The Role of Grief and Loss in Addiction Recovery

When people are in the early stages of recovery from addiction, they are generally not aware of the role of grief in their experience. Usually, we relate feelings of grief to a tangible loss, such as that of a loved one or divorce. However, grief is not always triggered by something we can put our finger on and with recovering addicts, the stages of grief, which includes denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, often relates to their previous lifestyle. One of the most important aspects of rehab treatment is to make necessary lifestyle and behavioral changes in order to maintain sobriety.

Dealing with Grief and Loss During Recovery

When someone has become dependent on or addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, they tend to mix in certain circles and attend the kind of places where others are using without caution. The nature of addiction as a disease that’s slow to develop means that some people can become firmly entrenched in their addictive lifestyle. It can be enormously difficult for them to distance themselves from such influences in order to focus on their healing, without attending a rehab program.

When we as humans form habits – unhealthy or otherwise – it leads to repetitive cycles that become like a comfort zone. When people with substance use disorder mix with others who are freely using alcohol or drugs, they are enabled to continue. For these reasons, it is only possible to overcome addiction if all negative influences are removed from a person’s lifestyle.

In some cases, people come from enabling families, which means they have to separate themselves from loved ones in order to achieve recovery. However, in most cases, this dramatic shift in lifestyle habits comes as quite a shock to the individual in rehab, making a grieving process necessary. As part of a comprehensive rehab program, it is useful to have a component that allows people to close the door on the past so that they can make a fresh beginning.

CASA Recovery: A First Class Addiction Treatment Center in San Juan Capistrano, CA

Everyone needs support, particularly when they are healing from substance use disorder. CASA Recovery takes the time to treat each individual’s personal needs at our tranquil mental health facility in Southern California. If you are seeking a path to recovery from addiction, contact CASA Recovery in Orange County, CA today.