As we wake up in the mornings, we begin to understand the severity of these times and the impact that it is making in all of us. Millions of people are dealing with an incredible loss. Some people have lost jobs, careers, health benefits and dear loved ones very close to them.
While we are experiencing this new "staying home" paradigm, we find ourselves dealing with other's emotions and the negative vibrations that come with. But you have your own personal, relationship and financial changes going on yourself. How can you possibly help others if you are not quite sure how to help yourself.
Here are a few recommendations to deal with loss and you can start these whenever you feel you are ready. But first, you really need to meditate and concentrate which stage of grief you're in and what that means to you and the way you are going to work this through.
Here Are Stages of Grief You Need To Know About
Grief leaves a lasting impression on the brain and it certainly can cause physical and mental issues like sadness, mood changes, loss of focus, irritability and yes, even sleep disorders.
You are probably already aware of the 5 Stages of Grief (Kubler-Ross Grief Cycle) which is commonly used by counselors to help their clients. These are:
Denial - First stage. Many people simply resist the facts or find themselves in a state of disbelief.
Anger - Reality of the situation sets in and many people become outraged, finding someone or something to blame.
Bargaining - When people feel the helplessness and vulnerability. "If only..." is the conversation in your heads.
Depression - It comes hand in hand with mourning, sadness, regret, helplessness and hopelessness.
Acceptance - You come to terms with what happened and you have a genuine desire to move forward. For some, this is hard to achieve. For others, this stage never takes part in their lives. This is where you need help.
No matter what stage you find yourself in, working through the cycles with professionals who know this like the back of their hands, will help you tremendously. Now let's talk about the ways to cope with grief and loss.
Ways To Cope Through Grief and Loss
Don't avoid your feelings, please - Give yourself permission to express your painful emotions in a private place. Let your feelings out and cry or hit pillows. If you feel you need to scream, then do so. Avoiding your feelings and memories can do more harm that good in the long run, like mood problems, binge eating, persistent pain, low academic performance, etc. Allow yourself this time to work this through emotionally as well as physically.
Write about it - Journaling your journey is quite a helpful way to deal with your grief. This allows you to be more open to perspective, which when suppressing your feelings, will most probably lead you lost during emotional crises. Talk about this with your Grief Coach often so that you don't find yourself having these emotional crises often.
Overcoming painful memories - Emotional traumatic loss or grief causes bonds created in the past to break suddenly, causing even more pain because it is believed that negative feelings and behaviors are often motivated by memories that are either inaccurate or unhealthy to begin with.
You might find yourself having a painfully disruptive memory or feeling. In this case, write down the answers to the following questions in your journal and see where you are at:
When did you find yourself struggle last or had a disruptive memory or feeling or emotional pain? Write down your honest answers in your journals.
What emotions were you feeling at that time? Which emotion was the most prominent?
The moment you feel that emotion emerge as you are writing, take a few steps back in time and try to pinpoint the original incident.
Now go back even further to the first time you felt these emotions. If you are struggling at this point, contact your counselor and together you will successfully work through this.
Once you are able to pinpoint the true origin, come back to the present and try to connect to it as you are now, as an adult or even as a parent. The idea here is to disconnect the bridge that was formed from the first time it happened to the NOW and to understand and manifest the fact that this is all in the past and it has no bearing in your present. On this step, it is a good moment to seek the help of a professional in case you dredge up a new set of painful memories to work through.
Don't forget that volunteering is a helpful emotional release that reminds you to be grateful and thankful for what you have and that which you don't. But understand that this is a step you and your counselor need to ensure you are ready for.
Recovery is the most important thing here. Don't rush anything. People are different and process grief and loss differently. Some can go through the stages quickly and some are not able to. AND THAT IS PERFECTLY ALRIGHT. There is no good or bad, right or wrong here.
Understanding this also requires patience on your side. We love to accelerate the recovery period with what I call the "Superwoman" stage. But we really have no time limits.
Reach out and ask for help. Isolation is not the way to go about it. Even though, this is probably what everyone believes should happen so that you can "work things through your way". This type of "dealing" will delay the outcome. Reach out to loved ones, and friends. Let them know that you are having a hard time "dealing" with the loss or grief and don't battle alone. We are here to help you every step of the way. You have options. You are loved.
Where To Find Help?
Call us at 561 777 8345 or email us at inbox.mhcares@gmail.com
If the pain is too much and you find yourself in a moment of panic or the desire to harm yourself or others, the National Suicide Hotline is a great resource. Call them at
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish.
800-273-8255
We are professionals here at MH Cares LLC, that can certainly help you with your loss and grief process.
Go to www.mhcarestherapy.com and obtain more information.
MH Cares, where science and holistic assistance come together in order to heal mind and soul.