Father and Son Beat Addiction Together in New Documentary

Ryan Nielsen started using cocaine at age 10, following in his father Darin's footsteps. By his teens, the pain of opioid withdrawal felt "like torture," driving him to attempt suicide at just 13 years old.

Now, Nielsen works as a harm reduction coordinator, dedicating his life to helping others escape the same spiral. His remarkable journey from addiction to recovery is the focus of a new documentary called "The Spiral," premiering Friday at White Rock Community Centre.

Director Syed Zeshan Ahmed wanted to tell a different kind of addiction story. Most documentaries focus on street drug use, but "The Spiral" reveals the hidden addiction happening behind closed doors in families and workplaces across the country.

"Ryan was using in the workplace, hiding it from his co-workers, from management," Ahmed explained. It wasn't until Nielsen overdosed that his struggle became visible to those around him.

The documentary features raw testimony from Nielsen, his father Darin, and friend George Passmore. Their accounts trace how Darin's own addiction created a pattern his son would follow, and how facing that painful truth became the key to both their recoveries.

When Darin saw he might lose his son, something shifted. He confronted his own substance abuse, becoming the positive role model Ryan needed to fight his way back.

Why This Inspires

The film's title carries a double meaning that offers genuine hope. While addiction spirals downward, recovery spirals upward too.

"It's not a straight journey. There are some hard turns you have to take," Ahmed said. The documentary poster shows Ryan walking up a spiral staircase, symbolizing the challenging but possible path to recovery.

What makes this story so powerful is its honesty about relapse and struggle, paired with proof that change is possible. Nielsen didn't just recover. He transformed his pain into purpose by becoming a harm reduction coordinator.

Ahmed spent months searching for the right person to center his documentary around. When Sources Community Resources connected him with Nielsen, he knew immediately he'd found someone whose story could help others.

"It's a very emotional story about a father and son joining together, and how they stuck together in a very dark place," the filmmaker said.

The Canadian premiere happens April 24 at 6 p.m., presented by Black Productions Films with community partners Tides of Change, Sources Community Resources, and South Rock Social Justice. Admission is by donation, making the film accessible to anyone who needs its message of hope.