The death of a loved one can be an extremely difficult time in someone’s life and can make it hard to carry on as normal. These feelings can negatively impact an individual’s mental health and relationships with others, as well as their work and social life. But there are things you can do to try and help the process.
Knowing how to deal with grief and loss is a helpful way to cope with the situation. This article will run through some tips on what you can do to try and deal with the feelings you’re experiencing. These tips won’t necessarily work for everyone, but they’re worth a try. You might find a few that help you cope.
Private chapel of rest
This might not be for everyone, but a chapel of rest can provide private time to say goodbye to a loved one. It offers a quiet environment for those close to the deceased to pay their respects. This could help with closure, and many might find it helpful. Others might find this too distressing, so think before you decide what’s best for you.
There can be an etiquette around visiting a chapel of rest such as what to wear and whether you can speak or not, so make sure to check the specific guidelines before you attend.
Speak to someone
Speaking about how you feel is one of the best ways you can cope with grief as bottling feelings up will only make you feel worse. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking to a family member or friend, there are plenty of charities that would be happy to speak with you such as Cruse Bereavement Care.
Charities like this offer specialist bereavement experts who have lots of experience helping people deal with grief and loss. They can give you advice or just listen to what you’ve got to say.
Take time out if needed
An important part of grieving is allowing yourself to feel sad and giving yourself the time to do so. Some people will need to take a prolonged time off work and take some time away from social events. However, it varies from person to person as some people might prefer to have the company of others to help take their mind off it. So do what feels best for you.
Be realistic
Accepting how you feel is a big step. If you constantly tell yourself that you should be feeling a certain way, you’re denying your own feelings… which will only do more harm than good.
Avoid telling yourself that you’re going to feel better in a week, month, or year, you simply don’t know if that’s true. It’ll put pressure on you to feel a certain way in that time frame, which will only make things worse if you don’t meet those expectations.
Be honest
It’s helpful for those around you if you’re open and honest about how you’re feeling. Don’t brush off their ‘How’re you?’ and instead be honest in your answer, they’ll appreciate your honesty and might offer to help take your mind off the situation. This will make it easier for you to speak openly about your situation and allows those around you to understand how you’re coping.
Keep doing things that you enjoy, if possible
Remind yourself that there are good times ahead, and plenty of reasons to be happy. Some people might try to take their mind off it by doing things they enjoy. So if you’re a fan of cooking, make yourself your favorite meal. If you love comedy films, stick one on!
However, don’t put pressure on yourself to feel fine after this. You might still feel down even after doing something that previously brought a lot of joy. Take it to step by step and you’ll get there eventually.
Look after yourself physically as well as mentally
Doing exercise may be the last thing on your mind, but it’s scientifically proven to improve your mood. You should also make sure you get enough sleep and eat the right foods as this will help how you feel. Again, don’t beat yourself up about it and only do what feels right for you.
If you’re struggling with feelings of grief and loss, give a few of these tips a try and see if it helps. If you still can’t cope, make sure to get in touch with bereavement specialists who will know the next steps to take to help your grieving process.
