I’ve already tried to give you some useful tips related to surviving Christmas and other upcoming holidays after the loss of a loved one, and here I’ll try to explain how these days actually trigger our nervous system.
Every bereaved parent is well aware of the big dates as big triggers. This is how our nervous system feels during this time of the year:
- Constant pressure. Because you feel constant pressure from your environment to be okay, your nervous system will definitely get triggered. This happens because your body recognizes that pressure as crossing your own boundaires.
- Familiar environment. This is especially true for the first year after the loss of a loved one. You still have fresh memories related to previous holidays. Familiar environment and things can trigger your nervous system by activating old memories.
- Past roles. During holidays, family dynamics can bring past roles – you no longer have.
- Unmet needs. Your unmet needs are more likely to get on the surface during this time of the year.
- Body remembers. Our body usually remembers better than our minds – you can experience various physical symptoms and even panic attacks.
