How to Deal with grief in sobriety Help!

So i lost my girlfriend to a drug overdose in march well i was incarcerated and it hit me like a ton of bricks to the chest im not really handling it well she was my best friend and now im out of jail and everyday i wake up i have the realization that she’s gone im trying to find a way to deal with the grief and work through it as she would want me to but i just don’t know where to start I can’t even look at her pictures without breaking down i know she would be proud of me for staying clean and I’m doing it for myself and to respect her memory but how do i deal with the grief and live everyday life

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Hi Jason, im truly sorry for your loss. Ive lost people the same way and its terrible. Im so proud of you also for staying clean no matter what.
My belief that the afterlife is a beautiful place/state of being/next level of consciousness helps me deal with grief. Other than that its exactly like you said: learning how to function sober in a world that doesnt include your loved one. Theres no easy answer and its an ongoing process that only gets easier with time.
Wishing you all the best :pink_heart: we stay sober no matter what!

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Thank you sarahbear it’s really nice being able to reach out talk to people that are going through the same stuff in sobriety and able to connect with them this app is amazing

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It really is the best part of the internet im so glad you found us. I will post on the checking in thread almost every day, and people there cheer me on in my victories and support me in my struggles. I cant stay sober alone so on top of my program its been so helpful to always have the forum in my pocket.
Hope to see you post more :glowing_star:

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Very sorry for your heartache. Like so much else it’s one day at a time. One day at a time to get through. Cry your tears, grieve your grief. And as you are honor her by staying sober yourself.
There’s lots of nice companionship here at this site. It might help you feel not quite as alone. 3D support groups might be helpful for you also. There is not a timeline on this. It is just one day at a time.

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My condolences to your loss :people_hugging:

Grieving is painful, please share away, you don’t have to go through it alone.
What helped me when I lost my mum is giving myself time. Time to sit with my feelings. Time to approach necessary doings all at my pace. Deliberately focussing on me and my life in babysteps and minitasks. Doing one thing here, run one (1!) errand there fills the day. I slept a lot as high emotions are tiring for me, but needing to go outside and excercise, walk, listen to music, journalling also helped.
Take it one day at a time, sober, it gets more bearable with time :people_hugging:

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Don’t use you will regret it.

I lost my life partner in 2018 and believe me using/drinking is not the answer to this.

take care of your basic needs, hydration, food, going outside, try to stay washed and keep your place tidy, focus on really really really small goals. Focus on the smallest amount of beauty you see in this world, whether it’s a flower or a nice sky. Take slow steps forward

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Grief hit us all different different stages , when i lost my two older brothers in 2017 i was sad and i went to a few meetings which helped then i lost my twin brother 2020 that was very sad and i had to help with his wife and sons at the funeral and when my fav cousin died (she drunk her self to death )2021 and my Aunt her mother who i was looking after passed away at 101 in 2022 i looked back on the last few years and thought im grateful to be still here two suicide attempts when i was drinking i know that lifting another drink or drug wont help wish you well

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Thank you all for your advice and support it really help one thing I’m not doing is using that’s the one thing in my life I have complete control over and I’m not giving that up for anything I feel like it gets a little easier to swallow the pain everyday and I’m so grateful for the support I miss her dearly but she would be so proud of how far I’ve come
RIP my beautiful woman I will never forget you

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Hey @Jasonprudhomme95
I don’t have any advice, i just wanted to offer my condolences. I can’t imagine what you’re going through. I hope it gets easier to bear soon.

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I won’t be patronizing here…the best way to handle grief is to fully experience it. No shortcuts, no getting around it.

Grief can be unpleasant and an emotional minefield, but it is a feeling that we all need to go through when circumstances call for it. The easiest way to get through grief is to embrace it.

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By not staying stuck in grief. She is in a good place. We get into doldrums, depression and self-pity. We have to be of good cheer. I know because I am going through this with my dad.

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