There is nothing shameful or embarrassing about crying or feeling sad. In fact, opening up to others and showing them your vulnerability is not only healing, but it can be a balm to help heal others. The thing is you’re not meant to deal with this alone. Find a friend to lean on when you feel like you can’t cope. And when that isn’t working, seek out the support of a therapist or a counselor. When loss leads to depression and anxiety, it can mean you’re not just dealing with average symptoms of sadness, but a more serious condition psychologists label, “complicated grief.” In the APA article

, Karen Kersting says, “Distinguishable from depression and anxiety, it is marked by broad changes to all personal relationships, a sense of meaninglessness, a prolonged yearning or searching for the deceased and a sense of rupture in personal beliefs.” If you feel like your sense of loss and spiraled into complicated brief, please seek professional help.