Yes, Grief Fog is Real & Looks Different for Everyone

And while it shows up differently for each of us, its presence is universal. Perhaps you never misplaced your car keys, but now they appear in strange places.  Or you are in the middle of a conversation and can't remember what you were even saying. Or you were able to organize tasks in your mind, but now you have to write everything down.

You've missed appointments.

Forgotten important date.

Had to pay late fees on a bill you thought you had paid.

Yes, these things happened a little bit before your person died, but now it's your new normal.

Essentially, the executive functioning part of your brain (the prefrontal cortex) is overwhelmed and unable to perform at its usual capacity. Thankfully, this is all normal. 

Don't try to think your way out of it when you notice yourself in a state of Grief Fog. This uses more bandwidth in the already overloaded part of your brain and worsens things.

Instead… relax.  Take a walk. Do something unrelated to the problem you're trying to solve. Have a little laugh and speak kindly to yourself.

And if you're noticing emotions & feelings and wanting to stop them… don't. Instead, name the emotion and let it be there. It can't hurt you. It's just a vibration caused by a cascade of neurochemicals, and it will pass.

While the timeline on Grief Fog varies, don't worry about this part of grief. Laugh about it as much as possible… You will recover from this loss and so will your brain. 

Take Care,

Melinda

Visit  Melinda Welch Coaching

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