TAM+ EP 56: Episode Why Letting Go of Addiction Feels Like Losing a Best Friend

21min | 02/13/2025

Description

Have you ever felt guilty for missing your addiction, even though you know it was destroying your life? You're not alone. In this powerful episode of The Addicted Mind Plus, hosts Duane and Eric explore the often-overlooked emotional journey of grieving your addiction during recovery. They dive deep into why letting go of addiction can feel like losing a best friend – even when that friend was toxic. Using Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's famous five stages of grief as a framework, they explain why these feelings are completely normal and how to process them without shame. Whether you're in recovery yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode offers vital insights into the complex emotional landscape of addiction recovery and provides practical tools for moving forward. Learn why missing your addiction doesn't make you weak – it makes you human.

Download The Worksheet

Key Topics

• The five stages of grief in addiction recovery: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance

• Why missing your addiction is a normal part of recovery

• Understanding what you're really grieving (substance, rituals, identity)

• How to process grief and loss in recovery without shame

• The importance of community support during the grieving process

• Practical strategies for moving through grief in recovery

• Tools and resources for processing addiction-related grief

Timestamps

[00:01:06] Introduction to loss and grief in recovery

[00:04:00] Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's five stages of grief explained

[00:09:54] The dangerous bargaining stage in recovery

[00:12:00] Understanding the depression stage

[00:15:12] What we're really grieving in recovery

[00:18:35] Healthy ways to process addiction-related grief

[00:20:33] Resources and support options available

Follow and Review: We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery Center

NovusMindfulLife.com

We want to hear from you. Leave us a message or ask us a question: https://www.speakpipe.com/addictedmind

Disclaimer

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About The Addicted Mind Podcast

"The Addicted Mind Podcast" offers hope, understanding, and guidance for those dealing with addiction, with real stories and research to inspire and show the journey to recovery is worth it. We're here to do more than just talk about addiction. We want to show you how to heal and recover. Our talks with experts and people who have beaten addiction give you important insights into how addiction affects the mind and how recovery can happen in many ways. Whether we're looking at new treatment ideas or sharing stories that inspire, "The Addicted Mind Podcast" is all about understanding the complex world of addiction recovery and showing that recovery is possible. If you or someone you care about is dealing with the challenges of addiction, let "The Addicted Mind Podcast" be your friend and guide. We aim to give you the knowledge you need, share stories that inspire you, and show you that the journey to recovery is worth it. Subscribe now to be part of a community focused on learning, healing, and changing for the better. Your journey to a healthier mind and life begins right here.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About The Addicted Mind Podcast

"The Addicted Mind Podcast" offers hope, understanding, and guidance for those dealing with addiction, with real stories and research to inspire and show the journey to recovery is worth it. We're here to do more than just talk about addiction. We want to show you how to heal and recover. Our talks with experts and people who have beaten addiction give you important insights into how addiction affects the mind and how recovery can happen in many ways. Whether we're looking at new treatment ideas or sharing stories that inspire, "The Addicted Mind Podcast" is all about understanding the complex world of addiction recovery and showing that recovery is possible. If you or someone you care about is dealing with the challenges of addiction, let "The Addicted Mind Podcast" be your friend and guide. We aim to give you the knowledge you need, share stories that inspire you, and show you that the journey to recovery is worth it. Subscribe now to be part of a community focused on learning, healing, and changing for the better. Your journey to a healthier mind and life begins right here.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Description

Have you ever felt guilty for missing your addiction, even though you know it was destroying your life? You're not alone. In this powerful episode of The Addicted Mind Plus, hosts Duane and Eric explore the often-overlooked emotional journey of grieving your addiction during recovery. They dive deep into why letting go of addiction can feel like losing a best friend – even when that friend was toxic. Using Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's famous five stages of grief as a framework, they explain why these feelings are completely normal and how to process them without shame. Whether you're in recovery yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode offers vital insights into the complex emotional landscape of addiction recovery and provides practical tools for moving forward. Learn why missing your addiction doesn't make you weak – it makes you human.

Download The Worksheet

Key Topics

• The five stages of grief in addiction recovery: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance

• Why missing your addiction is a normal part of recovery

• Understanding what you're really grieving (substance, rituals, identity)

• How to process grief and loss in recovery without shame

• The importance of community support during the grieving process

• Practical strategies for moving through grief in recovery

• Tools and resources for processing addiction-related grief

Timestamps

[00:01:06] Introduction to loss and grief in recovery

[00:04:00] Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's five stages of grief explained

[00:09:54] The dangerous bargaining stage in recovery

[00:12:00] Understanding the depression stage

[00:15:12] What we're really grieving in recovery

[00:18:35] Healthy ways to process addiction-related grief

[00:20:33] Resources and support options available

Follow and Review: We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

If you live in California and are looking for counseling or therapy please check out Novus Mindful Life Counseling and Recovery Center

NovusMindfulLife.com

We want to hear from you. Leave us a message or ask us a question: https://www.speakpipe.com/addictedmind

Disclaimer

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About The Addicted Mind Podcast

"The Addicted Mind Podcast" offers hope, understanding, and guidance for those dealing with addiction, with real stories and research to inspire and show the journey to recovery is worth it. We're here to do more than just talk about addiction. We want to show you how to heal and recover. Our talks with experts and people who have beaten addiction give you important insights into how addiction affects the mind and how recovery can happen in many ways. Whether we're looking at new treatment ideas or sharing stories that inspire, "The Addicted Mind Podcast" is all about understanding the complex world of addiction recovery and showing that recovery is possible. If you or someone you care about is dealing with the challenges of addiction, let "The Addicted Mind Podcast" be your friend and guide. We aim to give you the knowledge you need, share stories that inspire you, and show you that the journey to recovery is worth it. Subscribe now to be part of a community focused on learning, healing, and changing for the better. Your journey to a healthier mind and life begins right here.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About The Addicted Mind Podcast

"The Addicted Mind Podcast" offers hope, understanding, and guidance for those dealing with addiction, with real stories and research to inspire and show the journey to recovery is worth it. We're here to do more than just talk about addiction. We want to show you how to heal and recover. Our talks with experts and people who have beaten addiction give you important insights into how addiction affects the mind and how recovery can happen in many ways. Whether we're looking at new treatment ideas or sharing stories that inspire, "The Addicted Mind Podcast" is all about understanding the complex world of addiction recovery and showing that recovery is possible. If you or someone you care about is dealing with the challenges of addiction, let "The Addicted Mind Podcast" be your friend and guide. We aim to give you the knowledge you need, share stories that inspire you, and show you that the journey to recovery is worth it. Subscribe now to be part of a community focused on learning, healing, and changing for the better. Your journey to a healthier mind and life begins right here.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Share

Embed