Anticipatory Grief During the COVID Outbreak

Anticipatory grief is that which occurs before the actual loss of someone or something. It tends to present itself when one is faced with impending loss, such as a grim health diagnosis or an economic downfall that precedes the expected loss of a job.

The COVID-19 outbreak has understandably increased the amount of anticipatory grief people are experiencing these days as they await expected loss of control, social interaction, jobs, financial stability, and possibly even life.

Signs of Anticipatory Grief

The emotions and behaviours that come with anticipatory grief are complex and are often overlooked or mistaken for something else. These emotions and behaviours can be experienced on varying levels for different people depending on the circumstances and can be experienced in groups or one at a time.

Additionally, these emotions and behaviours can come and go over time. However, it is important to recognize the most common signs of anticipatory grief in order to properly manage it. They include fear, anxiety, sadness, irritability, anger, guilt, and isolation.

Coping with Anticipatory Grief

Challenging as it may be, there are ways to cope with anticipatory grief amidst a pandemic. One such way to cope is to prepare and educate oneself as much as possible. While it may be impossible to completely prepare for all of what lies ahead, gathering as much information about what the next few weeks and months have in store can help as one tries to cope with anxiety regarding what happens next.

By seeking out information and resources, you can deal with at least some of the hardships ahead by gathering materials and resources needed to continue to function as time progresses.

Another method to help cope with anticipatory grief is to rally support from your community. A community can be your family, friends, or people walking through a similar situation as the one you are currently facing. Since everyone around us is dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and the implications of it, finding people who understand the emotions and hardships you may be facing at this time will likely be easy.  Thus, finding this community and being open with them about how you feel and how you’re faring will help you gain the support you need to navigate these difficult times.

A vital aspect of managing anticipatory grief, especially during a pandemic, is allowing yourself to grieve and experience the emotions and feelings you do. Given such a significant situation with such far-reaching and dramatic impacts, it is completely normal to experience anticipatory grief. Rather than trying to push it away, it is perfectly fine to embrace how you feel and take the time, no matter how much time it takes, to process through those feelings.

Seeking professional help can also be a good way to work through anticipatory grief. Since the COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts that have come with it seem to have come somewhat out of the blue, this pandemic has caught many by surprise.

It can be hard to work through the emotions one feels on their own or even solely relying on friends and family for support. Working with a professional can help you express your thoughts and feelings in a healthy manner and a safe environment.

That professional can then work with you to develop routines and practices (such as journaling or meditation) to help you deal with the hardships you might be facing mentally and emotionally as a result of the anticipatory grief you may be experiencing.

Anticipatory grief is a normal and common response to trauma such as a global pandemic. By embracing our feelings as okay, we give ourselves permission to feel what we feel so that we can work towards ways to deal with our feelings during this time.

By seeking information and resources, turning to our community for support, and seeking professional help when needed we can navigate these difficult times and forge a path forward rather than become stuck in the trauma and negativity of anticipatory grief.