How to Cope with Bad News
Bad news can come from a variety of sources. You may receive an unfavorable medical diagnosis, hear something bad at work, receive bad information from your child's teacher, or even feel helpless just watching the news or reading the newspaper. While our brain is able to process bad news on a regular basis, sometimes we hear something traumatizing or unexpected that just causes the brain and emotions to shut down. This can lead to depression, suicidal thoughts, or an overall sense of helplessness that becomes almost impossible to shake off. By learning how to cope with bad news, you can process the information without falling into a state of depression or lethargy.
Sit Down and Refocus
If you've been told that your child is failing school or that you're being laid off from your job, you need to sit down and refocus your mind before you react. It's easy to just breakdown and think of all the negative aspects, but it won't change the situation or help you find a solution. If you can sit down and take the focus off of your devastation and more on accepting what's happening and what can be done to find a solution or cope with the problem, you'll have an easier time moving through the coping process.
If possible, you can even remove yourself from the situation and visualize the situation happening to someone else. While visualizing this, imaging what advice you would offer the person or how you would advise them to handle the situation. Once you're done using that technique, try to utilize some of your own advice to help you cope with the bad news.
Share with Friends
It often helps to have a support group of people you trust when dealing with bad news. If you've just been diagnosed with a terminal illness, speak with someone who's already dealt with it, or join a support group in your community. If you don't know anyone whose gone through the same situation, at least find someone you can talk with so you can vent your frustrations and grief. It's never a good idea to bottle up negative feelings just because you don't want to burden others with your problem.
Friends can also help you with solutions. People are often willing to share similar experiences with you and explain how they fixed any problems. When you have a group of people willing to rally around you during your misfortune, it makes coping with bad news easier.
Let Out Your Grief or Frustration
Write out what grieves or frustrates you about the bad news. You may not be able to do this right away, but when you feel overwhelmed begin writing down exactly how you're feeling. This is a great technique if you're not ready to share with friends or discuss the problem. If the bad news causes sadness, don't be afraid to cry for a while and release the grief.
Depending on the news you receive, you may be able to cope with it in just a few days, or it may take weeks. However, by utilizing different coping techniques you can prevent bad news from consuming you with worry or grief.