Although many of us still experience anxiety, depression and fear, you can also feel a shift to sadness, anger and dissatisfaction, Mead said. “While my clients were fearful and insecure a year ago about the virus, work and schooling of their children, my clients now feel a sense of sadness over what has been lost,” she said of a loved one who has passed away. an important life event that was missed, or money or opportunities that disappeared with the economic downturn. “I notice that anxiety has turned more into sadness, hopelessness and anger,” she said.
The fact that the locked-in lifestyle is still in place for many of us contributes to the struggle. This makes it difficult “for some people to move past their grief, if nothing has changed from day to day in life”, said Jeremy Enzor, PhD, LCMHC, a clinical instructor for the program for psychiatric and mental health nurses the Walden University, said.
What to do: People experience grief in different ways, but one thing to remember is that suppressing your emotions will not help, said Kahina A. Louis, PsyD, a licensed psychologist and CEO and founder of Strengths and Solutions, in a previous interview with POPSUGAR said. Rather, start by acknowledging and affirming your feelings. “Hitting yourself because you feel sad when ‘it could be much worse’ only makes the experience worse by bringing in guilt or shame now,” said Dr. Louis said. Therapy and meditation can also help.
If you have lost a loved one, then know that it will take time to go to a place where you can be accepted. The process may not be linear, so be as patient as you can. Sometimes talking about the death of your loved one can help with friends or family, as well as sharing stories about them, spending time with other people they knew, or even listening to their favorite music. Remember and celebrate your loved one as you feel.