Dealing with disappointment: Coping with last night’s loss

I think we talk for the entire country when we say there’s a feeling of disappointment in the air this morning.

Whilst we all had our hopes up for the winning result, the impact the England team has had on the country over the past month is one that cannot be denied and will never be forgotten.

Filling the void left by the Euros may take a while to overcome, so we spoke with three mental health experts for their advice on how to deal with the disappointment in light of last night’s game.

A person smiling for the picture

Description automatically generated with low confidenceSpeaking from The Mind Map, a mental health training and counselling service, founder Phil Bridges (pictured left) said: “As a Tranmere Rovers fan, I’m well versed in sporting disappointment! Yet Sunday’s game hit hard.

“As an emotion, disappointment sits somewhere between loss and sadness. For those emotionally invested in the Euro final, the outcome will have caused differing levels of stress.

“It’s important to balance the disappointment with some joy, positivity and relaxation, where possible. Do what you enjoy. Bathe, walk, connect with friends, be your own hero at five-a-side!”

Phil added: “It might be tempting to reach for the vices but they’ll only heighten the distress. Hopefully we can bring it home from Qatar in 2022.”

www.themindmap.co.uk

A person smiling for the picture

Description automatically generated with medium confidenceCommenting on the anticipation and build-up behind the game, co-owner of Spiffy – The Happiness Shop, Paul Young (pictured right), said: “It’s OK to feel this loss and to grieve for it. The anticipation for the game was huge and England had been doing so well, expectations and hopes were understandably high.

“When you’re so invested in something, if it doesn’t go the way you’d hoped, you’re experiencing a form of loss which is OK to grieve.

“Be sad for a while, embrace it – it’s absolutely fine! If it matters to you, you’re allowed to feel whatever feelings you may experience.”

Whilst the loss may take a long time to overcome, there is of course still reason to smile.

Paul said: “Remember, there’s still so much to be positive and grateful for. It was our first time in a final for many years, the team put on an excellent performance and it brought the whole country together at a time when we really needed it.

“This is something we should all be so proud of! The World Cup is only one year away and we’re heading into it in a fantastic position.

“It’s OK to be sad but don’t forget how much there is to be grateful for and proud of and how bright the future ahead looks!”

www.livespiffy.co.uk

Looking forward to the future, Paul Boakye, editor of Black Gay Blog, said: “Our new England team are young, talented and committed to success. They’ll get better.

“They lost their drive in the second half of the final match but the public doesn’t need to bash or demotivate them too much now because we’re disappointed.

“It’s taken us 55 years to get this far. Another four years won’t make much difference.

“Stay focused, people. We’ve got a great team representing the country for a chance, one we should all be proud to support.”