Understanding Complicated Grief & Loss & Addiction
Grief is a universal human experience -- the complex of emotions, thoughts, and behaviors that follows significant loss. Loss may involve death of a loved one, dissolution of relationships, loss of health or independence, loss of identity or role, or loss of dreams and expectations. While grief is a normal process, complicated grief -- characterized by prolonged, intense grief that does not diminish over time and significantly impairs functioning -- can develop, particularly following sudden, violent, or traumatic losses, or when the bereaved person lacks adequate social support.
The relationship between grief and substance use is powerful and often underappreciated. Individuals experiencing acute or complicated grief frequently turn to substances as a way to manage unbearable emotional pain, escape reminders of the deceased or lost relationship, facilitate sleep that is disrupted by grief, connect with the lost person (particularly if substance use was shared), or achieve a numbed state in which the full intensity of grief is temporarily inaccessible. Alcohol is the most commonly used substance in grief, as its depressant effects directly counter the agitation, anxiety, and emotional hyperarousal that accompanies acute grief. Over time, what began as occasional drinking to manage grief becomes daily reliance on alcohol for emotional regulation, and addiction develops insidiously.
At Trust SoCal, our dual diagnosis program recognizes grief as a legitimate, significant stressor while simultaneously treating the substance use disorder. Our grief-informed approach helps clients process loss authentically while developing healthier coping mechanisms.