Inner Space

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Inner space

5 Signs It’s Time for Grief Therapy

Grief is like an unpredictable rollercoaster full of ups and downs. One minute you’re numb, the next you’re drowning in tears. Months can fly by, yet you feel stuck in a loop of sadness and despair. Managing daily tasks feels impossible, or new problems keep piling on. If you’re struggling to navigate this emotional rollercoaster, here is a list of signs you need grief therapy. Grief therapy is a safe space to open up and healthily process your pain. But how do you know when it’s the right move? Here are 5 signs it’s time for grief therapy: You’re Frozen in Place: The bills are piling up, you haven’t showered in days, and even getting dressed feels like a monumental effort. Grief can leave you feeling paralyzed, and unable to handle basic responsibilities. Grief counselling can be a great space for you to learn ways to manage your daily routine in a way that doesn’t overwhelm you. The Sadness Won’t Let Go: It’s okay to feel sad, but when overwhelming sadness grips you day in and day out, it might be a sign of complicated grief. Your therapist trained in grief therapy can help you work through your sadness and understand where it is coming from. Anger is Taking Over: Maybe you feel extremely angry at the world, at the person you lost, or even at yourself. Unprocessed anger is common and quite normal while you’re grieving, but it can be destructive. Grief therapy can also be a great outlet for you to understand anger and find healthy ways to express it. You’re Withdrawn from Everyone: Missing your loved one, and grieving their loss deeply can make you isolate yourself from the people around you. However, seeking support from your community is important during these difficult times. It is also common to feel like people around you don’t understand your pain enough, and thus, your therapist can provide a safe space to talk about your feelings and help you reconnect with supportive people. You’re Trying to Make Sense of Life and Death: Why did this happen? What’s the point of anything now? It’s normal to grapple with these big questions after a loss. Grief can make you feel like you’re staring into an endless abyss. A therapist who specializes in grief can help you explore these existential questions without feeling judged. They can guide you towards finding meaning in your loss and a renewed sense of purpose in life. You don’t have to navigate this emotional rollercoaster alone. Grief counselling can be a beacon of light in the darkness, offering a safe space to process your pain, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and find your way back to a fulfilling life. Remember, healing takes time, but with support, you can start to experience joy and laughter again. Take the first step towards healing today- reach out to a grief therapist and begin your journey back to hope. Is Your Grief Holding You Back? Counseling can be a great tool for you to manage and address your grief. We are here for you. Book an Appointment About the Author This article was written by Parvathi Ganesan, Counselor at Inner Space. This post was consulted & approved by professional therapists practicing online therapy and counseling. Related Blogs Emotional Eating: Do You Feel Better? Could You Have A Fear Of Happiness? Are You Feeling Low Or Are You Depressed?

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Managing Difficult Thoughts Mindfully

Managing Difficult Thoughts Mindfully

Our mind is a powerhouse; from helping us make new friends, to getting us ahead in life, our mind does it all. It constantly works to make sense of our experiences. It also has an interesting tendency of creating stories to understand our world. However sometimes, in this pursuit, our mind can end up making false judgments. For example, you may feel  like you don’t belong in your friend circle, or you may feel that you are not prepared for your exams. Coming up with scenarios to fill in the gaps of the actual truth can lead our mind to jump to conclusions, many of which are difficult to cope with!  So how does one manage difficult thoughts mindfully? The difficult thoughts are self sabotaging to the mind and can cause you to battle with your inner self. Therefore here are three easy steps to managing your difficult thoughts mindfully. To begin with,  identify one difficult thought that you struggle with often.  Practice Mindfulness Through our ‘Free Mindfulness Videos’ Click here Now describe this difficult thought in some detail.  While thinking about it follow the steps given below: Step 1: Remind yourself; This is merely a passing thought. If I don’t engage, it will fade away. This thought is a story that my mind has created. It is not necessarily true. We have a tendency to have more negative thoughts than positive ones. It is not my fault that I am stuck with it. Step 2: Try not to add to the thought; Make a conscious attempt to avoid adding to the thought. Resist other difficult thoughts that add on to create a false story in your mind. Step 3: Return to the present; You can ask yourself: Where am I now? What am I doing now? How can I pay attention to what is happening right now in my life instead of paying attention to the thought?  You can take three deep breaths mindfully to bring yourself back to the present. You can also pay attention to sounds or to whatever activity you are involved in. Remember you are trying a new approach to mindfulness. Managing difficult thoughts will take some time and patience. Be kind to yourself ! Download this Activity about the author share this blog! read similar blogs Dealing with Difficult Times Mindfully There may be times in your life when you feel… Read More Inner Space TeamSeptember 12, 2022 Recognising Our Feelings What Does it Mean to ‘Feel’? Our feelings are responsible… Read More Inner Space TeamSeptember 12, 2022 The Neuroscience Behind Mindfulness The Neuroscience Behind Mindfulness Mindfulness as a practice for well-being… Read More Inner Space TeamSeptember 11, 2021 IT’S AN UNPLEASANT THOUGHT, NOT A FACT “My life is pathetic” “Others are so much happier than… Read More Inner Space TeamSeptember 23, 2013

