The worst loss I went through I survived because I was medicated for 6 weeks. I was barely eating I was so distraught, and Xanax gave me back some appetite, took away some of the shakes and digestive problems, and I was able to go through the motions of getting out of bed.
I’m not pushing Xanax, it is highly addictive, and I don’t have any history of addiction, and I stopped taking it before I really wanted to in fear of getting addicted, but without it I was in incredible physical discomfort, wasting away, let alone the obvious emotional pain of the loss. I desperately wanted at least some of the physical symptoms to be alleviated.
I think for me, time eventually took the edge off of the pain and anxiety, that’s what time did. It wasn’t as acute after 6 months, I wasn’t so out of control. The sadness was still there for a long time, especially it came in waves even a year later it could be very intense, but I would recover faster from the bad wave. I think most significant losses it actually takes about two years to be able to think about the person and not be wrecked.
I wouldn’t say time heals all wounds, I would say time usually, eventually, time gives us a new normal that is ok.
Loss not only changes your present, meaning the person is no longer with you now, but it is a loss of future plans. Even if you make it through your day, I feel it takes a long time to accept the future you had envisioned is not the same anymore. It’s when we can see a new future that has some happiness that I think we move on.