
Earlier in 2024 Tararua REAP hosted a community learning session with Peter Thorburn, the director of Meth Education and Solution Services (MESS). Peter ran a day-long hui on methamphetamine addiction, with learnings and lessons targeted at friends, family and whānau of those affected, and community and health practitioners. The session followed on from other successful mental health workshops held recently by the REAP, including ‘A Good Yarn, a mental health workshop’ and ‘Shot Bro’, a story of depression, suicide and healing.
Elaine Reilly, General Manager at Tararua REAP, said this particular topic was identified in 2023 after they were approached by representatives from Women’s Refuge who had attended a similar workshop in Levin.
“The group that had attended the session in Levin thought our community would also benefit from hosting a session in Dannevirke. We identified that this was an important kaupapa and we were privileged to have Peter attend the session at the Hub in Dannevirke with a group of around 50 people. It wasn’t always an easy session to listen to and participate in and it was confronting for many, but as one delegate said, ‘everyone should pay attention to this information because it affects all of us’.”
Peter became a mental health specialist and advocate following his own personal journey to overcome addiction to meth. He spent 23 years addicted, eight of those addicted to methamphetamine. At one point in time, he was acknowledged as one of New Zealand’s most notorious meth cooks and as a result he served time in prison for committing up to 100 crimes related to burglary and supply of drugs.
Peter shared his early life story with the group and emphasised that his downward spiral into addiction started when he was at boarding school where he was severely bullied. Until that point, he had been both a New Zealand representative age-group swimmer and a Northland football representative.
When Peter left prison in 2005, he experienced a period of transformation that has seen him spend the last 18 years as a mental health specialist and advocate. His transformation was only able to occur because he had the right people offering the right choices at the right time.
With a strong support group, he studied at the University of Auckland. He gained a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science and a Postgraduate Diploma in Addictions, adding a Diploma of Counselling from Manukau Institute of Technology to complete his qualifications.
He has since put this learning and expertise to good use spending his time talking to a diverse range of groups, from gang members to school students, whānau, members of the police force and addiction services.
In 2017 Peter established MESS NZ with a philosophy based around the need for society to work to support addicts and to give those wanting to break the drug cycle acceptance of who they were and how best to support them. This could include things like providing alternatives to drugs, such as jobs, sports and friendships.
Those who attended the REAP day said the session gave them better education about the dangers of meth and addiction as well as providing some potential solutions to help people with their journey to sobriety. Specific commentary and feedback included the following:
- I enjoyed hearing from someone who has lived with addiction and who is now clean and living a better life and inspiring others to be better.
- Pete was raw, authentic, humorous and engages his audience. Great learnings presented in a totally people friendly way – would recommend to anyone at any stage of the addiction education spectrum.
The REAP hopes to bring Peter back next year to continue the community’s education and assist the community with finding solutions to recovery.