Dealing with Grief and Loss While in Addiction Recovery

The death of a loved one and the feelings of loss and grief that follow are some of the most difficult things we must face as human beings.  The experience is always excruciating and emotional and inspires deep thought about life, love, and our relationships, and forces us to reflect on our own mortality as well.  For individuals in recovery, the loss of a loved one can be a precarious time.  In fact, the death of someone close to you can be an extremely strong relapse trigger, and can and does drive many right back into drug abuse and active addiction, regardless of how long you have been clean and sober.

Complicated Grief

While grief and loss is something we all experience, different people deal with it in different ways.  Although many people are saddened by the death of a loved one, they are able to accept it, process it, and move on independently.  However,  7% of people that have lost someone close to them have a more extended and intense experience known as Complicated Grief, also known as Complex Bereavement Disorder – and some researchers believe the percentage of people effected may even be as high as 15%.  Complicated Grief can include symptoms and side effects such as depression, preoccupation with feelings of loss or sadness, and inability to experience pressure, and can result in difficulties in adhering to normal daily routines.  These symptoms can further lead to agitation, irritability, inability to trust others, social withdrawal, and eventually, a feeling that life has lost all meaning.  Anyone who has lost someone may feel some or all of these things initially after the loss, but for someone experiencing Complicated Grief, these feelings can go on for many months, or even on some level, for years.   Complicated Grief, then, as you can imagine, is extremely dangerous for those recovering from addiction, as any one of the many symptoms by itself can quickly set the stage for relapse.

How to Help Yourself Grieve in a Healthy Way

There are many things you can do to help work through your sadness and grief, and there are clear steps you can take to avoid relapse during this difficult time.  Some of the following tips are helpful to anyone suffering the loss of a loved one, and others are specific to individuals in recovery, but either way, know that dealing with death is difficult for everyone, and that you are not alone.  Most importantly, reach out to others if you feel you need help.

How Counseling Can Help

As mentioned above, a period of grief or loss following a death is absolutely normal, but it can also be a recipe for relapse for individuals recovering from addiction.  Addicts need to be honest with themselves at all times about what is happening in their lives and actively pursue the support they need to get through difficult times.  There is truly no better time than during a loss to take full advantage of the support network that has been established during rehabilitation.  Remember, your future hinges on you staying sober, so doing the following things are of utmost importance if you plan to continue moving forward in your new and healthy lifetstyle.

Death of a loved one is extremely difficult for all – and especially for addicts in recovery.  The range and intensity of emotions is difficult to bear.  However, if you take the proper steps, and put your focus in the right place, you can work through your feelings in a healthy way, and come out the other side a stronger, wiser, and still healthy person.  It can be done.  You can do it.

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