The holiday season is often seen as a time of joy and celebration. However, it also comes with its own set of unique challenges for our mental health and emotional wellbeing.
It is quite common for complicated and big feelings to arise during this time, especially when we are grieving a loss. Today I want to address how grief can manifest for different people and ways to cope with it during what is traditionally seen as a family-centric time of year.
Understanding Grief and How It Presents
First let’s start by defining what is considered grief.
Grief is the conflicting feelings caused by the end or change in a familiar pattern of behavior. It is the normal & natural reaction to significant emotional loss of any kind.
Grief can manifest in your life in a variety of ways. Typical responses associated with grief include:
- a wide range of emotions
- change in eating habits
- disruptions in sleeping patterns
- a sense of numbness
- decreased concentration
There are 43 different types of losses that are recognized by the founders of the Grief Recovery Method, the leading international practice on grief recovery. These can be categorized into tangible and intangible forms of grief.
Tangible: include death, loss of health, divorce, and financial change
Intangible: loss of trust, loss of fertility, and loss of safety. Grief isn’t limited to personal loss
It’s important to remember that grief is not something that can neatly categorize. It looks different for everyone and your experience with grief is unique to you.
The “Christmas Effect”
Society often places high expectations on the holiday season that fosters stress, loneliness, and anxiety. It’s seen as a time of joy, togetherness, and celebration. For someone grieving, this stark contrast between societal expectations and their emotional reality can feel isolating.
In fact, The Journal of Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience recognizes that many people experience the “Christmas Effect”, a drop in mood or changes in behavior during the holidays.
When you are grieving, you may find it difficult to participate in family traditions during this time when a significant person is no longer present, intensifying the sense of loss.
Individuals may feel compelled to put on a happy face for the sake of others, leading to a sense of emotional dissonance or struggle to answer well-intentioned questions about their grief. Difficulty coping with the reaction of others or having friends and family members struggle with how to support someone during this time is also common and can lead to potentially awkward or hurtful interactions.
The financial demands of the holiday season can add an extra layer of stress, particularly when navigating changed financial circumstances.
7 Ways to Cope with Grief
Being able to recognize this is the first step towards taking action. Here are 7 tactics grieving individuals can use to cope more effectively this holiday season:
- Lean on Support: You don’t have to face grief alone. Let others in. This may feel uncomfortable, but allowing people to be there for you is a sign of strength.
- Slow Down and Prioritize: Grieving takes energy. Ease the pressure by simplifying your schedule. Prioritize essential tasks, delegate when possible, and give yourself the space to breathe.
- Nourish Your Body: Incorporate nourishing foods into your diet, balancing with moments of indulgence. If your appetite changes, know it’s a normal part of grieving. Honor your body’s needs.
- Engage in Gentle Movement: Release stored emotions through intentional movement. Consider small walks, yoga, stretching, dancing, or swimming to help let go of lingering grief.
- Practice Grounding and Mindfulness: Instead of avoiding uncomfortable emotions, embrace them with grounding and mindfulness. Dedicating focused attention for just 90 seconds allows emotions to move through the body, preventing emotional loops.
- Creative Expression: The act of creation allows us to externalize our internal struggles and feelings, encourages self-reflection, and helps us honor our loss.
- Commemorate the Loss: Depending on the type of loss, commemorating the loss helps us better face the loss. This can include writing letters, creating memorials, performing acts of service, and engaging in personal rituals.
Recovering from a significant emotional loss is not an easy task, but we are here to support you. Wishing you all a warm and healing holiday season!
Disclaimer: This blog is not a substitute for professional medical or therapeutic advice. For personalized support, please reach out to our office for a 1-1 consultation with our doctors.
