While some of us may have developed the ability to speak about death candidly, most people probably still struggle to cope with the aftermath effects of losing someone.
From the thoughts inside our head to the activities that we make ourselves do in order to help cope with the grief we feel inside, it is a burden too heavy for one to carry. It is advised to have a companion in going through a grieving period as it also requires time.
Grief. What is it? Well, it is an acute illness that is felt when one experiences loss. In the event that the person loses a loved one, those emotions that were already present are then coupled with feelings of guilt and confusion.
With all these emotions that suddenly come crashing down on a person, some tend to make an effort in trying to quickly bury those feelings. They make an effort to try and move on as fast as possible. Surprisingly, an attempt to do so would only prolong the process of finally coming to terms with what happened.
An important point to highlight is that people who experience loss are often belittled because their mourning carries on for longer than what others expect. However, some of us need to understand that there is no timetable for overcoming the loss. It’s a process whereby throughout the journey, there is grace for one to take one step backward and require more time.
Furthermore, as we dive deeper into this topic, we have to time travel back to the year 1969 in which a Swiss-American psychiatrist called Elizabeth Kübler-Ross published a book called “On Death and Dying” wherein that book, she highlights that grief is branched into 5 stages.
In the image above, we can see that those 5 stages are: Denial, Anger, Depression, Bargaining, and Acceptance. From this grief cycle, we can see that grief takes time and requires patience.
With all this being said, everybody has their unique timing with grief. There is no need to compare one’s process with others. Ensure that you take care of yourself throughout the process and seek help if need be.
There will come a time where this too shall pass. Until then, stay strong and know that you are loved.
Translated by: Benayah Sitorus
