June 17, 2024 • 26 mins
What if embracing your deepest pain could lead to profound healing and resilience? Join me, Loren Johnson, on this emotionally transformative episode of "War of the Mind" as we journey through the multifaceted world of grief. We’ll uncover the different forms of grief, from generalized to disenfranchised, and dissect the emotional, physical, and social hurdles that accompany loss. Together, we will explore why the act of grieving is vital for psychological and emotional restoration, building a stronger sense of self, and paying tribute to those we've lost. I’ll share practical self-care strategies and solutions for managing grief, such as seeking professional support, engaging in heartfelt rituals, practicing mindfulness, and expressing oneself creatively.
In our next segment, I emphasize the power of openly embracing grief as a crucial part of the healing process. I’ll discuss the importance of allowing yourself to grieve and the courage it takes to reach out for help. By giving ourselves permission to fully experience our emotions, we pave the way for genuine healing. This heartfelt conversation underscores that grieving is a natural, necessary journey and aims to keep hope alive. Don’t forget, you can connect with us through the LJ Voice Project on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Thank you for tuning in; I’m Loren Johnson, and I look forward to our next conversation on "War of the Mind.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
and welcome back to another episode of war of the
mind.
I'm your host, lauren johnson.
Today we're going to becovering, uh, understanding
grief struggles, importance,self-care and solutions to grief
.
So, and then we'll go intodetail.
(00:28):
You know what I've been goingthrough as far as grief and it's
a huge reason we haven't had ashow here recently and then also
we, you know, how you said, thestruggles of grief,
introduction, definitions, howto become resilient to grief and
(00:57):
some self-care tips, along withsolutions solutions.
So grief is a universal humanexperience characterized by
intense sorrow, typically inresponse to loss of a loved one.
It encompasses a range ofemotions, including sadness,
(01:21):
anger, guilt and despair.
Understanding grief is crucialas it affects individuals
physically, emotionally,psychologically.
So during the show we'llexplore the nature of grief, the
(01:44):
struggles associated with it,its importance, some self-care
strategies and solutions formanaging grief effectively.
So grief is, you know, aresponse to loss, particularly
(02:04):
the loss of someone or somethingsignificant.
It can manifest in variousforms, including just
generalized grief, complicatedgrief, disenfranchised grief.
Complicated griefdisenfranchised grief you can
(02:32):
have grief that occurs before animpending loss, while
complicated grief is prolonged,it's a more intense form of
grief that impedes normalfunctioning.
Disenfranchised grief ariseswhen one's loss is not socially
recognized or validated.
(02:53):
So the grieving process thegrieving process is often
described in stages.
You have denial, you have anger, you have bargaining, you have
depression and acceptance.
However, these stages are notlinear and individuals may
(03:18):
experience them in differentrole orders or revisit certain
stages multiple times.
Understanding that grief is apersonal and unique journey,
it's essential for those who aregrieving and those supporting
them.
(03:45):
Now the struggles of grieving.
Emotional struggles is one.
Emotional struggles duringgrieving are profound and varied
, you know.
Individuals may feeloverwhelming sadness, anger,
guilt and even relief.
(04:05):
The intensity of these emotionscan be exhausting and
disorienting.
Grievers might also experienceanxiety and fear about the
future without the loved one.
Next is physical andpsychological struggles.
Grief can manifest physicallythrough symptoms like fatigue,
(04:28):
insomnia, changes in appetite, aweakened immune response.
Psychologically, grievers maysuffer from depression,
post-traumatic stress and asense of hopelessness.
Traumatic stress and a sense ofhopelessness.
Cognitive functions such asconcentration and memory can
(04:58):
also be impaired.
Next is social and culturalstruggles.
Socially, grievers may feelisolated, as others around them
may not understand their pain ormay avoid them due to
discomfort.
Cultural expectations and normscan further complicate grief,
dictating how one should grieveand potentially invalidating
(05:23):
personal experience of loss.
The importance of grieving Firstpsychological and emotional
healing Grieving is crucial foremotional and psychological
healing.
It allows individuals toprocess their loss, acknowledge
(05:46):
their pain and begin to adjustto life without their loved one.
Suppressing grief can lead tounresolved emotions which may
manifest later as mental healthissues.
Building resilience Engaging ingrieving process can foster
resilience.
(06:07):
Through grief, individualsoften develop coping mechanisms
and gain a deeper understandingof their strengths and
vulnerabilities.
The resilience is vital fornavigating future challenges and
(06:31):
losses.
Honoring lost loved onegrieving is also an act of
honoring the relationship withthe deceased.
It affirms the significance ofthe lost loved one and the
impact they had on the griever'slife.
