Never Have I Ever offers one of the best depictions of dealing with grief

Paste Magazine

"Grieving and experiencing loss can indeed be overwhelming, and sometimes we just want to escape from it, even just for a while," says Reyzando Nawara, who recalls losing an uncle suddenly 10 months ago. "I understand this very well. There are times when I talk to a lot of people or get deep into dating apps just to distract myself from my grief. There are also times when those interactions become unhealthy and very codependent. Never Have I Ever has shown me that those distractions and my desire to cling to normalcy do not actually equal healing. Instead, the healing process can only begin when we open up and acknowledge our pain. No matter how many times we try to avoid our grief, it will eventually catch us if we keep leaving it unresolved. For two seasons, Never Have I Ever has shown us the dire repercussions of unprocessed grief and untreated trauma—how it can intensify our worst traits without us even realizing it, and how loss can morph into an abandonment fear. The show may be a cheesy teen rom-com on the surface, but deep down, it’s a show that makes me understand myself. Most of all, it makes me want to apologize to everyone I hurt along the way while also forgiving myself. Devi’s journey of healing herself is far from over, and so is mine, and I’m sure there will be times when things get hard again. But with Never Have I Ever, at least I know that I’m not dealing with this alone."