Don’t let grief get the better of you: Here’s how

We are in the third wave of the global pandemic and loss and grief have now become familiar words that have become run of the mill, especially since the second wave hit everybody so hard. In addition to the three waves of coronavirus that claimed several lives, a lot of other reasons have continued to bring grief and loss upon people. While loss is always inevitably followed by grief, it is also common for people to lose complete control while grieving the death of a loved one. Unexpected losses, of life and otherwise, brought on by the pandemic have also been a great reason for people grieving and not being able to recover from the shock and sadness of loss. Clinical psychologists and experts have their own take on the process which will help anyone who is dealing with the two emotions.

Grief comes in different forms to different people. While for some people it may come in the form of an identity crisis, to others it may look like a feeling of disorientation or guilt or at times regret. Other forms include overwhelming feelings, mood swings, feeling of lack of control, loneliness, shock or anxiety. While some people learn to heal themselves, others just learn to live with sorrow. The only way to actual heal from something is to feel it completely and go through the painful process of feeling it till you learn to live with it.

One can always heal and rebuild, and become whole again even though one might never be able to go back to what they were prior to the loss. If one deals with their emotions and faces them, the process of healing speeds up in opposition to the case where people try to run away from their feelings. Time is undoubtedly the best healer which makes it easy to deal with things, but till then, being patient and cognitive with one’s emotions is imperative.

The first and foremost step towards dealing with grief is acceptance, and it is probably the hardest thing to achieve. Acknowledging one’s loss is the most important factor while dealing with grief and embracing the pain of loss by seeking support from those around you should be normalized. No matter how individualistic you might consider the process to be, it is imperative to seek help when things become too overwhelming. Accepting the fact that the loss has brought about a permanent change in your identity is equally important and most importantly, being guilt free about the way you feel makes things very easy.

Here are a few tips that experts have shared which will help you survive loss. The first thing to do is to express yourself. It is often said that grief is love, only that amount which has not been expressed. Use art or writing or any other form of self -expression to deal with your feelings. These activities will surely make you feel good. Movement and activity will also help you feel better, therefore, exercising or a simple walk can do wonders for your state of mind during such times. Make sure you invest in something like plants or a pet, both of which demand love, acre and attention. This is another way of channeling sorrow into something worthy. Lastly, deep breathing and grounding exercises will always come in handy in overwhelming times so make sure that you indulge in both.