This process can includerituals, memorials, personal
(06:57):
reflection, all of which cancontribute to a meaningful
farewell, which can contributeto a meaningful farewell.
Self-care during grief.
Emotional self-care is one.
This involves allowing oneselfto feel and express emotions
(07:24):
without judgment.
This can be facilitated throughtalking with trusted friends or
family members, journaling orengaging in creative activities
that can allow for emotionalexpression.
Physical self-care is oftenneglected during grief.
It is essential for overallwell-being.
(07:50):
Regular exercise, adequatesleep and balanced diet can help
mitigate some physical symptomsof grief.
Mindfulness practices such asmeditation and yoga can also
(08:13):
support physical and emotionalhealth.
Next, we have social self-care.
Maintaining social connectionsis crucial, even if it feels
challenging.
Thank you, seeking supportgroups where individuals share
similar experiences can providean understanding.
It's important to communicateneeds to friends and family,
(08:37):
allowing them to offerappropriate support.
Solutions for managing grief,you know one, is professional
support.
Seeking professional help fromtherapists or counselors can in
(08:57):
a.
Counselors trained in grief canbe invaluable.
Therapy provides a safe placeto explore emotions, develop
coping strategies, receivevalidation for one's experience.
Specialized therapies such asCBT, cognitive behavioral
(09:18):
therapy or grief-specificinterventions can address
complicated grief.
Support groups is another onefor managing grief.
Support groups offer acommunity of individuals who
(09:41):
have experienced similar losses,who have experienced similar
losses.
These groups provide a sense ofbelonging and understanding
that can be difficult to findelsewhere.
Sharing stories, copingstrategies in a group setting
can reduce feelings of isolation, provide practical support.
(10:12):
Next is rituals and memorials.
Engaging in rituals andcreating memorials can, you know
, help in the processing ofgrief.
These acts provide a structurefor expressing emotions and
honoring deceased.
They can be religious, privateand can include activities such
(10:37):
as lighting candles, creatingmemory books or participating in
commemorative events.
Participating in commemorativeevents.
Another way of managing griefis mindfulness and meditation.
(10:59):
Mindfulness and meditationpractices can help grievers stay
present with their emotions andreduce anxiety.
These practices encourage acompassionate awareness of one's
experience, promotingacceptance and reducing the
tendency to ruminate on the pastor fear of the future.
(11:20):
And lastly, is creativeexpression.
Art, music, writing and otherforms of creative expression can
be therapeutic during grief.
These activities allowindividuals to explore and
express their emotions innonverbal ways, often uncovering
(11:54):
feelings that are difficult toarticulate.
Allowing yourself to grieve, youknow, accepting grief as a
natural process is huge.
Understanding that grief is anatural and necessary response
to loss is fundamental.
Acceptance allows individualsto engage with their emotions
(12:20):
without guilt or pressure tomove on prematurely.
It's important to recognizethat grief has no set timeline
and that each person's processis unique.
Setting realistic expectationsfor oneself during grief
(12:50):
involves acknowledging thathealing is gradual.
It's important to be patientand gentle with oneself,
allowing time to processemotions and adjust to you know,
the new realities, recognizingthe small steps that steps
(13:14):
forward can provideencouragement and hope.
Seeking and accepting supportallows.
Seeking and accepting support,you know that allows you to seek
and accept support is crucial.
(13:34):
Friends, families, supportgroups, professionals can all
play a huge role in the healingprocess.
Communicating needs andaccepting help can alleviate
some of the burdens of grief andprovide you know that essential
(13:56):
emotional support.
Grief is a profound and complexexperience that affects
individuals.
You affects individuals onmultiple levels.
Understanding the nature andthe struggle is crucial for
(14:16):
effective coping and healing.
The importance of grieving liesin its role in emotional
healing, resilience building andhonoring lost loved ones.
Self-care practices and seekingsupport are essential
(14:38):
strategies for managing grief.
Ultimately, allowing yourselfto grieve is a compassionate
acknowledgement of the depth ofone's loss and steps towards
healing.
Through patience, support andself-care, individuals can
(15:04):
navigate their grief and find apath to a new normal.
Um, you know, recently I wasn'tdoing any episodes Uh.
It's been about a month and ahalf Uh, still hard to talk, to
(15:28):
talk about.
Uh, but I recently lost my wife, uh to addiction.
It's been a huge struggle initself, uh, allowing myself to
grieve, allowing myself togrieve.
(16:34):
It was, you know, sudden, itwas unexpected, and it doesn't
get easy, and you know I'vealready went through the denial,
the anger.
It's been a struggle dealingwith these emotions.
