New Challenges - Grief
As a country we have faced many challenges over the past few years, from Covid, to recession to increased bills and many more. To take on these new challenges can often be daunting.
Regardless of your current Mental Well-Being, this has presented many significant changes in the way we live our lives. For some change is great and enables them to continually adapt and think of new ways to cope, or plan. However, for others, the exact opposite is true, for example a life changing circumstance, would challenge anyone, but particularly recently. If a constant in your life has gone, how do you replace that?
The honest answer is you can’t, but what you can do, is grieve and when I say grieve, actually mourn their loss. To be able to mourn is a huge step forward in the process of life’s journey. Showing this emotion, whether alone, or in company can be a huge new challenge, but is one that is vital to move forward with your own life.
There are people I deal with who cannot fully grieve for their loved ones and it really has held them back, for some suicidal thoughts and actions have taken place. How do we take that step forward?
Is there even an answer, as every individual will grieve differently and is 100% personal to them.
What I have tried to do, is always be a sounding board, reminisce about the good times they had together, but try not to dwell on that. Rather than looking back and that day they left this earth felt like their last day too, offer suggestion of what the future looks like and what they can do.
This is probably the hardest area I deal with in my Mental Health groups and 1-1, but even small gains are worthwhile. They may seem small initially to me, but to them it can be the difference between suicidal action to suicidal thoughts.
Giving them something to live and showing them how they can achieve this, is the most vital aspect for this group of people.