How to cope with grief during the holidays
The holiday season can be festive and fun, but it also can be difficult to navigate if you are grieving, whether your loss is new or years-old.
Grief can bring up feelings of stress and loneliness, and for people who have lost a loved one recently this time of year can be especially challenging.
Elle Davis, an expert on resilience and grief, joined CBS News Chicago to offer some advice and strategies for navigating the holiday season if you're grieving.
Davis recommends making space for your emotions during this time, creating new rituals and traditions so you don't fixate on what you used to do with your lost loved one, setting boundaries with other people to protect your emotional state, and using grounding techniques to cope with the waves of emotion that come and go, often without warning, during the grieving period.
If you need mental health support, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI, has a helpline that is available 24/7: 833-626-4244.