Category: Mental Health Awareness

2/27/2021

HOW TO HANDLE COVID-RELATED LIFE CHANGES

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How to Handle COVID-Related
Life Changes

COVID-19 has changed lives all over the world. Since the pandemic began, you've probably had to adapt some
of your everyday habits, like how you workout or where you shop. Handling all these changes is stressful.
As Psychology Today explains, humans are naturally resistant to change.

COVID creates an especially tricky situation because it's very much beyond our control. My Grief Connection highlights some of the common emotions people are grappling with due to "Corona Grief," like difficulty concentrating and headaches. Luckily, there are resources available to help. The below guide covers life changes you may be experiencing as a result of COVID-19 and provides tips and tools on how to handle them.

You've lost your job.

According to USA Today, the unemployment rate is historically high. If you've lost your job, look for temp work
to make ends meet while you line up your next opportunity. The Work at Home Wife lists work-from-home
jobs that even provide paid training, from companies like Hilton, goFLUENT, and more.

You might also seize this opportunity to start your own business. Forming a limited liability company (LLC) allows you to enjoy tax advantages and protects your personal assets in case of liability claims. You don't have to pay an expensive attorney to file the paperwork to start an LLC. Business formation services are an affordable alternative.

You're spending more time at home.

Stay-at-home orders and concerns about infection have had people spending more time at home in the past year.
If you're starting to feel cooped up, it's time to make a change. Eliminate the negative energy of the past, and usher in positive vibes by cleansing your home. Get rid of clutter, open the windows to let in some fresh air, and smudge the room with sage. You can also get some affordable aromatherapy candles with soothing scents like lavender and lemongrass to create a more peaceful atmosphere.

Your social life has taken a blow.

As people spend less time outside of the home, they are also experiencing a decrease in social interactions. According to Medical News Today, humans are a naturally social species, and maintaining an active social life promotes physical and mental wellbeing. Look for new ways to reconnect with friends and family now that your social opportunities outside of the house have become more limited. You might watch a movie or television show with a pal using a tool like Netflix Party, for example, or have a "family dinner" via Zoom with loved ones who are located far away.

You're struggling to take care of yourself.

You may find it more difficult to take care of yourself as you deal with COVID-related change. This is understandable, especially if you are facing mental health hurdles like depression. As Harvard explains, depression changes the way the brain works — even causing cognitive impairments like memory loss, in some cases.

Motivating yourself to eat right and exercise in this state is tough. To cope, seek support. Make meal prep a family activity instead of doing it alone, for example. For exercise, try lining up a workout buddy and joining a Zoom fitness class. Cnet offers a list of five great options.

You've lost a loved one.

Finally, one of the biggest uncontrollable changes COVID may have introduced into your life is the loss of a loved one. If you are struggling with grief as a result, it's important to seek help. Look for support groups in your area via platforms like My Grief Connection. If you feel yourself struggling emotionally, don't hesitate to seek therapy. Platforms like BetterHelp allow you to get the assistance you need virtually and are more affordable than in-person counseling. You shouldn't have to grapple with grief alone.

The changes brought on by COVID-19 aren't always easy. However, they can be managed with the right resources and support. Hopefully, the above guide has given you some inspiration on how to get the support you need.

My Grief Connection provides grief services for children, teens, and families. Whether you are dealing with loss or COVID grief, find out how we can help.

Author Bio:
Jennifer Scott is a lifelong sufferer of anxiety and depression. A single mom, she writes about the ups and downs
of her mental illness on SpiritFinder.org. The blog serves as both a source of information for people with mental
illness and a forum where those living with anxiety and depression can come together to discuss their experiences.

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2/11/2021

Do People Hide Their Grief Over Overdose-Related Deaths Because of Addiction-Related Stigmas?

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Do People Hide Their Grief Over Overdose-Related Deaths Because of Addiction-Related Stigmas?

Bottle of Oxycodone on its side with pills spilled out onto the table

Drug addiction is a severe health danger that can put people at a high risk of many health issues. Sadly, many individuals die from overdoses every year, and their loved ones may struggle to understand this situation. Even worse, stigmas on addiction may make this mourning process and treatments such as rehab for mental illness harder to process appropriately.

Addiction-Related Stigmas Exist

Stigmas can be tough to fight because they are often so ingrained in culture and how people perceive the world. For example, stigmas about addiction – and other mental health illnesses – can paint a damaging picture. The idea that a person with an addiction is "weak" or "immoral" is widespread, and so is the idea that they "deserve" to suffer from addiction.