Dealing with these emotions,I've went from, you know,
(16:56):
wanting to talk to individualsabout it to not wanting to even
get out of bed and face theworld.
(17:20):
Losing that significant other orsomeone close to you is
devastating when it's taken away, and especially if it's someone
you hold near and dear and havean endless love for them.
(17:40):
And but for me, the only peaceof mind I find out of it is
knowing that she's at peace, notstruggling with her addiction,
(18:04):
not struggling with her mentalhealth.
It's basically the only peaceof mind I have.
As far as losing her, it's justdevastating.
Be planning or you know, oneminute leaving for the day and
(18:41):
your last words are I love youTo not hearing from them and
then finding them passed away.
And that's been a huge struggle.
(19:01):
There's so many questions andI'm left.
There's so many questions andI'm left.
There's so much time left thatcould have been spent together.
(19:24):
And you know Can't and you knowcan't and I know it's going to
be a struggle moving forward,and I just keep telling myself
(19:49):
with each day it's going to geteasier.
But I have my moments where Isit and wonder how, how I can
move forward, and that I havemoments of guilt because how do
(20:19):
I get to move forward?
But she doesn't guilt that.
That in that grieving processof not knowing how you should
feel in the moment, like askingyourself is it okay to laugh, is
(20:42):
it okay to cry, is it okay tobe angry?
And all those questions areokay.
And the biggest thing that'sgoing, knowing that I've been
(21:06):
resilient in the past and alsothe fact that I just have to
take one day at a time and gomoment to moment, basically, and
(21:42):
realize that this is part oflife, as bad as it may hurt and
be painful, it sucks, I will notlie, and grief is tough and I
(22:06):
have to remember to allow myselfto grieve.
I have to remember to allowmyself to grieve.
So, if you're out there grievinga lost loved one, allow
yourself to grieve.
Don't be afraid to reach out toyour supports, whether
(22:33):
professionally or your family oryour support groups.
Don't be afraid to ask for helpand talk to someone.
It's okay to you know, be sad,angered, in denial, sense of
(22:56):
relief.
Where you run into trouble iswhen you don't allow yourself to
grief and allow these emotionsto build up.
Allow yourself to grief andallow these emotions to build up
(23:21):
, and so with that, this isanother episode of War of Mind
on grief, grief, and check outour website, ljvoiceprojectcom.
War of the Mind is under thepodcast page.
(23:44):
Also, we're on facebook,twitter, instagram under lj
voice project.
Um, this show is produced by ljvoice project, so so, with that
(24:10):
being said, keep hope alive.
And you know, like we talkedabout, don't be afraid to ask
for help when you're grieving,and allow yourself to grieve,
and remember that it's okay togrieve and you're allowed that,
and remember that it's okay togrieve and you're allowed that.
(24:33):
I want to thank you forlistening to another episode of
War of the Mind.
I'm your host, loren Johnson,and we'll see you soon.
and welcome back to another episode of war of the
mind.
I'm your host, lauren johnson.
Today we're going to becovering, uh, understanding
grief struggles, importance,self-care and solutions to grief
.
So, and then we'll go intodetail.
(00:28):
You know what I've been goingthrough as far as grief and it's
a huge reason we haven't had ashow here recently and then also
we, you know, how you said, thestruggles of grief,
introduction, definitions, howto become resilient to grief and
(00:57):
some self-care tips, along withsolutions solutions.
So grief is a universal humanexperience characterized by
intense sorrow, typically inresponse to loss of a loved one.
It encompasses a range ofemotions, including sadness,
(01:21):
anger, guilt and despair.
Understanding grief is crucialas it affects individuals
physically, emotionally,psychologically.
So during the show we'llexplore the nature of grief, the
(01:44):
struggles associated with it,its importance, some self-care
strategies and solutions formanaging grief effectively.
So grief is, you know, aresponse to loss, particularly
(02:04):
the loss of someone or somethingsignificant.
It can manifest in variousforms, including just
generalized grief, complicatedgrief, disenfranchised grief.
Complicated griefdisenfranchised grief you can
(02:32):
have grief that occurs before animpending loss, while
complicated grief is prolonged,it's a more intense form of
grief that impedes normalfunctioning.
Disenfranchised grief ariseswhen one's loss is not socially
recognized or validated.
(02:53):
So the grieving process thegrieving process is often
described in stages.
You have denial, you have anger, you have bargaining, you have
depression and acceptance.
However, these stages are notlinear and individuals may
(03:18):
experience them in differentrole orders or revisit certain
stages multiple times.
Understanding that grief is apersonal and unique journey,
it's essential for those who aregrieving and those supporting
them.
