Honoring Loss by Living

"Sehnsucht is a German noun that translates as "longing," "pining," "yearning," "craving," or, more broadly, "intensely missing." Sehnsucht represents feelings and thoughts related to all aspects of life that are unfinished or imperfect, combined with a desire for ideal alternative experiences. It has been described as "life's longings" or a person's search for happiness while coping with the reality of unfulfilled wishes. The feelings are usually intense and often fluctuate wildly."

"Rita was a patient I met in 2013. She suffered from total body pain and extreme anxiety. She had experienced disruptive pain for more than 55 years. I wasn't very optimistic about how much could be done, but my colleague and I began guiding her through a healing process. It took more than a year, but with many adjustments and support, she broke free from her pain, which I had not thought was possible after so many years."

"My wife and I became close friends with her over the years, and she was quite creative in observing her own healing. Neuroplasticity fascinated her, and she coined the term neuroshment. She felt that learning through awareness was the fuel that nourished and reshaped the brain's structure. It conveyed the idea that the only way to deal with the past is to learn from it."

Life is mainly a series of losses, and recognizing that truth allows enjoyment of the present instead of constant backward-looking. Sehnsucht denotes intense longing, yearning, or craving for idealized or unfinished experiences and involves powerful, fluctuating emotions. Deep losses and prolonged stress can trigger or perpetuate chronic pain, particularly when attachment to distress persists. A patient named Rita experienced total-body pain for decades yet recovered through a prolonged, adaptive healing process that engaged neuroplasticity. She named her approach "neuroshment," emphasizing learning through awareness. Healing elements include connection, confidence, and creativity, and living to honor those who are gone eases suffering.

Read at Psychology Today