EP 72: The Hardest Kind of Grief: Loving a Child Lost to Addiction’s Shadow

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Have you ever mourned a version of your child that never existed—grieving not a death, but the dreams addiction silently stole?

When a loved one struggles with addiction, parents often find themselves clinging to an imagined future, while feeling lost in a present filled with uncertainty. This episode explores the emotional toll of ambiguous grief and how true acceptance—not denial or approval—can help parents heal while staying connected.

• Discover what ambiguous grief is and how it uniquely affects families facing addiction.
• Learn why letting go of the life you envisioned for your child can restore emotional peace.
• Hear how practicing real acceptance—not fantasy—can rebuild trust, improve relationships, and lighten your emotional load.

Listen now to uncover the quiet strength of acceptance and begin healing from the hardest kind of grief—loving a child lost to addiction’s shadow.

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Loving someone with a drug or alcohol problem can feel exhausting — the worry, the guilt, the sleepless nights. It wears you down.

Family Hope Support offers one-to-one support sessions grounded in real lived experience.  Finally get the care & help you need to navigate a loved one's addiction. 

🎉: Family Support Listeners Get 30% off every one-to-one support session with Paul King.  — use code FAMILYHOPE at checkout.

👉 Claim your discount at familyhopesupport.com and start feeling less alone. You don’t have to do this by yourself.

This podcast provides practical guidance and support for families navigating the challenges of substance abuse disorder, offering insights from addiction recovery experts, family therapy, and support groups like Al-Anon and Family Drug Support, with a focus on understanding how to help and support loved ones dealing with addiction, including heroin addiction, through counselling and treatment options.

DISCLAIMER 

Every family is different — if you’re supporting someone through addiction, please make decisions that are right for you, ideally in consultation with qualified professionals and appropriate support networks.