These stigmas are a real issue because they create a feeling of otherness to those with an addiction. This scenario strips them of their humanity and can make it harder for people to feel sympathy for them. Unfortunately, these stigmas can affect the loved ones of a person who has an addiction and make that individual's overdose death harder to mourn or accept.

Whether that loved one feels unable to mourn due to stigmas placed on the situation by others or by themselves is irrelevant – a stigma is a stigma. These feelings make it harder for a person to mourn a loved one. Instead of healing, they might face a challenging journey that may affect their recovery and cause a high level of emotional suffering that refuses to go away.

Why People Hide Grief

Many people hide grief over a loved one's death, an emotional reaction that is understandable but ultimately unhealthy. The reasons for this behavior can be quite complex, particularly if an individual experienced conflict with the person who passed. Overdose deaths might make a person's struggles with mourning even more difficult.
First of all, a person might disown a loved one with an addiction and may not recognize them in their life. Or, loved ones might be mourning a person with an addiction before they die because their addiction has changed the person and their lives so drastically. An individual may feel shame from others in their community and deal with their shame by hiding their mourning and depression.

But unprocessed emotions can challenge a person, making it difficult for them to move on from a loss. Even though they don't publicly – or even personally – admit to their grief, it exists. Left to fester, negative emotions such as grief can worsen and cause more damaging emotional health issues. Therefore, it is essential to fight addiction stigmas and process death properly.

Ways to Fight Stigma

Fighting the stigma against addiction starts by understanding your emotions. Sometimes people do not realize that they feel stigmas or behave in ways that may upset or damage their loved ones. For instance, individuals may use language that is very negative towards addiction and people with this disease, which may affect how they think about it.

This type of language includes terms such as addict, junkie, user, or drunk. These terms are harmful and can create a stigma in a person's mind. The terms put the disease before the person by defining them by it. As a result, those who use these terms reinforce the mistaken belief that a person with addiction chooses to be addicted, worsening their stigma.

Instead, it is crucial to understand that addiction is a disease, one that requires professional rehab help to combat. People do not choose to be addicted and they aren’t solely defined by their addictions. They are people who also have addictions to drugs or alcohol, not addicts, junkies, or drunks.

Accepting these distinctions can make it easier for a person to grieve their loved ones and adequately mourn them. Remember – mourning is an essential part of recovery after death, and removing addiction stigmas may allow a person to accept death and avoid hiding their emotions.

Ways You Can Help

If someone is suffering from grief due to the overdose death of a loved one, you could suggest that they talk with a therapist or another professional. By talking with therapists, people can explore and express their feelings without judgement. Therapists can help people acknowledge their grief while helping them navigate their new lives without their loved ones. Support groups can also provide assistance. Groups such as Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing (GRASP) include members who have suffered similar losses. GRASP notes that people sometimes treat addiction-related deaths differently, so it “was created to offer understanding, compassion, and support for those who have lost someone they love through addiction and overdose.”

There are grief support groups in specific geographic areas and ones that allow people to meet virtually or use online services to share and find information. The groups provide support and let people know that they’re not alone. They remind people that others have had similar experiences and are willing to help.

Assistance can also come in other forms. Instead of asking a grieving person what you can do, do something. You can:

Bring them meals.
Buy them gift cards to their favorite stores or restaurants.
Do chores for them.
Listen to them.

You can also help them find resources that address grief. Grief can be overwhelming. Helping people find some information can help them -- and you -- better understand what might be happening.

Just talking can also provide assistance. People might be worried that grieving people don’t want to talk about their loved ones, but the opposite is often true. By sharing stories and memories about their loved one, you allow people to discuss their grief and what their loved one meant to them.

By helping people take control of their emotional health, you give them a better chance to be happy and healthy. Just as importantly, they can give their loved ones the love and attention they need so they can also mourn and address their emotions.

Author bio: Patrick Bailey is a professional writer mainly in the fields of mental health, addiction, and living in recovery. He attempts to stay on top of the latest news in the addiction and the mental health world and enjoys writing about these topics to break the stigma associated with them.

Sources

drugabuse.gov – Addressing the Stigma That Surrounds Addiction
drugabuse.gov – Words Matter – Terms to Use and Avoid When Talking About Addiction
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – Understanding Stigma of Mental and Substance Use Disorders
ncbi.nlm.nlh.gov – Grief and Mourning Gone Awry: Pathway and Course of Complicated Grief
grieflink.org.au – Unrecognized or Hidden Grief
samhsa.gov – The Power of Perceptions and Understand: Changing How We Deliver Treatment and Recovery Services
grasphelp.org - About Us (GRASP)
mygriefconnection.org - In-Person Support Groups
medlineplus.gov - Bereavement
cdc.gov - Grief and Loss

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10/9/2020

World Mental Health Day 2020

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World Mental Health Day 2020
This year the World Health Organization will, for the first time, host a mental health global online advocacy event. At the "Big Event for Mental Health" world leaders, mental health experts and celebrity guests will join WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to teach us all what we can
all do to boost our mental health and how we can all help make sure that quality mental health care
is available to everyone in need of it.

