Loss is understood as a natural part of life, but we can still be overcome by shock and confusion. Learn how to cope with the loss of a loved one here.
Dealing with the loss of a loved one can be an incredibly painful experience for people.
According to a recent survey, more than 30% of people admit to having a hard time accepting a loved one’s loss. More than 40% of people report slipping into a dark depression following the death of a family member or friend. And, upward of 85% of people say they spend six months or more working their way through intense feelings of sadness when someone close to them dies.
Are you grieving the loss of a loved one at the moment? If so, you might feel as though the pain associated with their death is going to last forever. But we’re here to tell you that it won’t.
Here are some of the best ways to cope with the loss of a loved one as you prepare to move forward with your life.
Put Together Funeral Plans to Honor Your Loved One’s Life
In the immediate aftermath of your loved one’s loss, you might struggle to accept the fact that your loved one is gone, just like the people in the survey we just mentioned. This is a natural response to death for many people.
One way to wrap your head around the loss of a loved one is by putting together funeral plans for them. Throughout the funeral planning process, you’ll force yourself to confront the feelings that you’re experiencing head-on so that you can deal with them accordingly.
Look for the best funeral home in your area right away and make funeral arrangements for your loved one through them. This will allow you to pay tribute to your loved one and to say your final goodbyes to them.
You might want to put some or all of these unique funeral ideas to good use to make your loved one’s funeral service extra special.
Be Surrounded With People Who Love and Care About You
You’re not going to be able to cope with the loss of a loved one on your own. You need to have a strong support system in place to guide you along the way, otherwise, you may face an existential crisis when trying to cope with everything by yourself.
It’s one of the reasons why it’s so important for families to hold funeral services for their loved ones following their death. Funerals surround families with more than enough love and support during their darkest days.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to those from your support system when you’re having a tough time coping with the loss of a loved one. They’ll be there to listen to you and to provide you with invaluable advice as you strive to put the pieces of your life back together.
Sign Up for a Grief Support Group
There are some people who aren’t able to assemble a strong support system for one reason or another. There are others who don’t feel comfortable calling on their family members and friends to help them deal with a loved one’s loss.
If you fall into either of these categories, you have one other option when it comes to seeking support. You can sign up for a grief support group in your area and meet with other people who are going through a difficult time in life.
You’ll get so much out of going to grief support group meetings. You’ll be able to share your feelings with others while also listening to others talk about how they’re processing the loss of a loved one. It’ll be so helpful to you.
Make Sure You Understand the Five Stages of Grief
Whether you choose to rely on your own personal support system to help you get through your dark days or turn to a grief support group, it’ll ultimately be up to you to make your way through the five stages of grief.
If you’re not familiar with the five stages of grief, you should familiarize yourself with them so that you know what to expect in the coming weeks, months, and years. You need to hit every stage of grief to heal fully.
The five stages of grief are:
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
There are tons of online resources out there that you can read through to learn about each stage. There are also plenty of books about grief that would come in handy.
Give Your Heart the Time to Heal
It’s not exactly a secret that people are more impatient these days than ever before. People seek—and expect—instant gratification whenever they’re doing almost anything in life.
But instant gratification is an unrealistic expectation when coping with the loss of a loved one. You’re not going to be able to “get over” a loved one’s loss in a few days, a few weeks, or, in most cases, even a few months.
You might be able to work through some of the stages of grief in a hurry. But you also might get tripped up by a stage and have to spend months working through it.
It’s important for you to give your heart the time that it needs to heal following your loved one’s death. You still need to start planning your life forward, but that doesn’t mean you should forget the loss of the loved one. If you try to rush through things, you might end up dragging the healing process out and making it so much harder than it has to be.
It Is Possible to Cope With the Loss of a Loved One
The pain that comes with the loss of a loved one is going to be unbearable at times. You’re going to wonder how in the world you’re ever going to get back to a place where you’re seeing the good in the world again. You might even start to lose hope.
But there is relief on the way. Use the tips found here to continue to push forward with your life. Eventually, the feelings of sadness that you’re experiencing will start to subside and happiness will return to your life.
Need help managing the sadness caused by other things in life? Browse through our blog to read up on dealing with depression.