Families Still Coping With the Loss of Loved Ones During the Pandemic - Especially Children Under the Age of 18

Growth Storyhub Founder and Grief Support Advocate Ashmeeta Madhav Provides Methods to Empower Youth and Their Families During Crisis

SEATTLE, WA / ACCESSWIRE / September 6, 2022 / A recent study published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health estimated that at least 5.2 million children worldwide lost a parent or primary caretaker to COVID-19. In the U.S., more than 200,000 children have lost at least one of their caretakers to COVID. At the extreme end, more than 13,000 have lost their only parent or in-home caregiver. Five large states-California, Florida, Georgia, New York and Texas-accounted for 50% of total caregiver loss from COVID-19, according to the "Hidden Pain" report. Arizona, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas had the highest rates of caregiver loss.

According to research, the death of a parent in the formative years can result in a child having increased post-traumatic stress symptoms, sleep disturbances, mental issues, lower self-esteem and less academic success. In some families, the devastating loss also increases pressures for the grieving child to take on responsibilities of the dead parent which, in turn, causes them to isolate from friends.

Psychologists say this loss has caused an uptick in anxiety, depression, trauma- and stress-related disorders in some children. Mental health professionals, like others in health care, have experienced burnout amid much higher caseloads. Last fall, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Children's Hospital Association declared a national state of emergency in children's mental health.

Ashmeeta Madhav, grief support coach and author of What's Your Story? The #1 Way to Create a New Reality With Your Thinking, says that when a child loses a parent, the pressure and responsibility of the family often shifts to one person which can jeopardize the mental health of everyone in the household.

"I know from personal experience what it's like to feel totally alienated, alone, and helpless," says Madhav, who helps families through loss and grief through guided support and education. "Fifteen years ago, I lost my mother, the one person who loved me unconditionally. Then, in October of 2019, I lost my husband. My world was shattered. I had no idea how I was going to go on and nurture our children who were 17, 14 and 7 at the time. As I mourned my husband's absence, I realized I was completely dependent on his companionship and that had become my weakness. I made a conscious decision to pull myself out of the helplessness and create a new reality."

Madhav turned to meditation and channeled her thoughts which allowed her to change the limiting beliefs that were weighing her down. Over time, she nurtured her brain to be her best friend. Madhav's mission is to show widowed, single parents that there is hope and there is a way to create a meaningful new life for themselves and their children.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, widows learned to navigate their environment by successfully managing an area that was previously assigned to their spouse and found that "relearning their world" was essential to moving through the grieving process. Madhav stresses that grief counseling is a key component for both the single parent and the children, but most people simply "put on a brave face and go about doing what they need to do to keep the family thriving. They withdraw into themselves and live double lives."

Growth Storyhub contends that the family must talk about their grief, and not be afraid of the social consequences if they choose to. Additionally, by developing certain tools, she says, the responsibilities of single parenting won't feel so overwhelming.

"Grieving is a natural part of the life cycle," Madhav says. "Through certain coping mechanisms, single parents can develop the tools needed to empower and help themselves out of any situation."

ABOUT GROWTH STORYHUB

Ashmeeta Madhav is the founder of Growth StoryHub, an organization created for millennial men and women seeking life coaching and grief support as a single parent. The mission of Growth StoryHub is to provide tools that will help and empower widows and widowers to take control of transformative experiences gained through living in order to create a more purpose-driven life. For more info, visit https://www.storyoutellyourself.com.

CONTACT

Ashmeeta Madhav
https://www.storyoutellyourself.com
ashmeetam@gmail.com
(650) 450-0067

SOURCE: Growth Storyhub