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"Widows fog," also referred to as "Widow brain,". It is a term used by individuals to describe the mental difficulties or memory impairment they experience after the loss of a spouse. It is important to note that neither term is a medical term, but rather a common perception among widows and widowers.
Widows Fog and Widow Brain - Improves Over Time
Grief can impact mental functioning, leading to issues such as forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, mental fatigue, and challenges in decision-making. These mental struggles usually improve over time as individuals adapt and progress through their grieving process.
While the exact causes of "Widows...
Inspirational and encouraging quotes for someone who is widowed, along with the known name of who said it:
"The greater the love, the greater the grief." - Unknown
"It's okay to not be okay, but it's not okay to give up." - Unknown
"When you can't find the sunshine, be the sunshine." - Unknown
"The pain of grief is just as much part of life as the joy of love; it is perhaps the price we pay for love, the cost of commitment." - Dr. Colin Murray Parkes
"Tears shed for another person are not a sign of weakness. They are a sign of...
Alcohol & Grief: Losing a spouse is a difficult experience that can leave you feeling overwhelmed, sad, and helpless. In such times, some people turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism. While alcohol may offer temporary relief, excessive alcohol consumption can have negative effects on both mental and physical health.
Alcohol is Not a Sleeping Aid
Alcohol is a depressant that slows down brain activity and central nervous system function. Although it may make you feel drowsy, it can interfere with your sleep, leading to shallow and fragmented sleep patterns. It can also cause snoring, sleep apnea, and insomnia.
Regular alcohol use...
You may have come across the term, "Self-Care", but what exactly is meant by it? Self-care is an important aspect of coping with grief and loss, and it can be particularly helpful for someone who is recently widowed.
Good Nights Sleep, Exercise and Relaxation
Self-care refers to the intentional actions that individuals take to promote their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It involves taking responsibility for one's own health and well-being and making choices that prioritize self-nurturing and self-preservation.
Self-care can take many different forms, depending on an individual's needs and preferences. Some common examples include getting enough sleep,...
Losing a spouse is one of the most difficult experiences that anyone can go through. In the aftermath of such a profound loss, it can be challenging to know how to support a friend or loved one who has been recently widowed. However, there are several things you can do to help ease their burden during this difficult time.
Be present
Perhaps the most important thing you can do for someone who has been recently widowed is simply to be present. Listen to them, offer a shoulder to cry on, and let them know that you are there for them. Try...
Grief Telephone Support Helplines
Free to use grief telephone support helplines are invaluable when you are grieving and in early bereavement. In the early days, weeks and months following the death of a spouse or partner, it is common to have strong feeling of loss and isolation.
For many widowed people it may be your first time to consider the use of a telephone support line. If you are grieving you may find talking to someone outside of your family or circle of friends a great help. The following registered charities provide their services free of charge.
Irish Hospice...
Mother's Day will soon be here, and for many it will be the first without their Mother. The death of a loved one is difficult and notably so in the time leading up to special events such as, Mother's Day.
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Day 102 Bank Holiday Weekend
Bank Holiday Weekend. Ugh!
So, I had a 'stay in bed and stare at the ceiling' day. I hate those. I am feeling paralised and useless. My heart is pounding in my throat and I have nightmares during the short naps I get. I know, that getting up and doing stuff would help, make it better, but I can't. In five minutes I tell myself. Just another cup of tea... Go downstairs to make tea, only to get dirty looks from the cat. Her food bowl is half empty. I argue with her for a while but eventually she wins. Back to bed. I can hear people chatting outside, laughing. Bugger off! Someone's knocking on the door, but I CAN'T get up. Leave me alone! (Later I found that a friend had left a bag full of rhubarb, herbs and homemade jam by my door.) The whole day went by like this. I'm glad it's over.
Yesterday was different. A nearly normal day. Early in the morning I took the hound for a run on the beach, my daughter and I went to the cinema, son came over for dinner, laughter and chatting. The cats had brought a huge mouse (or tiny rat) in the house, so armed with two brooms (and lots of screaming) I got it out. Where it died of a heart attack shortly after. (We had a similar experience recently with a bird, I'll tell you about it another time.)
TESTIMONIALS
Widowhood is a unique pain. It's totally unlike any other bereavements; the little world you and he inhabited is whipped away in an instant, leaving you alone, bewildered, frightened, angry, confused, guilty and a thousand other things that you struggle daily to make sense of. Nobody, except those who have lost their partner, knows fully the intense loneliness of widowhood. Nobody, except those who have lost their partner knows how utterly your hopes and dreams for the future are shattered, how your personality changes, and how that which defines you (John's wife, Mary's husband) is taken away in a second. Nobody, except those who have lost their partner knows how difficult it is to sleep in an empty bed or attend a family wedding alone. On Widow.ie, everyone knows how it feels. There are people on this site at every stage of bereavement; people who are still reeling in the early stages and people who have had years of living with their loss. The 'older hands' are able to help the newly bereaved see that there is light at the end of the tunnel, that life can be good again; and they help them through every stage they go through, because they've been there too.
By Kerry
Forum Member
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"Widows fog," also referred to as "Widow brain,". It is a term used by individuals to describe the mental difficulties or memory impairment they experience after the loss of a spouse. It is important to note that neither term is a medical term, but rather a common perception among widows and widowers.
Widows Fog and Widow Brain - Improves Over...