5 Signs You May Want to Consider Grief Counseling
With so many emotions and things to deal with after a loss, sometimes counseling isn’t something considered right away or can seem an unnecessary concept to some. Many have no desire to open up to a stranger about their deeply personal feelings and experiences. However, counseling can be extremely helpful for anyone dealing with grief or loss. Losing someone you care about is a difficult experience to go through, and while you can learn to cope and move forward on your own, you can benefit from counseling in a number of ways.
Here are 5 signs you may want to consider grief counseling:
You’re struggling to talk about or accept the loss
Closure is difficult to reach after losing a loved one. Everyone takes a different path to acceptance, but if you feel that you can not find a path or don’t believe yours is the right one for you, counseling may help. In one on one counseling, a trained professional can help guide you through asking the right questions and reflecting in a healthy way, shining a light on what is or is not working for you. Group counseling is also a great way to feel less alone and learn how others are dealing with grief as well as give you a strong support system.
You’re finding it difficult to integrate the loss into new life routines
Life after loss is difficult to maneuver for anyone. If you feel as though you have no idea where to start, or you’re struggling to return to your regular life, you may want to consider counseling. If you find yourself diving into work to occupy yourself or avoiding friends and family and just want to be alone, these may be signs that you need some guidance or help finding healthy coping mechanisms to move past loss.
You feel unhappy overall
It is not uncommon to struggle to feel truly happy after you lose someone you care about. It takes time to find joy in certain things and shake the feeling of emptiness that you may face. Sometimes people feel guilty to feel happy again. However, attending counseling could help you to find steps to take in order to start enjoying your life again after loss.
You’re worried about your mental well being after loss
Your mental well being should be just as much a priority as your physical health. If you notice something wrong with your physical health, you go to a doctor. If you start to feel your mental health is declining after a loss, counseling can be a way to help you manage these feelings. Feeling numb to emotion or thoughts of self harm should never be ignored.
Your behavior has changed dramatically
Loss changes people and their lives. However, if you start to feel or act like an entirely different person or have sudden and drastic changes in behavior such as lashing out, drinking excessively, or destructive relationships, you may consider counseling to help you manage these changes.
Loss and grief are difficult to manage but you don’t have to do it alone. It’s okay to ask for help and to receive professional counseling. The team at Sytsema has experience and resources to help you, not just with counseling, but plenty of other sources of support, too. We can help you find what you’re most comfortable with and what works best for you.