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Discovering happiness, even if you feel low

DISCOVERING ‘HAPPY’ NEW YEAR, EVEN IF YOU FEEL BLUE

As December sets in, everything around you oozes of cheer, joy and happiness. Daily life seems to get a boost of excitement when you see that preparations for the celebrations have begun all around – be it Christmas, New Year’s or weddings. However, amidst all the December enthusiasm, there may be people who are feeling low, depressed and lonely.

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inner self

TO THAT WHICH IS BEAUTIFUL IN YOU

You are able to live with yourself because you know you are fundamentally good!

You know that all your inadequacies and the not so good qualities exist either because they are judged that way by people around you or because you picked them up somewhere on the way because of the difficulties that life sent your way.

You are correct! The deepest core of you, of all of us, every person is beautiful.

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Rise in teenage suicide in India

UNDERSTAND TEENAGE SUICIDE: GET INTO THEIR SHOES

A classmate of mine in school and college successfully hung herself from a fan… It was devastating… Years later here I am-a psychologist- with several hundred sessions of having heard the teenagers side of the story-the hopelessness, helplessness and the frustrations. When Rediff asked me to write about teenage suicide, everything came together 🙂

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Be mindful

7 MOST EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH TIPS: TIP 7

Tip 7: Be Mindful

I have spoken about mindfulness before, but I cannot stop raving about the benefits of this simple concept. Mindfulness, as someone said, is about paying extra-ordinary attention to ordinary experiences. Simply put, mindfulness is about being in the present completely and fully.

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Impermanence

7 MOST EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH TIPS: TIP 6

TIP 6: BELIEVE IN IMPERMANENCE

Nothing lasts forever

About the lows:
Do you believe that good things don’t last forever?

Unfortunately true isn’t it?

However, flipping the coin around you’ll see that even bad things don’t last forever!

I’m sure each of us has been through some difficult times. Times when life was so tough that it was difficult to smile, when each breath and each step took just too much effort. Remember the times, when you thought it was impossible to survive without a loved one, or to conquer this particular challenge, or to surface from this deepest low. Pause. See where you are now. You didnt just survive, you lived! The disaster passed. Life went on. You moved on.

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Irrational Thinking

7 MOST EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH TIPS: TIP 5

TIP 5: Identify Irrational Thought Patterns

‘I should be loved by everyone for everything I do.’ How does this statement sound to you? Chances are it will sound unrealistic, irrational and almost impossible. How can anybody be loved by everyone for everything they do?

Let me introduce a situation here. You are at a party, exchanging pleasantries with other folk. You spot someone you know across the room. You generously walk up and say ‘hi’. That person however barely acknowledges you and walks away. How are you likely to feel? Are you more likely to dismiss it and say, ‘never mind, he must have been frustrated’ or to dwell upon how ‘disrespectful’ and ‘insulting’ a gesture that was?

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Stress and effect on the body

7 MOST EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH TIPS: TIP 4

TIP 4: Understand your stress and Don’t Ignore Your Body

Today is the less stress day and this is our tribute to it.
Stress is a household term these days. Everyone from the bored elderly to the overworked adults to the overburdened kids is “stressed”. As each of us fights this demon, not just our minds but our bodies are actively engaged in the struggle.

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Solution

7 MOST EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH TIPS: TIP 3

TIP 3: YOU Play a Very Important Part in the Solution of YOUR Problems

Why are you unhappy?

Only 3 possible sources:

– The situation

– Other people

– Yourself

Not convinced with the third option? Read on.

Most of us feel that our emotional suffering and pain are created by situations or people. However, the only one who has any power to make you happy or unhappy is YOU. Our emotional responses are triggered by our own perception of a situation or event only.

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The Art of Listening