When a person is grieving, they are often not thinking in their right mind. Grief has a way of overwhelming a person’s usual healthy thought patterns and replacing them with heavy feelings of depression. This can cause the person to make bad decisions or act out of character. Frequently, the way a person will try to cope with grief is through a particularly unhealthy method: addiction or substance abuse. Addictive activities and substances provide an escape from reality, which is incredibly tempting for someone who is grieving. There is nothing that a grieving person wants more than to escape from the tragedy of their reality. When someone you care about is grieving, do not take lightly signs of substance abuse or addiction. It could be that your loved one is in need of professional help.
No one intends to wind up an addict or substance abuser. These conditions are largely brought on by an inability to cope through healthy means, either due to mental unhealthiness or extreme life circumstances, such as personal tragedy. Initially, a person’s response to grief is usually shock or denial, followed by a heavy emotional period when the gravity of the situation is hitting them. As the individual relearns how to live with the permanency of the loss, the possibility of addiction or substance abuse is imminent. During this time, more than any other period, the individual may be susceptible to wanting to bury their pain beneath an escape. It is very important that their friends, family and loved ones take signs of addiction and substance abuse seriously so that they can receive the professional help they need. If they do not receive help with their addiction or substance abuse problem, they may put their own life at risk. If someone you care about has endured personal tragedy and you believe they are trying to cope with substance abuse or addiction, reach out to a mental health professional today.
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