Top psychologist Dr Callum Cooper said the use of psychic mediums after losing a loved one can be beneficial to grieving people, but should only last for a limited period of time
Grieving is a highly personal experience that can affect people differently and some turn to psychic mediums to try to contact lost loved ones.
Top psychologist Dr Callum Cooper said being in contact with those beyond the grave is “a special experience” that can give people comfort. Some celebrities have admitted to using mediums and getting regular readings, but Dr Cooper said the use of mediums should only last for a limited period of time after losing a loved one.
The expert said: “If you’re really suffering from a loss that much, do it. It’s a special experience, that’s given me something special that tells me I don’t need to worry. They’re around me, they’re supporting me. This person is watching over me beyond death.”
Dr Cooper, of the University of Northampton, warned people should not become dependent on mediums, reports the Daily Star. He added: “Eventually, you have got to cope with your own bereavement. You shouldn’t be going beyond 12 months.”
People should also be wary of anyone hashing out generic tales, the senior lecturer said. He added: “If they’re talking to the dead, they should be coming out with information that is specific to you.”
Some of the most common symptoms of grieving include shock and numbness, sadness, tiredness or exhaustion, anger, and guilt. The NHS explains these feelings may not be there all the time and powerful feelings may appear unexpectedly.
Help is available through bereavement support organisations such as Cruse as well as psychological support to anyone needing it – and you can also find free mental wellbeing audio guides online. For most people, grief will become less intense over time, but for some it can last many months or years.
This is known as prolonged grief disorder or complicated grief. Symptoms include:
- very difficult feelings such as sadness or guilt for over 6 months
- spending a lot of time thinking about the person who’s died
- difficulty accepting the death
- not being able to return to everyday activities
- suicidal thoughts
The NHS says you are more likely to have prolonged grief disorder if the death was traumatic or sudden and unexpected. Seeing a GP is recommended if you experience any symptoms of prolonged grief disorder.
Northamptonshire-based author and podcaster Shelley F. Knight, author of Good Grief: The A-Z Approach of Modern Day Grief Healing, previously told us: “A lot of what happens to us in life, and what we’re exposed to, can help how we cope with death and loss. If we have a lot of positive talk and openness around life and loss then we can grieve more openly and heal quicker.”
She added: “In the past, when people were ill or dying, they were nursed within the home, but over time, through medical advancements and innovations, it’s become very clinical and detached. We go into hospital for medication and to be artificially ventilated, so almost have clinical death over natural death. But when we’re not regularly exposed to something, we start to develop this fear, or awkwardness, even though death remains the only certainty in our life.”
