3 Ways to Cope with Grief After A Loved One Passes

Tweet

Different people cope with grief in different ways. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. But here are some common coping mechanisms for dealing with the death of a loved one: 1) Throw yourself into your work. Being a workaholic has a bad reputation, but work can be a constructive distraction from strong negative emotions. No matter what you do, those big feelings are not going to go away over night. Getting engrossed in your work can both block them out, kind of like anesthesia reducing the pain, and let you get something accomplished. Accomplishments can help provide you with something to feel good about in spite of all your pain and can help make the situation more bearable. 2) Turn to your social support network. There are good reasons why we have the saying "misery loves company." It is normal to want to talk with others who knew the dearly departed, share your feelings and generally turn to friends and family when are in need of support. Other people can provide both emotional and practical support, offering both a shoulder to cry on and a cup of coffee or a bowl of soup with a reminder to eat when you may have forgotten to do so. 3) Take solace in solitude. Although a lot of people turn to others during their time of grief, some people do better with the opposite approach. Some people prefer to seek out peace and quiet, cry when they are alone, and keep their feelings to themselves. If you are that sort of person, rest assured that there is nothing wrong with keeping to yourself when you are hurting. There is nothing wrong with feeling like other people are too much of a burden to endure and your grief is a private matter, not for public consumption. In the aftermath of the death of a loved one, it is important to find a way to take care of yourself and grieve in a way that is as psychologically comfortable for you as possible. Sometimes it is necessary to speak with a grief counselor, such as Dr. Virginia Simpson at Moore Funeral Homes. Many funeral homes offer some type of grief counseling and it’s recommended for family members. Be gentle with yourself and don't let yourself be judgmental about how you should grieve. Whatever way helps you process your feelings is the right way for you, as an individual, to do this.