When a Loved One Dies of Drug Addiction

Each year, hundreds of thousands die due to drug addiction. Each person who dies leaves someone behind. It can be friends, a wife or husband, children, or other family members. Because so many die from drug addiction ever year, many families are left without a way to remember them. This essay is an attempt to explain why the final chapter happened for the person who passed, how to deal with questions on faith, and, lastly, what we can do to remember the death of the family member.

Because of the high numbers of drug related deaths, perhaps it would be best to state first why they fell into the addiction. In almost every case it is not directly because of the family. The death usually occurs due in part to troubles in adolescence, but the reasons drug addicts pass beyond the actual physical aspects are usually mysteries. Addiction is the reason they died; the reasons to use changed as the addicts changed. The family members can't shoulder the blame for the death. The addicted made the choices. Addicts throughout history have made poor decisions, but these were their decisions-rarely did someone make it for them. The family does not have to know these details, but often they will seek answers

They do not have to move on either, but often the last thing the family needs is to dig up the past of the addicted loved one. Instead, they should rekindle their religious beliefs and apply them to this death. A belief system will allow the family to work on their anger against this person. And there usually is anger against these addicts. It is best to let these thoughts go, but often the family must express them somehow or the thoughts will sicken the memories of the addict. They can try to let the emotions out, and then turn it over to God. The family can say that all these mistakes made, all the chances lost, are between the addicts and their God. Dealing with the loss of a family member is just why religious beliefs were formulated; like the Egyptians filling their pyramids with gold to send hope into the heavens, the family can send the gift to their loved one's in heaven. The gifts need not be of gold, because the only currencies in heaven are faith and hope.

When the families bring hope and faith into the mix, the pain of death can be thought of differently. The addicts can be remembered for who they were even in the times of addiction. Perhaps they stole money from their mothers, fought their fathers, or made a choice to leave the families. What is important is that these things are forgiven. The forgiveness need not be immediate; the families need to, as stated, let the emotions out. Crying and anger are common, but the addicts are in a place where their addictions no longer control their every decision. The families need to only remember that fact to be comforted.

The final chapter for addicts is not always one of death. More often than not the addicted find a means to get clean. But, for every addict who cleans himself or herself up, countless die from the effects of lethal drugs like cocaine. The family can treat the death of an addict like the end of a long winter. Perhaps they are saddened and angered by the death-that is grief-but they should consider the hope the addict has in heaven. To deal with grief the family should not forget; they should remember.