Grieving After Drug Overdose: Navigating Loss And Finding Healing

The drug epidemic continues to claim more lives than ever, with a recent poll revealing that nearly one in 10 adults has experienced the loss of a family member to a drug overdose. Dealing with such grief can be profoundly challenging, as Anne Stephens knows all too well.

Anne and her twin brother Patrick shared a love of soccer, school, and friends, but their paths diverged. “He would push back or kind of test boundaries in ways that I just didn’t,” Anne said. After Patrick tore his meniscus in high school, he was prescribed pain medication, which eventually led to heroin use. At just 26 years old, Patrick died of an overdose.

Anne reflects on the stigma surrounding addiction. “I wish the shame would disappear,” she said. “My family member died of this disease that most people don’t accept as a disease.”

Dr. Howell, an expert on grief, explains that families often experience a mix of emotions, including guilt. “They feel a sense of guilt, like, what did I not notice?” she said. Howell encourages families to acknowledge their loved one’s significance and to direct their emotions toward understanding the disease of addiction, rather than blaming the person.

Support systems and education are vital. “The main thing is to acknowledge that this person was very meaningful to them,” Howell added.

Anne has spent 12 years healing from her loss but still feels the weight of Patrick’s absence. “There’s definitely an empty seat at the table every holiday,” she said. “Him being my twin brother, I truly feel like a physical part of me is missing. It’s gone.”

For those grieving a loved one lost to addiction, experts urge seeking supportive environments and remembering that both the family and the person who died were doing their best.