How Stress and Grief Can Affect Your Mind
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Prince Harry moved to Canada in 2019 to get away from a stressful environment in the UK. Within days of arriving, his body experienced an unexpected crash. He had been so accustomed to high stress and adrenaline that without it, he felt useless and struggled to function normally. For about two weeks, he slipped into depression, realizing he had unknowingly relied on stress to keep his mind active and engaged.
Grief Without Processing
Harry also discussed how he handled grief after his mother's death when he was twelve. For many years, he felt emotionally numb and guilty about the idea of being happy without her. He believed he had to remain sad to prove his love and loyalty to her memory. This unprocessed grief lasted into his twenties, when he tried to outrun his feelings by serving in the military twice, but this strategy did not resolve his underlying pain.
Finding a Way Forward
A therapist eventually helped Harry unlock his grief by suggesting he use his mother's perfume, which triggered memories and allowed him to cry for the first time in nearly twenty years. Through this experience, he discovered that his mother would have wanted him to be joyful and content. Harry now shares his mental health journey publicly, recognizing that processing grief takes time and professional support, and that avoiding difficult emotions can harm our wellbeing.
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think Prince Harry felt depressed when the stress disappeared from his environment?
- How can avoiding emotions, like grief, affect someone's life over many years?
- What role do you think professional support played in helping Harry process his emotions?
- Why might someone feel guilty about being happy after losing a loved one?
- How do you think sharing his mental health story publicly might help others facing similar challenges?
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