(03:45):
Now the struggles of grieving.
Emotional struggles is one.
Emotional struggles duringgrieving are profound and varied
, you know.
Individuals may feeloverwhelming sadness, anger,
guilt and even relief.
(04:05):
The intensity of these emotionscan be exhausting and
disorienting.
Grievers might also experienceanxiety and fear about the
future without the loved one.
Next is physical andpsychological struggles.
Grief can manifest physicallythrough symptoms like fatigue,
(04:28):
insomnia, changes in appetite, aweakened immune response.
Psychologically, grievers maysuffer from depression,
post-traumatic stress and asense of hopelessness.
Traumatic stress and a sense ofhopelessness.
Cognitive functions such asconcentration and memory can
(04:58):
also be impaired.
Next is social and culturalstruggles.
Socially, grievers may feelisolated, as others around them
may not understand their pain ormay avoid them due to
discomfort.
Cultural expectations and normscan further complicate grief,
dictating how one should grieveand potentially invalidating
(05:23):
personal experience of loss.
The importance of grieving Firstpsychological and emotional
healing Grieving is crucial foremotional and psychological
healing.
It allows individuals toprocess their loss, acknowledge
(05:46):
their pain and begin to adjustto life without their loved one.
Suppressing grief can lead tounresolved emotions which may
manifest later as mental healthissues.
Building resilience Engaging ingrieving process can foster
resilience.
(06:07):
Through grief, individualsoften develop coping mechanisms
and gain a deeper understandingof their strengths and
vulnerabilities.
The resilience is vital fornavigating future challenges and
(06:31):
losses.
Honoring lost loved onegrieving is also an act of
honoring the relationship withthe deceased.
It affirms the significance ofthe lost loved one and the
impact they had on the griever'slife.
This process can includerituals, memorials, personal
(06:57):
reflection, all of which cancontribute to a meaningful
farewell, which can contributeto a meaningful farewell.
Self-care during grief.
Emotional self-care is one.
This involves allowing oneselfto feel and express emotions
(07:24):
without judgment.
This can be facilitated throughtalking with trusted friends or
family members, journaling orengaging in creative activities
that can allow for emotionalexpression.
Physical self-care is oftenneglected during grief.
It is essential for overallwell-being.
(07:50):
Regular exercise, adequatesleep and balanced diet can help
mitigate some physical symptomsof grief.
Mindfulness practices such asmeditation and yoga can also
(08:13):
support physical and emotionalhealth.
Next, we have social self-care.
Maintaining social connectionsis crucial, even if it feels
challenging.
Thank you, seeking supportgroups where individuals share
similar experiences can providean understanding.
It's important to communicateneeds to friends and family,
(08:37):
allowing them to offerappropriate support.
Solutions for managing grief,you know one, is professional
support.
Seeking professional help fromtherapists or counselors can in
(08:57):
a.
Counselors trained in grief canbe invaluable.
Therapy provides a safe placeto explore emotions, develop
coping strategies, receivevalidation for one's experience.
Specialized therapies such asCBT, cognitive behavioral
(09:18):
therapy or grief-specificinterventions can address
complicated grief.
Support groups is another onefor managing grief.
Support groups offer acommunity of individuals who
(09:41):
have experienced similar losses,who have experienced similar
losses.
These groups provide a sense ofbelonging and understanding
that can be difficult to findelsewhere.
Sharing stories, copingstrategies in a group setting
can reduce feelings of isolation, provide practical support.
(10:12):
Next is rituals and memorials.
Engaging in rituals andcreating memorials can, you know
, help in the processing ofgrief.
These acts provide a structurefor expressing emotions and
honoring deceased.
They can be religious, privateand can include activities such
(10:37):
as lighting candles, creatingmemory books or participating in
commemorative events.
Participating in commemorativeevents.
Another way of managing griefis mindfulness and meditation.
(10:59):
Mindfulness and meditationpractices can help grievers stay
present with their emotions andreduce anxiety.
These practices encourage acompassionate awareness of one's
experience, promotingacceptance and reducing the
tendency to ruminate on the pastor fear of the future.
(11:20):
And lastly, is creativeexpression.
Art, music, writing and otherforms of creative expression can
be therapeutic during grief.
These activities allowindividuals to explore and
express their emotions innonverbal ways, often uncovering
(11:54):
feelings that are difficult toarticulate.
Allowing yourself to grieve, youknow, accepting grief as a
natural process is huge.
Understanding that grief is anatural and necessary response
to loss is fundamental.
Acceptance allows individualsto engage with their emotions
(12:20):
without guilt or pressure tomove on prematurely.
