I experienced fear and loss. It’s been about five years since I lost my father, and this year I was reminded that grief takes its course and doesn’t follow a timetable, especially when it comes to fear and loss.
I not only mourned his death, but also felt frightened for a long time when I thought of him and the events surrounding him. The fear was related to both the loss itself and the things that happened during that time, the people I was in contact with, and my family’s grieving process.
Recently, people in my life have suffered losses in their lives. It brought back memories of my losses and the fear that came with them.
How I feel when I experience loss and fear
I was there when my father died, so this memory tormented me for a long time. I often had sleepless nights, loss of appetite, shortness of breath and palpitations. I also noticed that I felt fear when I spoke to my family after his death.
ADS
The grieving process was difficult and, I believe, not yet over. Sometimes I still feel disturbed when my mind is flooded with memories of that time. Furthermore, I have experienced further loss and further fear since then.
How I dealt with fear and loss
I don’t think dealing with the anxiety I feel about loss is an easy process. There have been other situations in my life that have triggered higher levels of anxiety, but I don’t think pain-related anxiety will ever completely go away. I don’t think you can handle this situation the same way you handle other situations. On the contrary, I feel like I have to learn to live with it. I think that the handling of the situation in my case is very different. I’ve focused on resilience and the ability to bounce back from difficult emotions that I know will go away with time.
For me, resilience means exercising, eating well, and focusing on the people closest to me. I’ve learned that sometimes self-care is the best thing I can do for myself and others until time passes and I feel better.
If there is anything you can do to deal with loss and fear, please share your strategies with us in the comments below.
ADS
