The loss of a key public figure can have a powerful impact on us, and some people may have been reminded of past losses within their own close family or friends. While everyone experiences grief differently, our blog on understanding feelings of loss can be a useful starting point to cope with your grief and learn how to heal.
Others might feel destabilised; it’s another change following years of uncertainty. If it feels like you’re moving from one emotional state to another in light of recent news, it might help to read one of our earlier blogs about how to cope with continued uncertainty.
Feeling numb is also a normal response to grief and loss; this is our mind’s way of helping us to process what’s happened at our own pace, and access our feelings when we’re ready.
While it may seem like we’re all going through a collective experience right now, everyone's reaction will be individual and personal to them. There’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to respond after someone dies, and however you feel – even if you don’t feel strongly at all – it’s OK. We should try not to judge ourselves or others.
Ultimately, grief has its own journey; there’s no time limit, and we can’t predict or force it. Allowing yourself to acknowledge and process your feelings of sadness will help you to move through them. However, a bereavement can sometimes trigger mental health difficulties, such as depression or anxiety. You can read more about the link between bereavement and mental health in this blog.
If you do find yourself struggling with feelings of bereavement or heightened anxiety, you may benefit from reaching out for support from one of these organisations:
There’s no specific cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) treatment for grief, as it’s a natural process, but if it’s accompanied by significant low mood, distress or anxiety then CBT can help you to manage your feelings. Find out more about accessing online CBT from ieso here.
Domestic abuse can be extremely traumatising. If you’ve experienced domestic abuse, it’s worth getting to know the symptoms of PTSD so that you can recognise it and take steps to treat it sooner, rather than later.
Going through a breakup can be really difficult, and in some cases affect your mental health. Even if splitting up feels like the right thing to do, the process of moving on can take a while.
This week - the 15th to the 21st May - is Mental Health Awareness Week. This year, the Mental Health Foundation has chosen the theme ‘Anxiety’.
