Grief and Depression After Losing a Parent

Losing a parent is devastating, even when you know it’s coming such as with a terminal illness. This loss causes heartbreak, trauma and significant life changes that feel overwhelming. Everyone experiences this uniquely, with some people suffering from major depression. Others turn to substance abuse and fall into addiction. From the loss of your parent, you possibly feel alone, angry and sad. The range of emotions is intense when you must say goodbye to your loved one for the last time. While many of these feelings prove normal, some linger and hold you back in life.

Career Symptoms of Your Depression

After losing a parent, you may need time off from work. Some people take several weeks to restore their balance and wellness. Sometimes going back to work seems impossible. Most people do go back to their job or educational pursuits, but what if you cannot? Or what if you return, only to find yourself unable to meet the demands of your work?

If you suffer career stress after the loss of your parent or find yourself unemployed as part of your grief, you likely suffer depression. With this depression, one of the worst choices you can make is that of self-medicating. This path leads many people into a substance use disorder.

Social Problems after Parental Loss

Losing a parent affects your social life, too. No matter your age, you risk depression and resulting social isolation. Many people find it hard to return phone calls or enjoy time out with friends after a parental loss. Some struggle with maintaining relationships or put those on hold for too long. If you suffer grief and depression that is affecting your social life and wellness, you need help from a quality treatment program. When substance abuse also takes place during your depression, you need dual diagnosis treatment for both conditions.

Daily Life Problems with Grief and Depression

Depression after losing a parent alters your mood and keeps you in a dark mental and emotional state. This involves sadness, irritability, and anger. For a short period of time, these feelings are entirely normal. But when depression lingers too long after a death, you need specialized care. You need the same care if you struggle to sleep or eat properly after a parental loss. Maybe people cannot fall asleep or wake too often in the night. Others sleep too much, sort of sleeping their days away. Under-eating and overeating add to these problems, making daily life a struggle for your own well-being.

Thoughts of suicide affect many people after losing a parent. If you suffer depression and feel hopeless, sometimes death sounds like an easy way out. But the truth is that professional help is the easy way out. In only days you can feel much better and even back to your old self again with the right support. Drinking or using drugs on top of depression only increases the likelihood of suicidal thoughts, so getting help is urgent.

Help for Grief and Depression after Losing a Parent

After losing a parent, you need grief and loss counseling. If you abuse drugs or alcohol to cope with your grief, you also need substance abuse counseling through a quality rehab program. Therapies and programs at a quality rehab include:

• Medical detox
• Multiple levels of rehab care
• Individual, group and family therapy
• Grief and anger management
• Experiential therapy
• Trauma therapy
• PTSD treatment

For your best chance of recovery from your substance abuse, grief and depression after losing a parent, call Beaches Recovery now at 866.605.0532. You can regain the happiness of your life for a brighter future. You simply need help from Beaches Recovery in Jacksonville, FL.