The past few weeks have been heavy on social media. Many people are losing their parents, including celebrities and it's a sad thing to witness.
In the past week, TV personality Somizi Mhlongo, multi-award-winning gospel stars Lebo Sekgobela and Ntokozo Mbambo lost their parents.
South Africans have just begun to experience the collective grief that we are all facing - and because we’re self-isolating and avoiding crowds, we won’t be able to practice the rituals that help us process this difficult emotion.
Whether a person loses either their mom or dad, whether it was when they were young or much older, the pain of losing them never truly goes away.
Grief left untended have long-term consequences to mental, emotional and physical health that could impact individuals and communities far into the future.
Maya Fisher-French from Change Exchange shares a few tips to help you navigate this often-overwhelming experience.
Accept your feelings
There are no wrong or right emotions. You might not like certain feelings that arise, but research shows that simply allowing them to exist – acknowledging and not suppressing them – goes a long way to processing grief. Trust that you will survive the feelings and that they will come and go again.
Be gentle with yourself
Try not to judge yourself – there is no time limit on being sad. The intensity may vary over time, but it is normal to continue to have feelings about your loss. Mindfulness practices can help you create and tolerance for all your emotions.
Seek support
Mourning may well be a lonely time in one’s life – no one else can do it for you, and no two people’s experiences will be the same. That said, avoid isolating yourself. Reach out and seek connection from people who feel “safe” – people who won’t judge you or tell you how to grieve.