Sometimes facing the anguish of loss can make you feel like you're losing your mind. It can be hard to concentrate or do everyday tasks, and you may feel heartbroken.
It's okay to have a respite from misery. I am not advocating living in denial. It is vitally important to acknowledge our reality and to face our feelings. What I know from experience is that taking occasional breaks from unrelenting pain can actually help us tolerate it better over time. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers several strategies for distracting ourselves from distress, using the acronym DISTRACT. I have adapted these skills for those of us who are grieving. Try as many as you can and note which ones work for you (these are very individual so remember there's no right or wrong). Regular practice will make your favorites become second nature and available whenever you need them.
Distracting ourselves from the discomfort of grief is meant to be temporary respite. Use the strategies that work for you, always returning to the undeniable reality of what is. And ask for help when you need it.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Essays on Grief ResilienceArchives
December 2020
|