COPING WITH THE TRAGEDY OF THE 21ST
Tragic events of the 21st April have left behind numerous victims and others in shock with untold grief and fear unable to bear up the sudden loss of loved ones. At this hour of need Sumithrayo extends its kind emotional support to such ones! Sumithrayo which is in existence for 45 years founded by late Mrs Joan De Mel with the assistance of late Chad Varah who founded “The Samaritans” in England, consequent to his experience at the funeral of a 14 year old girl being buried in an unconsecrated ground, because she had taken her own life by mistaking menstruation for some sort of sexually transmitted disease.
Dedicated & trained nonjudgmental Volunteers of Sumithrayo thus seek to alleviate human misery such as loneliness, despair, depression etc., by constructive listening. They display empathy instead of sympathy to empower by befriending those who feel that they have no one who really understands and accepts them. Volunteers patiently explore healthy options taking into consideration, the person's lifestyle, family & financial status, environment, etc. and the cause of their inner feelings in the language of that person's choice - Sinhala, Tamil or English, between 9am to 8pm as they are open all 365 days to assist the needy.
It is very important to note that pretending to be happy outwardly for the sake of family members/friends & suppressing their inner feelings may lead to depression eventually. Whatever that affected them will certainly revolve around in their minds like a prick of a thorn within, elevating
the pain of mind preventing them to restore normal life. Hence, it is very essential for them to evacuate their feelings by talking to a Confidante like the volunteers of Sumithrayo who assure strict confidentiality! Once they relieve themselves of their emotional feelings, they certainly experience a great burden being lifted from their heart which makes them ready to explore ways & means of coping with the situ in order to move forward in life in accordance to their wish.
As our nation is engulfed in deep grief during this period, brief information given below may be of assistance to address the same :
Grief is a negative feeling of intense sorrow and is a multi faceted response to a loss, particularly in respect of the loss/injury of those who are dear
& near. Although conventionally it focuses on the emotional response to a loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioural, social, cultural, spiritual and philosophical dimensions.