Loss leads to grief. The intensity of grief may differ from one loss to another, but grief is normal and part of loss.
Death is closely linked to grief, however, other losses like divorce or relationship breakups, loss of a job, house, health, financial stability, retirement, and loss of friendship also trigger grief.
Covid-19 pandemic has triggered all kinds of losses, including:
There are several sentiments expressed, with good intentions, in seasons of loss like:
“Be strong”; ‘Hang in there’; ‘This will pass”; "I need to be strong for my children...”
Whereas strength is good, if it blocks the process of grieving, then it does more harm than good.
And this is where we need to hold together.
Grief is a normal process of experiencing, facing, and absorbing pain.
It entails emotions, actions, and expressions, all of which, ultimately, help a person to come to terms with the loss.
Suppressing emotions, actions and expressions during the season of grief, can easily lead to COMPLICATED GRIEF (Read more...)
Emotions
Intense emotions are expected during the grieving period, which are triggered as one processes the loss and its implication.
For example, intense emotions related to death come as one thinks of loss of friendship, love, companionship, security, provision, and just the absence of the loved one.
However, there are other kind of losses that trigger grief like divorce, loss of health, job, financial status. If the grief is not validated by the community, it becomes Disenfranchised Grief (Read more...)
What kind of support am I?
Although support is highly needed, sometimes it becomes challenging to support someone who has experienced loss and is experiencing intense grief.
“What do I tell them?,” often is the question at the back of our minds.
But what is more important when one is hurting? is it being listened to or being bombarded with all kind of information?
It is important to remember that when people are grieving, there all kinds of emotions that need to be processed. Their best support being present and giving them space to question, bargain, and talk through their pain. Seek to listen and avoid shielding them from processing their pain.
Moreover, it is important to remember that sometimes all what people need is silence; just being present in their silence.
They need a safe place where they can be themselves.
Being empathetic is critical. Read More
Anticipatory Grief
Feelings and reactions that occur when the death of someone is expected to happen. Sometimes, it can be as intense as the grief felt after loss of a loved one or something treasured.
All different kind of emotions and thoughts are experienced during the season. The fear and shock of an upcoming loss and the sadness that comes with it, are quite common.
Preparatory grief is also experienced by the sick one as they think about the upcoming loss. They may feel a sense of fear and isolation and other range of emotion, which calls for a lot of support.
