Mold and Grief 

Stages of Grief

• Denial: This is not happening, everything is fine
• Anger: Why is this happening to me…
• Bargaining: What if…
• Depression: I have nothing & I’ve lost everything
• Acceptance: I can’t change what’s happened but I can prevent it in the future

Denial

An unconscious defense mechanism that is characterized by refusal to acknowledge painful realities, thoughts, or feelings.

Usually, mold denial is characterized by the lack of action taken when presented with the possibility of toxic mold exposure. It is the failure to take action or failure to investigate when a family member, spouse or loved one believes there is a mold issue present in the environment.

This can be a result of fear, financial stress associated with the expenses, skepticism, lack of understanding/resources,  and emotional maturity/intelligence.

Anger

Anger is a natural response to the grief, loss, despair, confusion, bitterness, and suffering mold causes.

When it comes to mold & grief anger is usually an outcome of the reluctance of accepting the situation you are living with, financial hardship, emotional stressors, the decline in health, and consequential loss/damage to relationships and quality/way of living.

Bargaining

Bargaining provides a temporary escape from the harsh reality mold forces us to face. This is the stage where people usually find a sense of “hope” and have had some time to adjust.

During this stage, you will find yourself searching for a way out. and wondering if there is anything at all within your power that you can do or change about the circumstances.

Depression

Depression is undoubtedly the hardest stage to live through. Depression can be the result of the helplessness & hopelessness of the situation as well as a result of the mold exposure itself.

This is the stage where bargaining is once again met by reality. There is fear of the unknown, guilt, sadness, overwhelming stress, inability to cope, loss of appetite, poor sleep/ sleep loss, suicidal & intrusive thoughts, feelings of rejection, isolation, relationship loss, and more.

Acceptance

Coming to terms with the fact that you can’t change the past but having the knowledge and know-how to approach the situation and prevent mold damage and exposure in the future.

Mold denial can happen at any point during your journey. Mold forces you to deal with very inconvenient truths head-on. Mold is expensive and will burden you financially, some cases are more costly than others but there is NEVER a quick cheap easy fix.

Coming to terms and empowering yourself to make the decisions necessary – whether that’s remediation or evacuation – will give you your life back.

Mold, grief, & healing will never be linear. It is extremely important to work together with trusted professionals who can guide you through proper remediation. Understanding that this step is essential to proper healing will save you a lot of time in the long run. You can not fully heal while living in the environment contributing to your illness. Mold Authority understands the true effects of mold & other environmental toxins and strives to bridge the gap that exists in this industry today.

Written by: Alexandra DeLeon @holisticallylexy