Myths And Facts About Grief

By Vanika

MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT GRIEF 

Has anyone ever made you feel that you are grieving “wrong”? 

 

Grief is complex. There is no easy way to define or categorize grief but we often feel a societal pressure to feel grief in a certain pre-decided manner. Because of how our culture views sorrow, there are several misconceptions about bereavement. To tackle such beliefs, accepting bereavement as a normal emotion is essential. 

 

Let’s go through some common myths and facts to understand grief better. 

 

Myth: There is a “right” way to grieve.

 

Reality: While grieving, screaming, crying, or yelling is normal there are some other emotions or rather lack of emotions that are present in some situations but often they are considered wrong. We should remember that various cultures and individuals react to bereavement in many different ways. There isn't a single right way to be sad. What is useful one moment might not be useful the next. Trust your gut instincts.

 

Myth: Grief is losing someone. 

 

Reality: Grief may result from a variety of losses. It can occasionally be the loss of a loved one. Occasionally, it's the loss of a job or a position in life. You might be in mourning for animals, the environment, and other people. Grief can also develop when life falls short of your aspirations or makes you face your limitations.

 

Myth: Grief and Mourning are the same.

 

Reality: In contrast to sorrow, which is the reaction to sadness, grief is described as the emotional state associated with the loss of something or someone, most frequently the passing of a loved one. All of the bereaved person's feelings, such as numbness, intense emotional agony, rage, and so forth, are included in grief. The person going through the grieving process communicates it via mourning.

 

Myth: Women grieve more than men.

 

Reality: Both men and women experience grief and while each processes grief differently, most, including both genders, tend to go through similar phases. Some people, due to personality, gender, or cultural norms may grieve more expressively, while others may grieve more cognitively through problem-solving and taking action.

 

Myth: If you’re not crying, it’s not grieving.

 

Reality: Crying is not the only method to show grief; there are many other ways as well. People occasionally cry for a variety of reasons, including joy, frustration, rage, weariness, and a host of other emotions. Others might experience the same feelings without crying. The same is true of melancholy; a lack of tears does not indicate that a person is not experiencing grief. 

 

Myth: If you ignore it, the pain will go away. 

 

Reality: Suppressing emotions is never good. Emotional trauma can't be ignored, just as a physical one. In addition to sadness, the acute pain of losing someone can also elicit other feelings like anger and guilt. It's crucial to let these feelings out if someone is experiencing a lot of them.

 

Everyone eventually goes through grief since loss is a tough aspect of being human. Remember to refrain from offering unsolicited counsel to bereaved people and, most importantly, pay attention to their feelings without passing judgment.

 

If you are grieving right now, you should know that you are not the only one. It's critical to exercise patience and respect for the grieving process

To know more about Journaling - What it is And How it can help improve your mental health read here

To know more about What Exactly is Grief? How Does One Overcome it? read here

Tags: #Grief #OvercomingGrief #Sadness #Depression #MentalHealth #Loss #CopingMechanism #MythsOnGrief #FactsOnGrief