Roller Coaster Effect

It’s like riding a roller coaster, some days you are up and some days you are down. We very seldom knows what is beyond the bend, unless of course you rode on this ride before. Plus it is almost like being at an amusement park, your emotions are running high and then all of a sudden you feel lost and overwhelmed, as you look at the long line up at your favorite ride. Yep that would be what dealing with grief might feel like for some, even the overwhelming feeling of puking up your guts! The difference is at the amusement park you know it is going to end, and the line will move forward. When you are going through grief, it never does, and you hit the Roller Coaster Effect, when you least expect it. Maybe you are driving along and that one song comes on, or you are looking for that picture of the kids on the camping trip, and you see the anniversary party. My favorite is when you are watching Grey’s Anatomy and then there is the episode where the loved one is not going to make after all the attempts, and it starts crashing the ride. We try to dry the tears, or make believe that nothing is bothering us. We put the pictures back in the box, change the radio station, or fast forward the PVR. What I do not understand is why? Who cares if the kids think we have lost our mind, or our passengers feel that maybe a new carpool is required, or all of a sudden we have shares in Scotties. At one time or another each and every one of us is going to ride that dreaded Roller Coaster, and it will be the longest ride of their lives, the emotions will go up and down, around and fast and slow, and it will never stop! But after time maybe just maybe the urge to bring up our morning breakfast may not be so overwhelming, and that feeling in the pit of our stomach that makes us light headed will pass quicker. As I said before I am not a grief counsellor or a therapist, but I do know I hate roller coasters. Till next time…. http://dragonflyadvisoryservices.ca/post/roller-coaster-effect/