Maintaining Sobriety After Losing A Loved One
Addiction Aftercare and Grief
There are no words to express the pain of losing someone you love. The process of grief is different for everyone. Those with substance abuse disorders are particularly vulnerable to relapsing and often struggling with maintaining their sobriety. The good news is: you can stay sober even in grief. Resurgence Behavioral Health can help you process the experience of grieving rather than pushing away the feelings or trying to escape them through drugs.
There is a good chance that you used drugs and alcohol as your primary coping mechanism before you decided to get sober. When you lose a significant loved one, staying sober can be more difficult. The grieving process can be just as difficult as getting sober. If you are dealing with death is essential that you take extra steps to protect your sobriety. The stress that comes from grief is not an easy emotion for anyone to deal with alone, regardless if there is an addiction.
Immediate Placement in Rehab After A Relapse
The 5 Stages of Sorrow
There are five stages of grief that you will experience when you are processing a death. It is important to move through the stages in a way that ensures that your recovery remains intact.
- Denial- Denial is the first stage of the grieving process. This is a normal part of grieving from a sudden loss. It is very common for people to initially deny the event as a means to protect themselves from the mental struggle.
- Anger- The second stage is the grief process is anger. People who are grieving are often angry towards the deceased or themselves. They may be angry about the situation that leads to death or turn the anger to themselves for not doing more to help prevent death.
- Bargaining- The third stage of grief involves the, “what ifs,” or “if only.” Once the initial stage of anger is processed, they are left blaming themselves. Often bargaining and guilt occur together.
- Sadness- Depression can be very difficult to deal with, sometimes in-patient care and medication are required. You must surround yourself with people who love and support you.
- Acceptance- The last stage is acceptance of the loss. It doesn’t mean that you forget. This stage is about moving forward with your life. There is no longer the need to recover the life they lost.
There is no straight line to acceptance and grief tends to come at you in waves. Many times, people can get stuck at one stage for a long time, while some may go back and forth between stages. This is especially true if you rely on substances to cope. When you are struggling with substance abuse, being able to remain sober can seem difficult. Many individuals are triggered by when they experience intense emotions and feelings. If you are struggling with the loss of a loved one Resurgence Behavioral Health is here to support you through your grief.
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Coping with the Loss of a Loved One
At some point in your life, you will experience grief. Each of us grieves in our way, permitting ourselves to go through the grieving process is an act of self-love. Even years after a loss, it is normal to feel bouts of sadness during holidays or anniversaries. Giving yourself space and time to go through those feelings is good for you. Focusing on your recovery is an important part of processing grief and maintaining your sobriety. Take the time to call a friend or go to meetings. Go to counseling. Be open and honest about the emotions you are experiencing. Be creative. Choose an activity that focuses your attention. Celebrate your loved one’s life. Honor them by including their values and traditions into the holidays. If you find yourself thinking that you may be risking a relapse, don’t hesitate to reach out for help as soon as possible.
How Grief can Lead to an Addiction
Grief is an intense emotion to process. The denial of pain is part of the process. However, these emotions must be dealt with and not pushed away. When you don’t deal with the complex emotions that come from grief, you risk turning to drugs to cope. While using drugs will allow you brief escapes from the pain, when the effects wear off it can leave you feeling even worse than before. Seeking solace with substances is never the answer. Many people, even successful ones can lack healthy coping skills.
Dealing with grief is not easy accomplished. There are many reasons why people turn to substances when dealing with the loss of a loved one. These can include:
- Numbing the pain
- Distracting themselves
- Blocking memories
- Hide their emotions
- Punishing themselves
The risks of using substances can cause more problems. There is a chance that you will spiral out of control due to your addiction creating more difficulties.
Relapsing After Losing A Loved One
Dealing with sorrow is not easy to do when you are struggling with substance abuse. It can likely lead to difficulty in maintaining one’s sobriety and often leads to relapse. Drugs and alcohol can seem like the answer to deal with losing a loved one, especially after the immediate reactions wear off but your grief remains. After a relapse, you may feel that there is no other choice but to return to previous substance abuse habits to stop the crushing feelings of loss. Even if you relapse, it is possible to move forward, learn from it, and become stronger in your recovery. When your grief does not go away, or you find yourself unable to cope without tapping into your previous bad habits, it’s time to get help.
Immediate Placement in Rehab if Losing a Loved One Costs Your Sobriety
Choosing Rehab
Grief changes you. Will it transform you for the better? When you are grappling with substance abuse, the loss of a loved one can be the motivation you need to get back into recovery if you lost your sobriety. At Resurgence Behavioral Health, we offer an immersive environment designed to support and provide you comfort during recovery. People from all walks of life seek out our rehabilitation facilities. Our evidence-based care includes
- Inpatient Rehabilitation
- Medical Detox
- Complete Medical and Mental Assessment
- Counseling
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- 12-step programs
- Nutrition Therapy
- Holistic rehab options
- Long-term rehabilitation
- Aftercare
Everyone deals with death and grief in different ways. Recovering addicts undoubtedly have an added risk of relapse. Carrying the emotional stress and pain from the death of a loved one can be a difficult burden. Loss is a normal part of life and there are healthy ways to deal with this pain. Addiction can never be cured, but you can recover with long-term attendance in therapy and support groups. Resurgence Behavioral Health recognizes the needs of those at risk for addiction and relapse after losing a loved one.
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Reaching Out For Support
At Resurgence Behavioral Health we can teach you a wide variety of coping skills that will help you overcome the unique challenges you face during recovery. No matter where you are, there is always hope. We know that sobriety is not an always easy journey but, we believe that recovery is always possible. To discover how our comprehensive, client-focused recovery programs reach out to us today.
Resurgence offers an online insurance verification tool that can help you get started in the comfort of your home. We accept most major insurance carriers. We understand the complexities of insurance coverage and will help you through the process to maximize the amount of care that your entitled too.
