“You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” John 8:32
Denial serves a purpose—at least in the beginning. It helps to cushion the initial shock and enables you to make whatever arrangements need to be made. But when denial is used to avoid reality it becomes a cushion with a false bottom.
When tragedy strikes, denial can seem like a way to escape the unbearable and overwhelming reality. However, stifling emotions connected to loss creates additional complications for the simple reason that suppressed emotions don’t stay suppressed. Sooner or later they’ll begin to surface with greater-than-ever intensity, causing you to exhibit behavior that’s not in keeping with your usual lifestyle such as: risk-taking, gambling, chemical abuse, or perhaps struggling with clinical depression and/or chronic illness.
Dealing with emotions means facing reality and that in turn means grappling with all the feelings that you’re experiencing. Thankfully, not all of them have to be dealt with at once. You can examine and work through them as they emerge. While dealing with raw emotions may not sound very appealing—living your life fully and with purpose is worth the effort it will take to reach that goal.
The above is an excerpt from my book, Life Interrupted: Grief Recovery Guide and Workbook, available through http://www.grief-recovery.org/ and Amazon.com. Visit the website to download FREE ‘Healing From Loss’ articles.
Life Resumed: Healing From Loss 