The DU Lounge

I euthanized a pet of 16 years a few months ago who was at the end of losing a 4 year battle with dementia. It was not my first experience holding a pet during this process, but something changed since I last did it. I had lost more friends, both parents, other family members. Like you, I was concerned about the outsized waves of sadness that followed. It felt cumulative to a degree I hadn’t experienced before. It was as though I relived the emotional responses to those deaths and my understanding of mortality and loss was reified into visceral feelings marked by rumination and dread that in turn informed my understanding. I felt this feedback loop was a danger to my mental health and shared my worries and monitored their progress. Thankfully, the waves subsided and it seems my levels of grief and preoccupation is within the typical range now. I hope you find things easier as the days pass. Thank you for sharing.