The Role of Grief in Addiction

Grief is painful. Unfortunately, we will all have to experience it. One of the ways people may try to cope with that pain is by numbing themselves through the use of substances. Grief is one of the core issues to be addressed in treating substance use disorders (SUD).

Indeed, one of the factors strongly related to the development of a SUD is childhood trauma, such as the death of a loved one, sexual abuse, or physical harm. Earlier research found that those with childhood trauma who began using substances at an earlier age, had a more extensive polydrug abuse history and developed a greater dependency.

Grieving the personal losses in one's life is an important task for all of us and is also an essential step in addiction recovery. However, for a truly successful recovery from SUD, it is important that the user also grieve the loss of their addiction. When experiencing emotional pain, the substance was there to soothe and comfort them. It was an escape and provided a brief reprieve from their bad feelings. Giving it up means changing routines and habits surrounding its use. It will also mean changing some of the relationships that were developed during that time and the places you used to frequent.

During recovery, it is important to have a strong support system, including therapists and counselors. Become involved in one of the many support groups for users. Learning to talk about feelings in a safe environment is of utmost importance. Keeping a journal is another helpful form of self-expression. Learning how to calm down and center yourself during times of distress are important tools that can be used in all areas of your life.

In addition, there is a self-help technique developed in EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing). To do it, you cross your arms in front of you, putting your right hand on your left shoulder and your left on your right shoulder. Then you envision or think about your safe place and tap your hands alternately four to six times. Then stop, take a breath, and see how that feels.

Read the complete article available at Psychology Today!

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