted Health Consequences

Given the limitations of these strategies, many of us will still have worsening, ignored, untreated, and invalidated health concerns. This creates the potential for serious, chronic, and additional physical and mental health concerns.

Impacts on Relationships with Healthcare

The need for these strategies can change the way that we relate to, seek out, and trust healthcare providers. For self and community protection, we may be more selective with the care that we access and more hesitant to seek care when we need it.

Lack of Sustainability

As these strategies depend on our resources, they can easily and quickly exhaust our financial and social supports. This creates downstream impacts on our access to other needs, such as food, housing, and relationships. Strategies that rely on personal capacities instead of addressing systemic harm cannot sustainably benefit everyone in our communities.

Lack of Systemic Change

The healthcare system in BC comes from and perpetuates paternalistic, colonial, and capitalist structures that have historically pathologized and oppressed various communities. These structures create and perpetuate racism, heteronormativity, ableism, fatphobia, and other forms of oppression. The healthcare system comes from and is a part of these power systems. This influences how practitioners define and understand health, wellness, unwellness, patient-provider dynamics, treatment, ethics, and evidence. It impacts the creation and implementation of medical training, equipment, procedures, research, and more. It can also affect how we as youth understand and relate to seeking healthcare and services. The strategies listed here are not meant to and cannot change nor replace the systemic harm perpetuated through the healthcare system. At best, these strategies serve as harm reduction.  Without greater systemic change, these cycles of systemic oppression will continue over generations.