Drugs and Alcohol Increase Suffering After Loss

Following a funeral or celebration of life, people often gather to share food and drink, which can include alcohol. It’s a tricky thing to do when emotions are running high and /or people have not been sleeping well and are out of routine. It’s always better to err on the side of caution when consuming alcohol during a fragile state. Monitor how much alcohol is being served and ensure people are not driving when they leave the gathering.

Even more dangerous is the ongoing use of drugs and alcohol to numb one’s suffering. As the time passes, a person displaying this behaviour will begin to use chemicals and/or drink more and more each day. This can lead to out of control behaviour, destroying relationships personally and professionally, and major mental and physical health issues. If you are receiving feedback from loved ones that you are consuming too much or that they are aware of drug use, it’s important for you to receive some help. If a family member or friend is struggling to support an individual with this issue, they need to seek help as well.

In avoiding the work of grieving and mourning by attempting to mask feelings of loss, I assure you that the issue will NOT go away. It will do you and others in your life far more harm.

For support or information drugs and alcohol use, Narcotics Anonymous www.na.org, Alcoholics Anonymous www.aa.org or Al-Anon at www.al-anon.org.

Photo Credit: Danilo Rizzuti
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