Kristie Hunt, 31, died Nov. 26, 2023. Friends and family knew her affectionately as Krissi, and she was at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport, Greater Manchester when she passed away. Her tragic demise followed a series of personal battles, including serious mental health issues and a history of drug addiction. Just three days before her death, Hunt had overdosed, a continuation of her battle with her drug addiction.
Hunt’s dreams of being a nurse were eclipsed by her struggles. She had built a career as a carer, but with hard to manage, overlapping diagnoses. These were mainly bipolar affective disorder, emotional unstable personality disorder and adjustment disorder. These conditions had a debilitating impact on her day-to-day life. They caused a path of self-destruction and more recently set off a relapse into daily heroin use.
In the days leading up to death, Hunt drained her mother’s bank accounts. She had started drinking heavily and smoking heroin in the process. Her failing health was worsened by economic anxiety due to problems she was having with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). She’d previously told the DWP that she was working less than 16 hours a week and earning less than £167. According to news reports, this enormous financial stress was a serious contributor to her mental health.
Assistant Coroner Andrew Bridgman stated that the “likely impacted adversely on Kristie Ann Hunt’s state of mind and likely contributed to her actions.” This statement highlights the immediate, real world consequences external stressors can play on those struggling with mental health.
Her close friend Colin Barrow met Hunt shortly before her death and thought of the pressures that she was under from alleged debts to the DWP. He noted, “Knowing Krissi, she would have felt the pressures of the DWP reported debts.” Barrow further emphasized that even the positive aspects of her new job would not have alleviated her anxiety during this turbulent period: “Even with the positive aspects of her new job she would have been in a panic.”
The DWP has responded to the situation, stating, “Our aim is always to provide the best possible support to those who need it, ensuring they can access the appropriate services.” For Hunt, these promises were too little, too late, as she attempted to piece together her situation.
Leanne Devine, a legal advocate, shared her frustration at the constant narrative that justifies DWP’s shortcomings through a mental health crisis. She remarked, “No family should have to hear that DWP failings contributed to a spiral in their loved one’s mental health, yet in our legal work we hear this kind of narrative again and again.”
Hunt’s death not only highlights the complexities of mental health struggles but raises critical questions about systemic failures within support services. Her story powerfully underscores why we need comprehensive care and fast. It points up the crucial need for support for other people experiencing the same kinds of issues.
Leave a Reply