Grieving can make you feel as if you are losing your sanity... "** "Grieving can make you feel as if you are losing your mind... "**
I'm sorry to say that deep down, it's a truth. Grief can make you feel like you are in an emotional imbalance.
At first, you feel totally out of place, wanting to vent to everyone, crying over anything, wearing the same clothes for days, no appetite, no bath, not wanting to talk to anyone, etc. It's a roller coaster of emotions!
Over time, that feeling of imbalance diminishes, but you still feel strange, as if you are inhabiting a body that is not yours, wearing a suit that doesn't quite fit.
But here comes the good news... Actually, a hint of "craziness" is normal when it comes to grief and bereavement.
It looks different for everyone because we all experience and experience grief differently, but on some level, we all struggle to understand ourselves and the world around us in the face of profound loss.
**Think about it, it's not the same, whether the loss you've had was sudden or whether it was anticipated, the process is different.
If ever one needed a justification for temporary insanity, one could certainly find one among the range of reactions and emotions associated with grief and loss:
Holistic Healing on the Journey of Grief: Transforming Grief into Wisdom.
It is understandably challenging for many to adjust to these overwhelming emotions. One day you find yourself walking along as usual, and the next you feel like something has taken control of your body. Your actions and reactions become unpredictable, confusing, even chaotic.
We usually look to family and friends for support, but even they seem different; some avoid you, some protect you, some overprotect you, some cry excessively, and some criticize the way you handled things. It is NORMAL, they too may be experiencing a portion of this turmoil; unfortunately, upbringing does not prepare us to deal with grief.
We are all looking for a new normal.
The first few weeks are like a foggy terrain. You wake up every morning thinking that maybe it was all a nightmare, and you spend the day trying to make sense of life without your loved one.
Just as you begin to deal with it (or not), you are forced to return to the life you had before the bereavement. It seems absurd that the world takes its course in the face of your tragedy, but it does. Sadly, most grieving people can't give up their responsibilities for long: parents, employees, teachers, single mothers. Now comes the great task of moving on in the roles each had before the loss. In some cases, they must even take on new roles, tasks and responsibilities (those that the deceased person used to carry out), at least for a while: shopping, cooking, managing the family budget, single parenting, dealing with banking and insurance matters, caring for grandchildren. To each his or her own.
There is also the other side of the coin: even more disconcerting is the emptiness felt by those who have fewer responsibilities due to the loss. Perhaps you spent the last year or months as a caregiver, managing treatments, prescriptions, doctor's appointments, pharmacy visits, monthly lists of commitments, caring for someone else, etc. Now that person is gone, the whole routine must change, the caregiver must reinvent him or herself. Another challenging task.
But this is not just with death; there are many scenarios in which similar grief emotions are experienced: the loss of a pet, children growing up and leaving home, the empty nest, the loss of a partner, divorce, moving to a new country or city, changing job roles.
Life changes forever and things seem meaningless, gray and empty.
This is the time when you really start to feel like you are losing everything (but you're not). Friends don't know what to say anymore. You are expected to go back to work, school, routine, life, but you don't feel the same.
Everything you knew about life has changed. You are questioning your faith and the meaning of your existence. You wonder if you are getting better and can no longer see the world in color. You may feel angry with God or whatever you believe in, and ask over and over again why....
If you are here, I ask you, "What is your pain?" The one that keeps you from seeing the colors of the day. Yes, even the color and feeling around you changes; the day could be like any other, but to you, it's gray. Period. A grieving person often struggles to find beauty and joy in life. In fact, you may be unlikely to stop to admire the beauty of a rainbow, marvel at the vastness of the ocean or the smile of a child.
I want to tell you that you are not plunged into a deep depression and that you are not turning away from "normalcy" because you don't see the world in color. You are not going crazy yet. These are normal feelings. I know because I have experienced my own grief and I know because I have listened to hundreds of bereaved people talk about similar experiences.
And rest assured, at some point, things will become more bearable. The intense and persistent anguish of acute pain will be replaced by less frequent moments of sadness, anger and frustration. Although you will continue to have bad days, you will know that things are getting better when those days are outnumbered by "good" days. This does not mean that you have "gotten over it," moved on or forgotten about it. An essential part of healing is discovering the role your loved one will play in your life after he or she is gone.
And slowly...very slowly...the shades of gray in life will be transformed into a wide range of colors; in fact, the day will regain its brightness. The world will thaw and you will begin to find beauty in places you would never have expected. Your season of pain will have left you exhausted but stronger. You will know that you will never be the same and you will begin to accept that you must integrate your loved one and their experiences into your present, continuing to live YOUR LIFE... with a little more craziness, a little more experience and a lot more wisdom.
If you are dealing with the loss of a loved one, I invite you to explore our course "Grief: How to Overcome the Loss of a Loved One". You will learn practical and enriching tools from a holistic perspective to face and heal grief, find emotional balance and transform loss into wisdom.
I also invite you to be part of our course Grief Support. If you wish to provide support to those going through grief and loss, this course will provide you with the necessary tools and knowledge to offer a compassionate and enriching accompaniment from an integral vision.
You are not alone in this journey.
Love,
Alejandra León,
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
If you wish to go deeper into holistic psychology and energy healing, as well as explore ancestral and shamanic healing practices, I invite you to visit the following links that will provide you with valuable information:.
🌟 Discover your true value and cultivate a healthy self-esteem with Holistic Psychology**🎨
Coloring Book. Relieve stress, relax and practice art therapy
Discover the Transforming Power of Affirmations: Elevate Your Life with Words of Power**. A wonderful gift for your soul.