Okayso, as a general rule, i try really hard to not let things get to me, cause when they do they dont end well. So as ive said once or twice before, my dad passed on when i was 14, and it was such a shock i never really got over it. I cant talk about him, and i cant really go into "landmarks" like grocery stores we'd shop at with him, ice cream shops, parks, etc. So anyway, i was at work [I work at a bookstore] and I was putting away some books called "Mommy's little girl". As i put them away I saw that next to them were the same kind of books but they were called "Daddy's little girl". This is when i had a minor panic attack. I all but ran fromt he section, i was hyperventilating and ont he verge of crying. Usually stuff like that doesnt get to me, so i dont know why it did this time, but i spent the rest of my shift trying not to cry, and trying to get a handle on my freakout. If it happens again, is there anything i should do differently?
How was your grief process at 14? Did you really grieve for your dad or did it seem kind of like a surreal experience? You might need to seek a therapist to help you deal with some unresolved issues regarding your dad's death. That is a tough time in life and to deal with the death of a parent and especially at that age it can be really devastating. You can't live your life like that so maybe some counseling is in order.
I agree with becky that some counseling will do some good. as for how you handled the panic attack you did the best thing in walking away from what was upsetting you, there's not a whole lot you can do for panic attacks other then try and calm yourself down, a class of water and some deep steady breathing in a quiet place can do the trick.
In order to come to terms with the passing on of your father you definately need help. This is a very sad thing to have happened to you but you must not let it ruin the rest of your life and until you come to terms with it you will not be able to turn the page and move on with your life. I really do feel that only a trained professional will be able to help you work through your feelings and help you move on.
Thanks for the advice guys, I'll try to find a good therapist to talk to about it, & Becky to answer your question, when it happened i didnt actually acknowledge he was gone until maybe after i graduated high school [its at age 17 here] and for that time in between i was in severe denial.
OK then, it really does sound like you didn't effectively deal with your feelings surrounding his death. I'm glad you are going to talk to a therapist. Good luck!
