Your therapist might help you come to terms with your grief by processing your feelings or performing rituals that help you mourn the person or thing.
Don’t isolate yourself, even if you don’t feel like going out or talking to anyone. Isolation will only make it easier for your mood to spiral out of control.
Help your friends and family know how to help you by making clear, direct requests. For instance, you could ask a friend to help you cook some healthy meals to store in the freezer. You may want to reach out to your local chapter of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance for support, advice, and other resources.
Don’t try to put a time limit on your grieving. Some people get over grief in a matter of months, while others need years to recover. Try to reduce stress in your life wherever possible.
The five stages of grief include: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. However, they may not go in that order for you. [6] X Expert Source William Gardner, PsyDClinical Psychologist Expert Interview. 25 July 2019. One of the most important things to understand about grief is that the healing process is a little different for everyone. Your experience may not match other people’s experiences.
If you have insomnia or are sleeping more than usual, tell your doctor right away. This could be an early sign of a mood episode.
If you have urges to use alcohol or drugs to cope with your grief, talk to your therapist about some healthier ways to manage your feelings.
If you are not religious, consider starting a meditation practice. Regular meditation can improve your spiritual well-being and give you a sense of peace. You can find meditation groups in your area, or you can do it alone.
For instance, if you tend to be fatigued at the start of a depressive episode, don’t ignore any unusual feelings of tiredness now. You may be able to prevent a mood episode from getting out of hand if you catch it early enough.
It’s normal to deal with intense negative feelings while you’re grieving. When you also have bipolar disorder, though, these feelings can easily turn into a full-blown depressive episode.
Typically, if your grief lasts for more than six months, it is a form of complicated grief. Someone with complicated grief remains mentally stuck in a state of intense sadness or anger. Therapy is usually necessary for someone to heal from complicated grief.
