A past client once said the me that bereavement was like being on a rollercoaster, you never knew what was coming next. She had developed anxiety for the first time in her life, which sadly isn’t unusual.
Anxiety is not necessarily a feeling we might associate with grief but for many coming in to counselling, it seems a very common feeling and can be enormously debilitating.
Anxiety is often recognised as a feeling that the world is not a safe place. When you loose someone close to you, you have proof of this and it can change the way you view some fundamental things.
Clients report having to always have phones on and fear greatly being out of contact in case it happens again. They might worry endlessly about those they love, fearing something may happen to them and they will also loose them.
Grief can turn you inside out and if you also feel anxiety on top of this you may begin to withdraw from the world and stop trusting others.
In counselling we gently begin to work with unresolved feelings around bereavement, share how this has impacted you and maybe changed your view of the world. Slowly over time and with much self compassion, we begin to trust ourselves again and be able to turn back to life.
Do get in touch if you want some support with your grief.