Processing Grief – A Note from Our Benefits Team
Encore Electric Teammates,
We are in a state of sadness, loss, and grief. We’ve lost a team member and are collectively and individually experiencing the effects of this. We are grieving.
How do you define grief? This is a hard question to answer; it’s different for many people. It’s commonly tagged as a natural emotional and physical response to a significant loss.
Although there’s no right way to grieve – there are many common grief reactions.
- To some people, it’s that overwhelming sadness that takes over your mind after a loss. Your brain may be in a fog, your thoughts focused on the cause, so forgetfulness sets in and your concentration is disrupted.
- To others, it manifests as quiet, practical action – “I’m going to just work through this”. You may focus on tasks and projects, avoiding talking about and acknowledging your loss.
- Sleep patterns may be disrupted, stress hormones and health are impacted, there may be trouble accepting the loss and it may be difficult to make decisions.
There’s not a specific amount of time that a person grieves; it depends on many factors. There are other “complicated grief” signs to watch for if it seems like you have been grieving for months.
Complicated grief signs to watch for include:
- Emotional numbness
- Difficulty planning the future
- Loss of identity
- Feeling the future is cut short
- Retreating from others
- Anger and guilt over not having more typical grief reactions
If you are experiencing any of these prolonged signs, it’s time to act and reach out for assistance. Reach out to our benefits team to be connected with confidential mental health resources or call 988 for 24/7 confidential crisis support.
As you move through the grieving process, take time to check in with yourself and assess if your grief reactions are lessening, your sleep is returning to a more normal pattern, the fog in your brain is lifting and you are remembering things again.
If it’s been a month or more and these signs are not abating, watch for signs of trauma and PTSD.
Common trauma and PTSD symptoms can present in some of these ways:
- Flashbacks, or feeling like the event is happening again
- Missing work
- Drinking more alcohol, using drugs
- Trouble sleeping or nightmares
- Feeling alone or detached from others
- Losing interest in activities
- Having angry outbursts or other extreme reactions
- Feeling worried, guilty, or sad
- Frightening thoughts
- Having trouble concentrating
- Having physical pain like headaches or stomach aches
- Avoidance of memories, thoughts, or feelings about closely associated traumatic events
- Problems remembering
- Negative beliefs about themselves or others
- Irritability
- Feeling very vigilant
- Startling easily
If you experience any of these symptoms, please call (800) 873-7138 to be connected to free and confidential counseling services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). They are well equipped with the tools to work through this difficult time and the thoughts and feelings that come with this.
Please reach out to our benefits team by emailing Benefits@EncoreElectric.com for more information and to help connect you with other available resources.
Please take care of yourself and each other.
Cathy Emerson,
Benefits Manager
Cathy.Emerson@EncoreElectric.com
720-979-2236