Virtually Walk the Journey of Grief in Uncertain Times
Loss may be overwhelming, but there are helpful ways to deal with grief, the pain, coming to terms with loss, and finally picking up the pieces and moving on with your life.
Lately, the world seems to slide from one tragedy to the next — a global pandemic, personal trauma, economic instability, political and social chaos, natural disasters. Many people are grieving differently, in the dark hole of loss.
Sadly, an Everyday Term — Grief
Since childhood, we've associated "grief" with the death of someone. But grief can also come from being unable to help a loved one, deteriorating health, job loss, unemployment, or other lifestyle changes.
Moving Through the Stages
Understanding the stages of grief is a step forward. People grieve differently — not every stage applies to everyone.
"This won't affect us."
"You're forcing me to sit at home and restricting my hobbies."
"Okay, if I distance for two weeks, everything will be fine, right?"
"I'm not sure when this will end."
"This is happening. I have to figure out how to proceed."
Acceptance is where the power lies — there's control in acceptance. The stages aren't linear and may not happen in this order. But the framework helps you process.
What Can You Do Right Now?
Avoiding grief seems easier — but the pain catches up. Find ways to express what you feel: painting, gardening, writing, cooking, music, talking to people who care.
Survivor's guilt is real. The belief that you did something wrong by surviving when others didn't. It shouldn't direct your decisions. Allow yourself to experience joy again. It might take time. Don't stop yourself from savouring good feelings.
Be kind. There will be times you wonder if you'll ever feel normal again. Trust that you'll recover. It will happen — slowly.
Even if you're independent and self-sufficient by nature, this is the time to lean on the people who care for you. Don't isolate. Embrace the help offered.
If coping is too hard, find a mental health professional who specialises in grief. A therapist can help you work through intense emotions and obstacles to grieving.
Conclusion
Grief is a journey we never wanted to take. But it can become one of life's most impactful teachers. You may feel many things at once — and that's okay.
There's no right way or timeline to grieve.
Janvi Parekh
A clinical psychologist hooked to scrolling memes, having talent in tuning overthinking into writing.