Grief... How to Cope
- mandevillamentalhe
- May 17, 2022
- 3 min read
What is grief? Grief is the response to loss; it typically occurs when someone (or something) close to us dies. Grief can affect you mentally, physically, and emotionally. What are signs of grief and what do we do when we lose a loved one, or something that we deeply care about?
Remember, while experiencing grief, it is okay to mourn the departed and it is natural to experience a variety of emotions.
Symptoms of Grief
You may feel, fear, guilt, numbness to things, shock, and anger. These are normal! There is no right or wrong way to mourn, no right or wrong way for you to feel, and you may even feel physical and emotional pain. That is normal too!
Trouble sleeping; lack of interest in things like food and normal routine activities; and trouble concentrating and making decisions are also all very common feelings and behaviors during a time of mourning and loss.
Grief is not something that you should through alone. Find a support group, whether it be friends, other family members, a doctor, or religious or community members.
One thing that may be helpful is to stay active. Whether you are walking with a friend or practicing mindfulness in a walk alone, staying active can be helpful in preventing worsening symptoms. Read more about mindfulness here: https://www.therapistaid.com/worksheets/what-is-mindfulness.pdf
Seeking help from a counselor can also be a very instrumental part of coping with grief. While it does not make you forget your loss, dodge the pain, or change who you are, it can teach you how to cope with the loss, deal with the pain, and accept who you are now.
It can also help you to accept the loss. Sometimes, grief does not hit you all at once and it may not feel real at first. A counselor can help you to understand your grief which over time, will help you heal.
Having a safe space to express your feelings, and memories about the one you've lost, and navigate through living life without them is essential to the healing process. Counselors are trained to actively listen to how the loss is impacting you and they can support you in working through your emotions. Sometimes when dealing with emotions related to grief it can be difficult to work through them, especially alone. A counselor can assist you in navigating your emotions and support you in the healing process.
Guilt can be a part of grief as well. This can lead to many other side effects when it comes to coping, such as substance use or trouble in relationships. Learning about and understanding how to move through grief is an important part of reaching brighter days.
"Difficult roads
often
lead to beautiful
destinations"
Grief is hard and it can be messy. Learning how to cope, how to manage, and how to move forward. You may even learn that you have strengths you did not realize you had!
William Shakespeare once said, “My grief lies all within, and these external manners of lament Are merely shadows to the unseen grief That swells with silence in the tortured soul” (n.d).
Now, Shakespeare was a beautiful writer, and he had a good point. When your grief is left untended, it can feel like it's ripping you apart from the inside out. It may lay and wait for a while, but it will eventually come out. It can be a small shadow in your soul that grows a little bit at a time.
As always, remember to enjoy the little things in life.
-Kris
eferences:
This post was written by Kristin Armistead and published by Mandevilla Mental Health Counseling, PLLC
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