{"id":3693,"date":"2022-09-06T08:50:23","date_gmt":"2022-09-06T07:50:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unityphysio.co.uk\/?p=3693"},"modified":"2023-04-26T17:40:31","modified_gmt":"2023-04-26T16:40:31","slug":"grief-loss-in-persistent-pain-other-health-conditions-part-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unityphysio.co.uk\/grief-loss-in-persistent-pain-other-health-conditions-part-two\/","title":{"rendered":"Grief & Loss in Persistent Pain & Other Health Conditions (Part Two)"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you haven’t read part one of the blog yet you can find that here\u00a0https:\/\/unityphysio.co.uk\/grief-loss-in-persistent-pain-other-health-conditions-part-one\/<\/a><\/p>\n

What Can Help<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

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We need resources to help us in the grief process, resources help balance the challenges & vulnerabilities that arise.\u00a0 A really important inner resource is compassion which I think this is foundational in many things including in grief & loss.\u00a0 Other resources include the process of learning itself, the support of others, perspective taking, being able to connect to safety and trust, and mindfulness.\u00a0 If someone is under-resourced they are more likely to need some support from a counsellor or psychologist.\u00a0 Also this can be needed, for example, if the grief triggers into previous traumatic experiences, which I think it often does, especially if someone is under-resourced and it’s still needed sometimes even if someone is well resourced too.\u00a0 It\u2019s important to recognise when help is needed and also remember that there is no right or wrong way to grieve.<\/p>\n

One way to identify what could be supportive for you to nurture is to ask yourself:<\/p>\n

What\u2019s challenging for you?<\/p>\n

What would help if it was more present in your mind? (for example, compassion, love)<\/p>\n

What would it help to connect to in your body? (for example, love, kindness)<\/p>\n

\"Wellbeing<\/p>\n

You can then nurture what you identify would be helpful, the more we practice and work with something the easier to is to access as it becomes more hard wired. \u00a0There may be a time when growing what\u2019s nurturing creates more sadness, it\u2019s important we listen to the not yet and reassure ourselves it\u2019s ok to feel these things and see if it feels ok to continue the practice. \u00a0A practice where you can nurture what you identify as supportive could be one like this one, to nurture what’s supportive in the body:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-103516027\/nurturing-whats-supportive?si=2ef7028b5d334d2e8f6860c9cbfcfebf&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing<\/a><\/p>\n

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Our self-talk matters, as mentioned in part one of the blog our self-critic can get over active and we take the losses and grief and turn them into a big stick to beat ourselves up with, when this happens the compassionate self can help.\u00a0 Let\u2019s look at a couple of examples and some compassionate reframes: \u201cI need to stop wallowing and get on with living life\u201d, perhaps you could notice how this statement lands in your body and what state of mind it’s associated with?\u00a0 The self-critic\u2019s view is not very helpful and doesn\u2019t acknowledge the impact, that it\u2019s normal to not feel ok and settled after a loss\/losses for a while (how ever long that while is).\u00a0 Here\u2019s\u00a0a compassionate reframe example, \u201cmy grief reminds me of how much I\u2019ve lost, it\u2019s completely understandable that I\u2019ve been struggling and how I\u2019m feeling is normal, everyone grieves and experiences losses and it\u2019s not easy to navigate this.\u201d \u00a0How does that land with you? \u00a0Here’s an example that combines guilt with the self-critic, \u201cif I had worked harder to get rid of this pain I wouldn\u2019t have lost my ability to walk further than I can, do the garden and the housework, I really should have stopped it happening, I just wasn\u2019t strong enough to do it.” \u00a0Wow that\u2019s harsh isn\u2019t it, how does this land with you?\u00a0 Let\u2019s look at a compassionate reframe here, \u201cthis has been really hard to manage and I did my best to maintain my function and do what I needed to.\u00a0 I had no control over how things have turned out and I’m doing my best to find what\u2019s helpful for me.\u201d \u00a0How does this land in your body, what about your mind?<\/p>\n

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Being aware of where our attention is automatically resting is helpful, pain and losses take our attention automatically and become a default until we become aware and start to change this habit (it doesn\u2019t mean ignoring the pain and losses).\u00a0 We have tricky brains in that they are wired for protection and survival and so have a bias towards things that are perceived as a threat.\u00a0 If, for example, we rest in anger, anxiety or pain all the time it becomes a habit and what we are growing. \u00a0Also, when we do this we are functioning from our sympathetic nervous system way too much which impacts us in many ways.\u00a0 Being mindful of where our attention is, acknowledging what is present and learning about it, then unhooking from this and choosing a more helpful place for our attention is part of creating space around pain and loss.\u00a0 In this way we can learn from what\u2019s showing up and deepen our awareness without being hijacked by it.<\/p>\n

When I did Rick Hanson\u2019s Grief and Loss course recently (linked at the end of this blog) he mentioned that Peter Levine talks about being like a pendulum swinging into the intensity and discomfort and back out.\u00a0 The rhythm of the pendulum and how long it stays with the discomfort can be whatever is right for you, perhaps this could be helpful in being with the losses and grief and how it\u2019s showing up without feeling overwhelmed.\u00a0 Over time we can swing into the grief and discomfort and stay a little longer if it\u2019s helpful.\u00a0 If someone can\u2019t create space in their pain and time and time again they get pulled into it, or maybe even are stuck in it, reaching out for help may be needed.<\/p>\n

Dr Rick Hanson also talks about even as the storm passes through the mind for your own grieving there is a place inside, a knowing that a small part isn\u2019t swept away and is alright, even if it\u2019s a tenth of 1%. \u00a0Can you notice this? \u00a0This basic alrightness as he calls it can be a place of refuge, a soothing place to rest and grow.\u00a0 Keeping returning to it and building this indestructible, trustworthy, reliable, unshakable core, as Rick says, is helpful.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to acknowledge the losses through pain or other health conditions, honour them and when we are ready create something meaningful, something that\u2019s helpful for the self and others.\u00a0 A ritual can be part of this, for example, drawing something, creating a memory scrapbox or memory box, lighting a candle, planting a tree or other plant, writing a letter, getting a group of people together to acknowledge & honour the person that once was with compassion and love.<\/p>\n

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Here’s a list of other things that help, I\u2019m not talking about them all else this blog will be way too long (this is not an exhaustive list, there are many more things):<\/p>\n

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