Drug-related deaths: A ‘tsunami of grief’ for the people left behind

An art project exploring the impact of drug-related deaths that reflects research carried out to shine a light on associated bereavement and grief was launched at UCC yesterday.

The ‘Hidden Grief’ project is a collaboration between UCC researchers, the artist Spicebag, and community partners aiming to bring visibility to the complex and stigmatised grief experienced by those who have lost loved ones or clients to drug-related deaths.

The event, hosted by Senator Lynn Ruane at UCC, featured a panel discussion with Dr Sharon Lambert and Daniel O’Callaghan of UCC’s School of Applied Psychology, Aileen Malone of Families for Drug Reform and mother of the late journalist and activist Dara Quigley, artist Spicebag, and Mark Wright of The Recovery Academy Cork.

Created by Spicebag, the art project will be available to view from today, marking International Overdose Prevention Day, and will be projected in Cork city centre nightly for one week.

Speaking about their research, Dr Sharon Lambert, said: “The stigmas associated with drug use can lead bereaved individuals to struggle with shame, isolation, and a lack of social support while grieving.

“Those who are bereaved due to drug-related circumstances often experience a complicated tsunami of grief, with their identities and sense of community shattered by the loss.”

Mark Wright of The Recovery Academy Cork acknowledged that each drug-related death represents a person who was loved by their family and friends.

“The only way that people with an addiction know how to cope with feelings and trauma and anything is by using more substances, even though someone could have just overdosed right next to them, the thing is to go and use to suppress those feelings,” he said.

Aileen Malone of Families for Drug Reform spoke at the event about the profound grief surrounding a drug death and said that the right support is the most important thing to offer those left behind.

She said that they in turn often feel misunderstood because they are not being offered the proper help.

PhD student at UCC School of Applied Psychology Daniel O’Callaghan said urgent action is needed across primary care, addiction, and recovery services to provide information and support services that respond to inherently complicated and individualised grieving experiences.

The ‘Hidden Grief’ project is funded by Cork City Council’s Trauma Sensitive City initiative, UCC College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, TUSLA, and CRDATF.

It has been given technical support from Aaron Bolger of UCC’s School of Applied Psychology and Bus Éireann Cork, and supported by Cork Simon, The Cork Alliance, The Recovery Academy, Citywide and The Traveller Visibility Group.