Last Updated on February 26, 2017
Individuals who have lost a loved one in the past year can have trouble coping during the holiday season, a pro says.
But it’s important for them to comprehend this time of year does not need to be sad and that there are ways for them to manage their grief and find comfort, according to Penelope Buschman, director of the psychiatric nurse practitioner program at Columbia University School of Nursing in New York City.
“The expectation of a holiday full of warmth, calmness and joy could be unrealistic for many who’ve lost a family member, especially within the past year,” she said in a university news release.
Developing a brand new convention is one approach to handle loss, she indicated.
“To minimize a number of the disappointment, produce a new tradition or practice which might contain reaching out to help others, and a conversation using a friend or relative over a shared meal,” said Buschman, a specialist on despair, parental grief and bereavement.
Individuals who are grieving additionally need to take care of their physical health by increasing their amount of exercise and limiting or preventing alcohol, which could trigger feelings that are depressed.
It’s also vital that you reduce stress by getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night, Buschman said.
