Overcoming the Stigma
- Actress Rachel Weisz recently shared that she had a miscarriage and called it a part of “the female experience,” showing the importance of overcoming the stigma around it.
- One of our experts says, “Every day of our lives is really filled with uncertainty.” But “having the courage to live in the face of uncertainty” and knowing that you can only control your response to uncertainty is key to living well.
- Another one of our experts says “one trick to learning to accept less than optimal news is to keep Dr. Tara Brach's acronym RAIN in mind.”
- RAIN stands for recognize, allow or accept, investigate and nurture.
Weisz, 53, is very private about life outside of her career. She’s happily married to “No Time to Die” actor Daniel Craig, 55, and is the mother of two children her 4-year-old daughter Grace with Craig and 16-year-old son Henry, whom she shares with her ex-fiancé, director Darren Aronofsky, 54.
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The Resilience of Women
Weisz says it’s important for people to see the medical experiences of women portrayed in TV shows, like her current series “Dead Ringers.” She hopes her new show can help people understand these things and see them as the real, lived experiences they are not just “gory” TV moments.
“Seeing a baby’s head come out either through c-section or her belly, you find it gory. There is blood involved there, but that’s just the female experience, and for women that do have babies that’s it,” she said. “It’s just we’re not used to it. We’re not used to seeing any of those things being represented cinematically or fictionally. So maybe this is breaking some new ground, this show.”
Overcoming Stressful Life Events like Rachel Weisz
We don’t have further information on Rachel Weisz’s miscarriage, but it’s inspiring to see her openly talk about the event. Perhaps others dealing with medical trauma can look to her as an example of what healthy coping looks like when life challenges us.
Life is full of uncertainties. We’ll never know exactly what will happen from one moment to the next, and embracing that uncertainty is a part of living.
Embracing the Uncertainty of Life
"Every day of our lives is really filled with uncertainty," Dr. William Breitbart, the chair of the Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, said. "What the task becomes is having the courage to live in the face of uncertainty, realizing that you cannot necessarily control the uncertainty in life… the suffering that occurs, challenges both good and bad.
"You may not be able to control those but you have control over how you choose to respond."
SN & You Presents Mental Health: Coping With Emotions
Everyone responds to life’s stressful events differently. And it’s normal for people to experience a range of emotions. One day you might be coping just fine, the next you might feel crippled by distress. Know that all your emotions are valid and your mental health care needs can look very different from another person’s even if they’re going through a similar stressor.
"The way people respond is very variable," psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik said. "Very much consistent with how they respond to stresses and challenges in their life in general."
Responding to Stress: How to Cope With Complex & Changing Emotions
If you’ve just been dealt an unfortunate hand in life, try to move forward in a thoughtful way. Be kind to yourself as you navigate the road ahead, and, eventually, you might find yourself feeling more resilient than ever.
“One trick to learning to accept less than optimal news is to keep Dr. Tara Brach's acronym RAIN in mind,” Licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin wrote in a column for SurvivorNet.
“RAIN stands for: RECOGNIZE and pause to notice; ALLOW, or accept your current experience; INVESTIGATE, by pinpointing what is happening in your mind and body; then NURTURE, by bringing compassion to yourself.”
There are mental health treatments to consider if you’re struggling with your thoughts and feelings after a stressful event. From talk therapy, to changing lifestyle habits (like exercise and diet), to medication, to seeking out a support group, the options are wide-ranging. Above all, know you’re not alone and there are many different approaches to mental health care for you to try.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