2020's World Mental Health Day, comes at a very challenging time for us all when our day-to-day lives have been drastically altered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been so many changes and so much instability. People, including those with mental health conditions, are experiencing even greater levels of social isolation than before the pandemic. And so many people are managing the grief of losing a loved one, often without being able to say goodbye or even hold proper funerals or memorial rituals.

No doubt the need for mental health and psychosocial care and support will greatly increase in the months and years to come. Funding and investment in mental health programs on all levels is more critical than ever before. For this reason, the goal of the World Mental Health Day 2020 campaign
is increased investment in mental health.

For more information, please visit: https://www.who.int/

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5/17/2020

Finding the Right Grief Therapist or Counselor

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Finding the Right Grief Therapist or Counselor

Ask trusted friends or healthcare providers for recommendations and referrals.
Check out a potential therapist or counselor's website to get a feel for who they are

and what services they offer, then give them a phone call to chat and ask questions.

Let them know you found them through mygriefconnection.org
Ask them about their style and what types of counseling and/or conditions they

specialize in.

Briefly tell them about you, your loss, and what you are looking for in a counselor.
Consider asking them if they can do a consultation visit. The best way to assess if

you are a good match with each other is to meet in person, if you can.

Be sure to discuss their fees & insurance coverage, before you begin so you both are

clear on payment expectations.

If you are struggling financially ask them if they have a fee sliding-scale or look

for a practice that offers counseling from Master's student interns in training
at a discounted rate.

Make your first appointment.
Show up a few minutes early for your appointment, there may be paperwork to fill out.
It is a good idea to see them 2-3 times before determining if they are the right fit.

For a list of local Treasure Valley Idaho therapists and counselors and online counseling services, visit:
https://www.mygriefconnection.org/griefservices.html

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5/1/2020

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH - May 2020

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Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and thank goodness for that! Our mental health is
being challenged in a huge way with the COVID-19 pandemic, on top of all of the regular stressors
and issues that we deal with on a daily basis.

Whether we have diagnosed mental illness or not, it is critical for us all to manage and support our
mental health. It matters so much! We must continue to talk about mental health, share our stories,
raise awareness, educate others, get help ourselves and give help when we can.

Let's start the conversation and work to end the stigma around mental illness so we can be there
for each other in ways that are real and meaningful.

If you are struggling please reach out for support.

Here are some resources to help:

The Crisis Text Line offers free, 24/7 crisis counseling, via text. Just text SHARE to 741741 to reach them.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline gives 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources, call 1-800-273-8255.

Depression & Crisis Hotline, call 1-800-784-2433.

Veterans Crisis Line, call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 or Text 838255.

Emotional Health Relief Hotline, caregivers available 10am-10pm MST, 1-833-442-2211.

Idaho Suicide Prevention Hotline, 24/7, call 208-398-HELP (4357).

The Crisis Hotline, Serving Southern and Southeastern Idaho, 24/7, call 208-788-3596.

Idaho COVID-19 Hotline, call 1-888-330-3010, Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm.

Ambitions of Idaho 24 Hour Crisis Intervention Line, call 208-794-2379.

For more mental health & crisis help resources visit: https://www.mygriefconnection.org/crisishelp.html

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Connecting You to Grief Resources in the Treasure Valley & Beyond

HOW TO HANDLE COVID-RELATED LIFE CHANGES

How to Handle COVID-Related
Life Changes

Do People Hide Their Grief Over Overdose-Related Deaths Because of Addiction-Related Stigmas?

World Mental Health Day 2020

Finding the Right Grief Therapist or Counselor

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH - May 2020

Mental Health Awareness Month

Sara J. Cobb

Archives

Categories

Connecting You to Grief Resources in the Treasure Valley & Beyond

HOW TO HANDLE COVID-RELATED LIFE CHANGES

How to Handle COVID-Related​Life Changes

Do People Hide Their Grief Over Overdose-Related Deaths Because of Addiction-Related Stigmas?

World Mental Health Day 2020

Finding the Right Grief Therapist or Counselor

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH - May 2020

Mental Health Awareness Month

Sara J. Cobb

Archives

Categories

How to Handle COVID-Related
Life Changes