Losing my sister aged 39 to drugs/alcohol

I’ve lost my sister at aged 39, we had a disconnected relationship as I wasn’t happy about the pain she has caused the family for years due to drug abuse, I distanced myself because deep in my heart I knew something like this was going to happen eventually and I was protecting myself from as much heartache as possible. She has a 10 year old child that my mum and dad have taken care of since she was 1 and I never understood how she could do this to us all. Most of my grief is overwhelming empathy for her daughter and my mum and dad. I hope one day they will feel a sense of relief as sad and traumatic as it is, she constantly relied on my mum and dad financially ect and they always worried about her everyday her quality of life was poor and she was in alot of pain due to blood clots towards the end of her life. I hope they can move forward eventually and I hope my neice doesn’t stuggle with life to much in the future. I live in a different city which makes it alot harder for me. I have more good days than bad days but sometimes I do feel intense and overwhelming feeling of sadness. Can anyone recommend some sort of time scale on when I should be concerned and visit a GP.

Love Ellie x

Hi, I’m so sorry for your loss, I lost my mum in January due to alcohol addiction. I too distanced myself from her, she would isolate herself for weeks at a time just to drink herself into oblivion. I never will understand just what she was going through mentally, I last saw her just before Christmas and she looked terrible I was heartbroken to see this once smart confident woman a shell of her former self. I blame myself alot for not been there enough, I have young children and she was drinking in my home when she came to visit as I found out later, that’s when I drew the line and told her if she didn’t seek help she couldn’t be around them. It is so sad to lose someone to addiction, luckily my mum was older and didn’t have anymore children. I’m currently seeing counsellor that’s helping me with my grief and sadness I don’t know if that something you could consider? Take care x

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