Subscribe
Logo small
Search

How to enjoy Christmas when there is an empty seat at the table?

MedExpress Team

medexpress.pl

Published Dec. 7, 2023 10:35

How to enjoy Christmas when there is an empty seat at the table? - Header image
Fot. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Christmas is a special time for many people. They are associated with warmth, safety, joy and love. It is a time filled with an atmosphere of closeness. The presence of family and friends is extremely important during this period, but when someone is missing from this closest circle, there is a void. This absence often causes sadness, anger, anxiety, grief or discord - celebrating Christmas in the face of loss is therefore a real challenge. So how to survive this time without a loved one? How to cope with the pain felt? Magdalena Frąckowiak, a psychologist at Puck Hospice, answers these questions.

Individualism of loss

Bereavement is a very individual issue. Each person experiences it in his own way - there is no rule of behavior and reactions that should accompany him during this difficult time. Emotions and thoughts are variable and usually beyond our control. Sometimes we specifically want to avoid the subject of leaving. There is a belief that speaking about the deceased person may be too difficult and will introduce negative emotions alone, or we do not bring up the subject so as not to sadden our loved ones. Remembering a loved one may seem challenging, but it actually carries a very therapeutic effect. - Commemorating the deceased also evokes positive feelings, which are much needed - you can share your first association with that person, talk about the values they lived by, share what you learned from them, remember funny moments - without focusing on the circumstances of their death. It is worth talking about the deceased, you can then discover how many hearts and memories the deceased person found his place in, how much he meant to others. And so you will find that such a conversation can also evoke pleasant emotions, such as gratitude, joy, contentment, peace or tenderness. Nurturing the memory, the memories of loved ones w...

Content locked

To gain access to the complete English section of the Medexpress.pl, kindly reach out to us at [email protected].

If you already have an account, please log in

Read also