Grieving is difficult work. The following are some suggestion to help in navigating the journey through grief.
-Take time. Don’t let others rush you into “getting over” your feelings.
-Don’t make major decisions. The time of grief is a time of instability.
-Avoid the temptation to use alcohol or drugs to numb the painful feelings.
-Cry. Tears are the healthiest expression of grief. Don’t try to hold back crying for the sake of others.
-Know that there will be good days and bad days. Pangs of intense grief can surface during holidays, significant events such as birthdays or anniversaries.
-Remember the loved one often and as much as you need to. Look at photographs, read old letters and retell your memories to friends and other members of the family.
-Seek people who will understand your need to talk about what happened. Seek out people who will really listen to your remembrances.
-Allow yourself time to heal. Pay attention to your health. Make sure you are getting enough sleep. Eat a healthy diet. Get outside in the sunshine for exercise
or a mild walk.
-Ask for what you need from others. Accept what help they offer. Now is not the time to try to do everything by yourself.
-Seek out grief counseling
if you feel you cannot cope alone. Grief counseling is available through community resources, churches and licensed therapists. Join a grief support group. Local community papers will usually have listings. Use the Internet and join an electronic bulletin board dedicated to supporting individuals who have lost loved ones.
-Remember your grief is individual to you. Not everyone’s grief is identical to yours. You will share some similarities with others, but grieving is a very personal and very individual process.
Death like any great wound leaves a scar. It may heal and the pain may ease but the mark is always there. But the memories of the loved one are always there also. The most important thing to remember is — there is no right way or wrong way to grieve. People grieve in their own time and in their own way. The second most important thing to remember is – everything you feel during bereavement is normal. The third most important thing to remember is – if you feel you cannot cope with your loss alone, you don’t have to. Seek help. Grief is the pain of not having the person who is gone. Through bereavement we learn to live without that person and in the words of ****. John Chrysostorn, a bishop living in the fourth century: He whom we love and lose is no longer where he was before. He is now wherever we are.
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