How do you respond when THEY lose someone to addiction?

grief
recovery

#1

My boyfriend and I have been together for about 3 years and this year, although there were multiple slips, has been the best he has ever been in his sobriety journey. He’s slowly but surely learning how to be a normal functioning adult since he left rehab last year. It’s been a rough road for both of us but we have both overcome a lot and have learned a lot about ourselves and each other.

Recently, my boyfriend lost someone very close to him to a heroin overdose. He’s lost friends from rehab before but not anyone as close as this person. I have never seen him deal with grief this way. I’m not sure if it’s good or bad. He cried. I’ve never seen him cry. He’s been depressed since he found out. All I’ve been able to offer is emotional support by just hugging him and telling him how much I love him.

I can’t help but worry about how he’s going to cope with these strong emotions he is currently feeling. Honestly, I’m not sure he has ever faced emotions like this head on before and allowed himself to grieve and cry. A part of me wants so badly to take his pain away but I know I can’t. Any encouragement or words of wisdom would be helpful here. I know there isn’t much I can do but I can’t tell anyone I know because of the judgement. I guess I just needed a place to share - so thankful for a space and community like this to share.


#2

This is always tough when my husband hears about a friend from rehab or that he’s met along the way passing. In our experience it’s mostly been another reason to resolve to keep working on recovery. Though it can be really, really heart breaking. Sending <3


#3

Yes, the first thing he said when he found out he passed was “another one lost to this disease”. It just breaks my heart.