Getting to a New Normal
By Rebecca Sowell, MSN, RN, CRRN, ACM-RN
President/Catastrophic Nurse Consultant
R&M Wellness and Consulting
G-Growth
R-Reflection and resolve
I-Individualized human response
E-Empathy from and for others
F-Fear is a major hurdle
Grief and pain are congruent, meaning they are one and the same in many ways. Unless there are outward signs of emotion in an individual who is grieving, a stranger would never know if the person they are meeting for the first time is suffering from grief. If you are unable to see the tears, hear the wails and cries, or see and hear the anger, one would never know the individual was suffering in silence.
Grief is thought by many to be associated with the loss of a loved one, a pet, or a friend. It is imperative, during this day and time with the COVID19 healthcare crisis, that we all adjust our knowledge-hat regarding grief so that we have a better understanding and empathy for our fellow Americans as we continue to move through this crisis and return to a “new normal”. Yes, there will be a new normal as nothing ever stays the same.
Grief and the stages of grief can be triggered by a loss of anything. Understanding how loss can impact someone is crucial for us to respond to others as we move forward. Grief suffered by one who has lost a loved-one or friend is fully anticipated. But, loss is also experienced by one who loses their daily routine, which was the stabilizing factor in their life, leading to depression or anxiety, which can lead their feelings and emotions to go in and out of the stages of grief.
