A most difficult issue during the holiday season is grief. Losing a parent, spouse, child, or anyone close to you can make you feel especially tender or vulnerable because memories of these special people who have passed from our lives emerge with a greater intensity at this time of the year.
What to do when the holiday blues bother you
Tips for overwhelming feelings of grief and loss during the holidays.It is often hard to know what to do in these moments of grief and loss.
A gamut of strong emotions (isolation, loneliness, anxiety, uncertainty and general depression) can leave one with a sense of powerlessness and a waning capacity to overcome these overwhelming feelings.
I thought the suggestions in the following article could be extremely helpful to those who are facing loss in this holiday season. It is from a blog on This Emotional Life and was written by Dr. Camille Wortman. I do hope this will be helpful to you or those around you who are struggling to get through the holidays.
Getting through the holidays
http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/blogs/getting-through-holidays-advice-bereaved
For those who are struggling with such difficult emotions, it is my hope that you will gradually be able to rediscover the joy of the season. For those who have experienced significant loss of friends and loved ones I do want to encourage a healthy grieving process and as Dr. Wortman suggests, please do find a non-judgmental and safe system of support during this time of the year.
I think we all need a bit of help when we are overwhelmed with the emotions of the holidays.
It is a great time to be with our friends and family, to rally around each other, enjoy the season and festivities, provide support for those who are grieving.
Gerry Vassar, President/CEO, Lakeside Educational Network
