Losing a child is one of the most painful experiences that a parent can go through. As a parent who has lost a child to an overdose, you may already be familiar with the overwhelming range of emotions that you experience. Yet, you may have also found your own ways to move past the pain. Now, you are worried about your spouse who seems to still be struggling with finding a way to move forward with their life.
Being on different parts of your journey toward acceptance of your loss can put a strain on your relationship, and you may be eager for them to return to their former self. Although things may not be the same again, you can find healing through these three benefits that come with attending drug death grief counseling.
Address Self-Blame and Guilt Issues
In many cases, drug addiction goes on for years before someone has an overdose. Your spouse may feel guilty about not being able to help your child end their addiction. Alternatively, they may have had no clue that their child was struggling, and now they blame themselves for not being more involved in their life. Self-blame and guilt are two major emotions that can hold people back from their grief and loss recovery. A professional counselor can talk to you and your spouse about what happened while providing guidance that brings everyone peace.
Begin to Heal Your Relationship
The loss of a child can also tear two parents apart. Some parents turn their grief and anger outward, and your spouse might have placed the blame for what happened on you. Resentment is also a common emotion that people face when one person begins to move on and the other person is still fully immersed in their pain. Grief counseling can be done as a couple to help you both begin to mend your relationship while your spouse works through their process of healing. Bonding together now can help your relationship stay strong even in the face of significant grief.
Learn Positive Coping Strategies
Dealing with a drug death is painful enough that some people turn to negative coping methods. Counseling opens up new ways to deal with the pain that promote healing. You and your spouse may benefit from learning how to communicate with each other in positive ways. For instance, one of you could signal that you need space rather than lashing out. Meditation, mindfulness, and physical exercise are a few more coping strategies that a counselor might suggest that can improve your relationship and your spouse's wellbeing.
