Loss & Grief
Loss is a natural process in our living, making grief and bereavement a natural response to loss.
Loss is a signifier of our human condition that launches us into a space of grief, despair, loneliness and sadness. It can interfere with the sense of our identity, we question the meaning of life, we feel overwhelmed, disoriented, isolated and shocked, angry and irritable. It can even impact on your physical health and self-care. All this will have an impact on your interpersonal relationships.
Loss means that we often have to reassess our lifestyle. This can be complicated because of the range of emotions that we experience. Depending on the levels of attachment to the loved person or object, loss and grief can have a corresponding impact.
The stages of grief can be found in feelings of shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. These stages do not necessarily occur in this order and one can experience varying degrees of fluctuations in these stages over and indefinite period, from months to years.
There is no ‘right way’ of experiencing loss and consequently, there is no ‘right way’ of experiencing grief and bereavement.
It is important to access help. This can be done in a number of ways
- Talk to family members or friends
- By talking to someone, you are automatically sharing and lightening your load.
- By talking to someone, you are also listening to your own account of how you are relating to your loss. In this way you become more acutely aware of your own resilience and strengths and your ways of coping become more apparent.
- Accept help form others when they want to support you with little gifts of making you a meal or asking if you want to accompany them on a walk or an outing. This will keep you connected and despite how bereaved you are feeling.
- Try and force yourself to continue to do things that you once enjoyed and you don’t feeling like doing them anymore.
- Finally, talking to a professional counsellor becomes a helpful, therapeutic and enlightening journey.
Loss & Grief can feel like Depression
- Mourning the loss of a loved one or object of love makes your world feel emptier.
- When you feel depressed it is because much of your Self feels diminished.
Professional counselling will help steer you into taking the necessary and appropriate steps that are suitable and relevant for you.