Why Are We Afraid of Grief?

After receiving news of a death, no matter our emotional state, most of us think to do at least some of these things: call others, check our schedules and arrange any necessary changes to accommodate the funeral or memorial service and any travel required, organize meals for the bereaved, visit the home or funeral home and leave offers of help, and comfort survivors. Stop for a moment and think now about the people you encountered in your everyday life today, on the roadways, public transportation, in shops and offices of every kind, or just walking down the street. Might some of these have received that call and be grieving? Did you see anyone crying? Probably not. Yet, the bereaved — as hurt and injured as they are — do not usually stay at home and out of sight as they used to in days gone by, certainly not for long. Who did you see today who is carrying the pain of loss … or any other kind of invisible wound? After I lost my husband, I cried in the car on the way to work every day. Eventually, I looked around and saw I was the only one who was crying. I asked myself questions. Did no one else suffer loss or hardship? Was I the only one? I knew that couldn’t be true, but it seemed so. When I arrived at my office, I dried my eyes and went inside to conduct business of the day. Is that what we do? Hide our grief. Fake a smile and act as if our hearts are not breaking?  A few hours or days of comfort might be available, but it seems that soon others start to g...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Grief and Loss Personal Self-Help Bereavement Source Type: blogs