Grieving is by no means a simple process. Yet, there is no right or wrong way to take yourself through it.
Grief is a completely natural reaction to loss. It’s the strong emotions you feel when a loved one is taken away, which can often feel overwhelming. You may feel all kinds of emotions, some of them difficult and some of them unexpected, from shock to anger, guilt, and sadness. The pain you feel as a result of grieving can disrupt your physical health, making it hard to sleep, eat, and even think straight. Yet, the important thing to remember is that this is all a natural reaction to loss, and the closer you were to the loved one you lose, the hardest the grieving process will feel.
Sometimes, coping with loss and grief can feel like one of life’s hardest challenges. That is why we thought it would be helpful to compile five ways to cope with grief and bereavement. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it may be a good place to start, especially if you’ve found yourself struggling.
1. Talk About It
Take time to talk to your friends, family, and colleagues about how you are feeling and what you are going through. This will help you to understand what has happened and remember all of those happy memories you have with that loved one. Avoiding doing so can lead to isolation and can disrupt and lengthen the healing process.
2. Take Time to Care For Yourself
When grieving it can be very easy to forget to get enough sleep, eat properly, and exercise. Yet all of these can be key to both your physical and emotional health. The grieving process takes enough of a toll on your body, so allowing time to yourself and for self-care can make you feel better.
3. Be Patient With Yourself
Grief doesn’t have a set time period, so it won’t be over in a month and it may not even be over in a year. Though, make sure to be patient with yourself, as pain will diminish over time and as you get back on your feet, your sense of purpose will also slowly return. Don’t set yourself any deadlines and follow your own feelings. Only take advice that resonates with you and ignore anything else.
4. Remember and Celebrate Your Loved One and the Time You Had With Them
Anniversaries of losing a loved one and days such as birthdays and Christmas can be tough. Though, it can also be an excellent time to remember and honour them. Whether you collect donations for a charity that meant a lot to the deceased or plant a memorial garden, whatever you do is up to you.
5. Reach Out and Grief With Others
Spending time with other loved ones who are also going through the same grief can help a lot. Whether you share stories that make you smile and laugh, or listen to your loved one’s favourite music, those little things can count.
Grieving Myths & Truths
Here are also some of the most common myths about grief and grieving that we hear;
- If you don’t cry, you aren’t sad about the loss
This is by no means true. Whilst crying is a normal response to sadness, people process and show it in different ways. Those who don’t cry may be experiencing pain just as deeply as others.
- The pain will disappear quickly if you ignore it
Ignoring the pain you are experiencing or trying to push it down so it doesn’t surface can only make it worse in the long run. The best way to deal with grief is to face it as it comes and deal with it a step at a time.
- It’s important to appear ‘strong’ when facing the loss
If you are feeling lost, sad, or lonely due to loss, you are simply feeling a normal reaction to loss. Crying is by no means showing that you’re weak nor do you have to put on a brave face for your family and friends. Showing your true feelings can also help them deal with grief and show them that processing emotions are normal.
- Grieving should only last a year
Grief will never have a specific time frame. The time it takes to grieve will vary from person to person.
- Moving on means that you’ve forgotten about the person you’ve lost
Moving on means that you have accepted that it has happened, not forgotten about the person you loved. This will allow you to move on with your life and day-to-day routines whilst still keeping the happy memories you have of your loved one.
When a loved one passes, it is possible that you are left with winding up their estate. This is where it can be helpful to work with a professional, such as The Probate Bureau, professionals in probate, and leading probate office in Colchester.
