By Lena Turcios
The topic of death is uncomfortable for many to speak or think about, yet it happens each and every day. Grieving a loss is one of the hardest things that anyone can do. Anyone who has experienced this knows how impactful it can be. It’s normal for people to pass away for a variety of different reasons at any age. Instead of acting as if it’s not going to happen we should be more comfortable with the fact that it’s going to happen eventually.
From my own personal experience, I’ve had the difficulty of experiencing a loss of a young friend as well as my older grandfather. It can affect mental health in many ways including worsened depression, anxiety, and having no motivation for things you once loved to do. It can be hard adjusting to a life in which you have stronger emotions in your daily life. It’s good to fill your time up with things you are interested in instead of succumbing to sadness. Staying inside all day is not only bad for your physical health, but also bad for your mental health as well.
I think it’s good to discuss death since we all are going to die eventually. A lot of people think it’s a good idea to shelter their kids from this discussion but it can actually have a negative effect. Sheltering kids does not properly educate them in preparation for their future. When they grow older they aren’t going to know how death works or even what it is, leaving them ignorant. It’s important to understand that it takes lots of time to go through the grieving process. It will not take a specific amount of time for you to feel better. This process time varies from person to person. Loss can be especially hard when it’s a close family member. It was hard having to see my grandma and great grandma struggle when this happened. Even though it’s difficult, eventually you will feel more at ease with the idea of death. I personally don’t like to think about it too much because it’s sad.
My best advice is to focus on taking care of yourself if you are currently in this situation. If you aren’t then it becomes harder to get through rough times. My dog has always been a comforting form of support if I’m ever in a bad mood. If you have pets it’s good to lean on them when in need of love. Pets can be very good for helping anxiety as well. Whenever I’m around my dog my anxiety is lowered immediately. Spending time with loved ones also can help a lot. Because loss is so common it’s important to be grateful for the people that you still have in your life.
Being patient with yourself is crucial. You are going to feel a plethora of different emotions that may feel new to you. It can feel scary losing people in your life. It can feel as if you have been abandoned by them in a way. You should love and remember them for who they truly were. Listening to music, writing in a journal, mediation, are all good! Lastly, if you are struggling please reach out and get help, there is counseling available here at BHS and also outside of the school as well.
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