Tag: grief help

Why Are You Acting Like That?

by Kime Eubanks

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Have you ever noticed a person who doesn’t seem to be acting appropriately after a life-changing event?  People sometimes act out of character after being dealt a devastating blow.  Many were incredulous when a father who had lost his child during the Sandy Hook shooting was laughing as he approached the podium for a news conference, only to turn serious and mournful in appearance when he started speaking.  The conspiracy theorists claimed it was proof he was an actor and the whole event was faked.  The truth is that his behavior is indeed bizarre, but also not abnormal for the situation.  We have no idea all of the emotions that man was experiencing at the moment.  His life was turned upside down by a death that was senseless.

I am reminded of episode of the Mary Tyler Moore Show in which one of their coworkers at the TV station, Chuckles the Clown, passed away in a bizarre accident.  At the funeral something made Mary laugh and she couldn’t hold it back.  The more she tried, the more she laughed.  Although some were mortified, it may have been a fitting response for a man whose career was to make people laugh.  This was a good portrayal of grief that may seem unusual, even unseemly, but is not inappropriate.  There is nothing normal about the death of someone you love, losing your job, losing your home, or any catastrophic event.  These are disruptions to the framework of your life that you use everyday to define normal.  For that reason it is quite common for a person to act in ways that others might determine to be improper for the environment.  Those concerned should allow the grieving person to express it in whatever way they want, within reason.  People who are hurting truly don’t know how to act and may go through a variety of emotions, some of which may seem strange.

It is okay to express your grief through tears, anger, laughter or even solitude.  Of course their are inappropriate ways to grieve including self-medication and risky behavior.  These will not heal, but take you away from peace and normalcy you seek.  Some people will not understand your expressions of grief.  Some will criticize you.  It is good to have people in your life who will watch over you but just let you express yourself, unless you are endangering yourself or others.  They can be family members who are more removed from the severity of the loss, or friends, or support groups.  Feel free to contact me with concerns about your own grief or that of someone you know at kime.eubanks@gmail.com.

Trapped in a Fog of Grief

by Kime Eubanks

faceless-grey-gray-man-in-the-fog-750“That’s the thing about depression: A human being can survive almost anything, as long as she sees the end in sight. But depression is so insidious, and it compounds daily, that it’s impossible to ever see the end. The fog is like a cage without a key.”        Elizabeth Wurtzel

 

The fog of grief can be overwhelming and debilitating, leaving the grieving person unable to function properly.  Even the most familiar daily tasks become difficult or impossible to complete.  When there is a painful shift in your life, nothing makes sense anymore.  You can’t return to the familiar because the much of the familiar doesn’t exist anymore.  It never will again.  You are left feeling consumed by the unknown, in despair, immobile.  This can be a consuming fog for a person who has experienced the loss of a family member, a friend, or even a job.  We often speak of fog as “lifting” but grief this deep usually doesn’t just go away.  Nobody, no matter how much they love you, can take it away.  Somehow, you have to find your own way out of the fog and into a new beginning.

For me it was the loss of my wife, Tina, after her battle with cancer that brought the fog.  Well, it really began before that.  I remember while she was in ICU and I knew she would not come home again, a close friend came by to visit.  He said, “Are you okay?  You seem to be in a fog.”  I wasn’t okay and he could see it.   The fog had already drifted in when, after an eight month battle, the doctor told me we weren’t going to win.  My mind couldn’t handle it.  What will I tell the kids?  What will I say to her parents?  Should I keep fighting?  Am I giving up too easily?  How will we live without her?  These were just a few of the many layers of fog that began to cloud my mind and there was no good answer for any of them.  For the first time of my life I could not say myself, “It will all be okay.”  Of course it only got worse a few days later when she truly left us.  Grief and depression came to stay after the funeral.

Grief and depression do not have to come together.  A person can most certainly have depression which is not brought on by grief.  Likewise it is possible to move through the grief process without becoming deeply depressed, but it is not as likely if you try to do it alone.  Along with the support of family and friends, sometimes the help of a professional is needed to help find a new and happier life.  I help people find their way out of the fog.  I started Genesis Grief Care to help people find their own Genesis, their new beginning.  I have a variety of options to help.  First of all keep reading this blog.  I will be updating with new information regularly.  If you would like help please contact me at 501-249-9810 or email me at kime.eubanks@gmail.com for help.  Let me help you find your new life.