Learning to cope with grief
Grief is the emotional response to loss, often associated with the loss of a loved one. However, grief is not always tied to a traumatic event and can arise from other significant changes or losses in life.
It’s common for people to feel socially isolated at times, not enjoying going out and sometimes wanting to avoid people. But is it important to be social? The answer is yes! Too much isolation is harmful, and research has shown that having social connection is as important to health as diet and exercise.
There has been a lot of research into this area and while more research is still needed, there are many benefits that have been found so far:
People are increasingly interacting with one another over phones and social media, however face-to-face social connections have been shown to have the best outcome for health and wellbeing. Research into the brain shows that interacting face-to-face with people releases brain hormones (oxytocin and dopamine) which increases mood, lowers pain levels and decreases other hormones (cortisol) which lowers stress.
You can increase your social connection by dropping into your local Mates4Mates Family Recovery Centre or joining one of our social activities.
Find out more If any content in this article resonates with you and you’d like to speak with someone at Mates4Mates about seeking support, contact us to find out more about our services. All Mates4Mates services are available for current and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members with physical injuries or mental health issues, and their families.
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Grief is the emotional response to loss, often associated with the loss of a loved one. However, grief is not always tied to a traumatic event and can arise from other significant changes or losses in life.