Drug and alcohol-related bereavement and the role of peer support

Abstract

Many people experience acute isolation, lack of support and social stigma following a drug or alcohol related bereavement. This article highlights trends within drug and alcohol-related bereavement and the common themes which surface when someone dies in this way. It goes on to explore the work of the BEAD – bereaved through drugs and alcohol project between Cruse Bereavement Care and Adfam in supporting this overlooked and under-supported group of bereaved people. It gives a particular emphasis on how BEAD’s team of dedicated, trained, peer support volunteers – all themselves bereaved through alcohol and drugs – are playing a significant role.

Keywords:

• Drugs
• alcohol
• traumatic bereavement
• stigma
• peer support

Notes

1 The project is funded by the Big Lottery Fund to work in England only.

2 The National Statistic definition of alcohol-related deaths includes ‘underlying causes of death regarded as those being most directly due to alcohol consumption.’ This is primarily chronic conditions and includes to a lesser extent acute conditions and alcohol poisoning. It excludes other external causes of death, such as

road traffic and other accidents, and diseases that are partially attributable to alcohol.

3 This total covers accidents and suicides involving drug poisonings as well as deaths from drug misuse and drug dependence (both overdose and long-term health complications) (ONS, 2015c).

4 Drug-related deaths are referred to the coroner and an inquest is held. This means deaths registered in 2014 may have taken place in previous years. The average delay between a drug-related death and registering the death is 161 days (ONS, 2015c).

5 The ONS defines drug misuse deaths as ‘(a) deaths where the underlying cause is drug abuse or drug dependence and (b) deaths where the underlying cause is drug poisoning and where any of the substances controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 are involved, (ONS, 2015c).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Fiona Turnbull

Oliver Standing