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As the days grow colder and sunlight dwindles, the winter season often brings a rise in depression rates, health experts say. For many, the weight of grief and loss—whether recent or long-standing—can make navigating this time of year even more challenging. Experts encourage embracing the full range of emotions you may feel, as allowing yourself to process those feelings is a vital step toward healing.
Feel the Feelings
A report by Psychology Today recommends that individuals lean into grief and the emotions it brings, as it may be helpful to the healing process in the long run.
Allowing yourself to feel emotions, without judgment or feeling like you “should be happy” can create a healthy space to process emotions.
Create Traditions of Remembrance
As with everything we've learned over the years, we can absolutely get creative with honoring those we lost. Lighting a candle in memory of a loved one, or even eating a food they enjoyed at the holidays, can be a “tangible reminder” of their love.
Holidays are often the only time some families gather, create memories, and share meals together, opening the opportunity to honor loved ones together. Try setting out time during the family gathering to share your favorite stories about them, comb through family photos, and even talk about how you've been processing the loss.
Everyone has their own way of dealing with things, and talking about it together can help "break the ice" and create closer bonds in the process.
Things You Can Do for Yourself
Journaling can also be an effective tool in getting heavy emotions and thoughts out and onto on paper. Meditating, getting a good amount of sleep, and taking as best care of yourself as you can are all tools generally recommended when processing loss.
Seeking help from friends and family or professional mental health resources is also a tangible coping mechanism for handling grief. Resources like Therapy For Black Girls, and Therapy For Black Men can be used to get a mental health professional as a part of your support system.
Acknowledging the holidays and life moving forward will be different without a loved one may be a hard and necessary step in coping. Finding healthy ways to cope and support yourself is not always easy or even doable, but can be thought of as a journey, not a destination.
Check out more coping techniques for grief during the holidays here.
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