How to Cope with Grief During a Pandemic Winter
Grief during wintertime
It’s wintertime now. The days are getting darker earlier and those who are bereaved will likely feel “darker” earlier too. It’s tough to handle grief when it’s dark and dreary to begin with, then add the coronavirus pandemic to the mix. Now, you have a very isolated grieving time, with less light and fewer people around to brighten your days.
Learning to Cope
To cope a little bit better, try to keep some of these tips in mind:
1. This Will End
As hard as it may be, realized that the pandemic will eventually end, and you will be reunited with the comfort of people who support you, keep you company and give you a hug when you need one.
2. Others Are Experiencing Challenges
Be gentle with some of your supportive friends and family members who don’t seem as “available” as you expected them to be. They may be experiencing their own challenges of living through the pandemic, and not intentionally ignoring your grief. Reach out to them if you need to.
3. Stay Active
Make sure you get outside at least once a day. It’s tempting to stay inside where it’s warm, but push yourself. You need fresh air and a change of scenery. Those are important.
4. Keep Busy
If you’re up to it and have time to fill, try handling some projects which need to be done after the death of a loved one. I.e. sorting through mail and paying bills, collecting photos and creating an album, making a “memory box” of your loved one, organizing files for insurance, banking, health records, and other important paperwork.
Tackling these projects will be helpful to you in the long run, and give you something to focus on, and give you a sense of productivity and accomplishment.
5. Keep Having Fun
If you have children who are grieving too, play games this winter. Play games (i.e. Dollhouse, or Doctor, for example) that allow the kids to act out their feelings.
This will give their grief an outlet for expression. Also, have kids make memory boxes, dreamcatchers, keep a journal, and do artwork to encourage talking about their loved one and expressing their feelings of loss.
6. Enjoy Movies
Watch funny movies. Comedy is one of the best ways to lighten up your mind.
7. Mix Things Up
Just for a change, try a new or different activity. Try cooking things more adventurously, try building something in the garage, try crafts, find new books to read.
Advice to Grievers
In my NYC grief counseling practice, during the winter, I make a point of encouraging my clients to make their winter indoor time count productively. It’s fine to be a little lazy, of course, and take care of yourself with extra rest, but also try to “live” a little too. Both are key factors in the bereavement process.
