She said her 90-year-old mother reads my column and quotes it often to her. Their family had a recent overdose death involving a caring young man. I am so grateful they chose to share how he died. I read obituaries of people I know from the rooms and am saddened to find the cause of death is often obscured. We in recovery know who these people are and when families do not state the cause of death, it suggests they may feel ashamed (which sends a powerful message to us). I respect the need for privacy; however, to change stigma, it’s helpful to let people know. You are not alone, but when in hiding, you are. Isolation kills.