Mourning the Demise of a Mother: Strategies for Daughters to Cope Effectively

Navigating Mourning a Mother: Strategies for Daughters to Cope Effectively

Losing a mother is a profound experience that affects everyone differently. Each individual's journey through grief is unique, but there are resources and strategies available to help cope with the loss.

A 2021 study linked parental loss with depression and a compromised sense of self in young adults. For some, grief may persist for more than a year, interfering with daily tasks. In such cases, seeking help from a mental health professional could be beneficial. The American Psychological Association's Psychologist Locator can help find a professional specializing in grief recovery.

Grief can impair daily functioning and may require the support of a mental health professional. Mindfulness, the ability to focus on the moment and not follow thoughts down an emotional path, can help manage painful memories related to the loss of a mother.

Local support groups, online chat forums, and mental health professionals can offer assistance during the grieving process. Books such as "Healing After the Loss of Your Mother: A Grief & Comfort Manual", "Motherless Daughters: The Legacy of Loss", and "How to Survive the Loss of a Parent: A Guide for Adults" may provide additional assistance.

Women may experience a more intense grief response and have more difficulty adjusting to the loss of a parent, according to a 2015 study. Women who experience the loss of a mother are more likely than men to binge drink, have a greater decline in self-esteem, and have a lower level of personal mastery.

Daughters who lose their mother may experience grief differently than sons, potentially leading to cultural and tradition losses, and a lack of maternal guidance. The death of a mother can have more negative effects on daughters than on sons, according to another study. This is due in part to societal and patriarchal norms that impose stronger emotional and identity-related burdens on women in relation to motherhood, intergenerational gender role transmission, and the deconstruction of the "good mother" myth, which impacts female identity and coping more profoundly.

Keeping up with traditions or starting new ones can help ease the burden of loss after losing a mother. Honoring a mother's memory can take many forms, such as donating to her favourite charity or achieving a personal goal she always wanted.

It's important to remember that it's okay to seek help when grief becomes unbearable. Resources such as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, Crisis Text Line, or Befrienders Worldwide are available 24/7.

Offering support to others who have experienced parental loss can provide a sense of purpose during the grieving process. Focusing on happy memories, such as pictures, books, or keepsakes, can provide comfort during the grieving process of a mother's loss.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) notes an array of normal emotions in the year following parental loss, such as regret, remorse, anxiety, guilt, emptiness, rage, anger, sadness, and numbness. Grief is linked to increased chances of cancer, cardiac issues, immune disorders, and high blood pressure, according to a study.

In conclusion, grief after losing a mother is a complex and personal experience. However, there are resources and strategies available to help cope with the loss. Seeking help when needed and focusing on positive memories can help ease the burden of grief.