It's important to recognizethat grief has no set timeline
and that each person's processis unique.
Setting realistic expectationsfor oneself during grief
(12:50):
involves acknowledging thathealing is gradual.
It's important to be patientand gentle with oneself,
allowing time to processemotions and adjust to you know,
the new realities, recognizingthe small steps that steps
(13:14):
forward can provideencouragement and hope.
Seeking and accepting supportallows.
Seeking and accepting support,you know that allows you to seek
and accept support is crucial.
(13:34):
Friends, families, supportgroups, professionals can all
play a huge role in the healingprocess.
Communicating needs andaccepting help can alleviate
some of the burdens of grief andprovide you know that essential
(13:56):
emotional support.
Grief is a profound and complexexperience that affects
individuals.
You affects individuals onmultiple levels.
Understanding the nature andthe struggle is crucial for
(14:16):
effective coping and healing.
The importance of grieving liesin its role in emotional
healing, resilience building andhonoring lost loved ones.
Self-care practices and seekingsupport are essential
(14:38):
strategies for managing grief.
Ultimately, allowing yourselfto grieve is a compassionate
acknowledgement of the depth ofone's loss and steps towards
healing.
Through patience, support andself-care, individuals can
(15:04):
navigate their grief and find apath to a new normal.
Um, you know, recently I wasn'tdoing any episodes Uh.
It's been about a month and ahalf Uh, still hard to talk, to
(15:28):
talk about.
Uh, but I recently lost my wife, uh to addiction.
It's been a huge struggle initself, uh, allowing myself to
grieve, allowing myself togrieve.
(16:34):
It was, you know, sudden, itwas unexpected, and it doesn't
get easy, and you know I'vealready went through the denial,
the anger.
It's been a struggle dealingwith these emotions.
Dealing with these emotions,I've went from, you know,
(16:56):
wanting to talk to individualsabout it to not wanting to even
get out of bed and face theworld.
(17:20):
Losing that significant other orsomeone close to you is
devastating when it's taken away, and especially if it's someone
you hold near and dear and havean endless love for them.
(17:40):
And but for me, the only peaceof mind I find out of it is
knowing that she's at peace, notstruggling with her addiction,
(18:04):
not struggling with her mentalhealth.
It's basically the only peaceof mind I have.
As far as losing her, it's justdevastating.
Be planning or you know, oneminute leaving for the day and
(18:41):
your last words are I love youTo not hearing from them and
then finding them passed away.
And that's been a huge struggle.
(19:01):
There's so many questions andI'm left.
There's so many questions andI'm left.
There's so much time left thatcould have been spent together.
(19:24):
And you know Can't and you knowcan't and I know it's going to
be a struggle moving forward,and I just keep telling myself
(19:49):
with each day it's going to geteasier.
But I have my moments where Isit and wonder how, how I can
move forward, and that I havemoments of guilt because how do
(20:19):
I get to move forward?
But she doesn't guilt that.
That in that grieving processof not knowing how you should
feel in the moment, like askingyourself is it okay to laugh, is
(20:42):
it okay to cry, is it okay tobe angry?
And all those questions areokay.
And the biggest thing that'sgoing, knowing that I've been
(21:06):
resilient in the past and alsothe fact that I just have to
take one day at a time and gomoment to moment, basically, and
(21:42):
realize that this is part oflife, as bad as it may hurt and
be painful, it sucks, I will notlie, and grief is tough and I
(22:06):
have to remember to allow myselfto grieve.
I have to remember to allowmyself to grieve.
So, if you're out there grievinga lost loved one, allow
yourself to grieve.
Don't be afraid to reach out toyour supports, whether
(22:33):
professionally or your family oryour support groups.
Don't be afraid to ask for helpand talk to someone.
It's okay to you know, be sad,angered, in denial, sense of
(22:56):
relief.
Where you run into trouble iswhen you don't allow yourself to
grief and allow these emotionsto build up.
Allow yourself to grief andallow these emotions to build up
(23:21):
, and so with that, this isanother episode of War of Mind
on grief, grief, and check outour website, ljvoiceprojectcom.
War of the Mind is under thepodcast page.
(23:44):
Also, we're on facebook,twitter, instagram under lj
voice project.
Um, this show is produced by ljvoice project, so so, with that
(24:10):
being said, keep hope alive.
And you know, like we talkedabout, don't be afraid to ask
for help when you're grieving,and allow yourself to grieve,
and remember that it's okay togrieve and you're allowed that,
and remember that it's okay togrieve and you're allowed that.
(24:33):
I want to thank you forlistening to another episode of
War of the Mind.
I'm your host, loren Johnson,and we'll see you soon.
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