Lost A Loved One To Addiction? Saint Peter's Starts Support Group

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — This April, Saint Peter's University Hospital launched a Substance Abuse and Addiction Loss Support Group for families who are coping with a loss due to addiction.

The free and confidential support group meets virtually on the second Thursday of every month from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Inspired by Saint Peter's Opioid Task Force, this group is for families and close loved ones of people who have passed away from addiction.

The social workers at Saint Peter's realized that families in the Middlesex County area did not have a local support group that offered them the opportunity to talk through their feelings of loss due to addiction.

The support group is open to everyone in New Jersey and serves as a safe space for families to discuss their grief.

Substance abuse has increased during the pandemic due to social isolation, according Olivia Rivera-Marmara, a social work manager at Saint Peter's.

Last April, Patch wrote about this Aberdeen mother whose son, in his late 20s, relapsed in his heroin and alcohol addiction during the pandemic because he could not go to work, see friends or see his addiction counselors in person.

Many therapy groups and services were suspended in the past year as as a result of COVID-19, said Rivera-Marmara.

"Saint Peter's is still here to help families through the healing process and to focus on the issue of substance abuse for those who are hurting during the pandemic," she said.

To join the Substance Abuse and Addiction Loss Support Group, please call Jeanne Delacruz, MSW, LCSW, a social worker at Saint Peter's who facilitates this support group, at (732) 745-8522 or email jdanyus@saintpetersuh.com

"Losing a loved one to an addiction often carries a stigma. Families are dealing with their grief, along with several different emotions, and may believe they can't talk with other families due to the stigma," she said. "This group is a safe space for people to grieve without being judged for their loved one's addiction or the circumstances of their death."