I do not miss the distinction, but I detest the semantic dishonesty that attends to calling it “not prayer” when one speaks to St. Mary and even petitions her to pray on one’s behalf - an act that was enjoined neither by Christ nor the Biblical texts.
If the Blessed virgin is such an obstacle for you, why not think about angels instead? Angels are not “dead people”. Is it OK to communicate with angels, to ask for their prayer and protection?