I don't see it as any more negative than if she was sick with something else, like cancer. When I statred getting honest, 95% of the responses were completely positive and supportive. If she did have cancer, chances are you would also get prying and unwelcome advice in a small % of people as well.You are not the first person to bring up this topic on this site and I am very much in the minority with my opinion. My husbands family doesn't speak to each other due to the craziness that surrounded my SIL's addiction. If someone had talked about it, acknowledged it, I feel that the siblings may have had a chance to remain in contact. There was so much secret keeping. My SIL has 12 years clean now and is living her life, but the collateral damage is tremendous. What I have found is when people ask and I told them she was homeless and addicted to heroin that the judgy people were so stunned they shut up.