different types of loss and the effect on mental health

Loss is an inevitable part of our human experience.

From losing a loved one, job, relationship, or dream, its emotional toll can be immense.

While loss often brings pain and heartache, it also offers us the chance to grow personally and develop resilience.

​In this blog, we will look at the various types of loss we face every day and examine its connections to our mental health. 

types of loss

​Loss of a Loved One: Navigating Grief's Waters
Bereavement can be one of the most deeply impactful and emotional experiences we face in life, leaving an immeasurable void behind and prompting an array of feelings from denial, anger and bargaining to depression, and acceptance.

Learning more about grief's complexity can help with the healing journey. Getting support as needed from family, friends or professionals can help too.

​Loss of Identity: Rediscovering Yourself
Grief can bring about profound shifts in our sense of identity. Whether due to retirement, career change, or relationship dissolution.

​Losing our sense of self can leave us reeling with confusion, uncertainty and vulnerability. Rediscovering ourselves through self-compassion can help ease this transformative process and its effects.

​Loss of Dreams: Accepting New Beginnings
It can be devastating when our hopes and aspirations don't pan out as planned, yet accepting their loss can open doors to unexpected possibilities and new experiences.

​From failed projects, losing ambitions, to your life paths diverging from what was once intended. But accepting the loss can open new paths forward with unexpected possibilities and also unexpected opportunities.

​Loss of Health: Adjusting to New Realities
Any change to our physical or mental health can significantly impede our daily life, so adapting to new realities requires resilience, self-care, support from healthcare professionals and loved ones.

In fact, any change to the world we live in can have profound effects on our mental health. 
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​Just remember that finding meaning in an uncertain future can give us strength.

Loss of Relationships: Navigating Change 
Relationships, whether romantic or platonic, can sometimes come to an end.

Separation, divorce or drifting apart between friends can bring about feelings of grief and loneliness that require additional strategies for dealing with.

​Nurturing social connections while getting professional assistance when necessary and prioritizing self-development are effective means for managing these emotional challenges that come from lost relationships.

the impact on mental health

Grief can have an immense effect on our mental health.

It may cause feelings such as sadness, anger, guilt, anxiety and even depression to surface.

Incorporating coping mechanisms such as exercise, mindfulness or therapy into your routine can help you navigate difficult times.

building resilience

Loss can be heartbreaking, yet it also offers us an opportunity for growth and resilience.

Healing requires acknowledging emotions, getting support from family and professionals, developing healthy coping mechanisms, and cultivating self-compassion to find meaning after loss and build resilient and thriving mental wellbeing.

Allowing yourself the space and opportunity to express the many different feelings associated with a loss is important in processing and releasing these painful feelings. Journaling, talking to trusted friends or professionals or engaging in creative outlets are great ways of doing just this.

Prioritize self-care activities that form emotional well-being, such as getting enough rest, maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in regular physical exercise and practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation or deep breathing exercises.

Work towards freeing yourself of guilt or regret, accepting that it's okay to move forward and find happiness after suffering loss.

finding closure

Finding closure after a loss is a huge component of healing and moving on with strength.

Closure allows us to come to peace with the past, acknowledge our emotions, and move forward with renewed strength and resilience.

Here are some strategies for finding closure that can help your mental wellbeing:

• Accept support: Lean on loved ones, friends, or a support group as a means of finding understanding, validation and comfort for what may have been experienced in loss.
• Create rituals: Create meaningful ceremonies or rituals that help you remember those you've lost. This could include lighting candles, creating memorials or participating in activities that hold significance to you.
• Find a symbol: Consider placing a grave marker or plaque from Memorials.com as a way of honoring and remembering your loved one's gravesite, acting as both a visual reminder and place where you can visit and reflect.
• Discover meaning: Look at different ways of finding purpose in the loss, such as volunteering for causes related to what or who has passed, creating a legacy project or simply reflecting upon how this experience has altered you.
• Let go of guilt: Free yourself of guilt or regret that may be slowing your healing process, accepting that it's okay to move forward and find happiness after suffering loss.

Understand that finding closure can be an ongoing journey that takes time and effort, so be patient with yourself as you experience various emotions as part of your pursuit to peace and closure.

Keep in mind that memories of what or who you have lost will always remain with you. Remembering them in your own way will help bring comfort and closure during times of sadness.

Though we will never truly "get over" losing someone or something we hold dear, we can learn to cope with their absence while finding ways to honor their memory and also moving forward with our own lives.

​By actively processing emotions, practicing self-care, getting support from others, creating meaningful rituals or memorials and finding meaning in this difficult event we may discover ways to honor their memory while moving on with life as normal.