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This is a guest post, I really hope it helps any of you in need. Photo by Mike Labrum on Unsplash.
When you lose someone that you love, the negative feelings can often become overwhelming. Grief is a complicated thing to go through, and is one of the hardest challenges that we face.
From a range of emotions that you may not be used to, and even physical effects that you might not have expected, grief manifests in a wide variety of ways.
The challenge is finding healthy ways to help your recovery time. While everyone goes through their grieving process in their own way, here are some of the common reactions and what you can do to help resolve them.
1. Don’t Rush
Grieving takes time. While everyone will have their own process for getting through a bereavement, it’s important that you don’t rush through your feelings. It might take weeks, it might take months, and it might even take years. The challenge is to find healthy ways to process your feelings, and that should never be a race.
2. Ignoring your Feelings
One of the most common tactics for those surprised by their feelings of grief is to simply try and ignore what has happened. These people will try and carry on their lives without ever addressing their emotions. This is absolutely the worst thing that you can do. The only way to overcome grief is to face the reality of it. Acknowledge your feelings of pain, and you’ll be able to start moving forward.
3. Go through the Stages
There are five recognised stages of grief, and while you may not go through the full range, chances are that you will experience some of them. They are:
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
Some of these feelings may be new to you, and so you may struggle to cope with them. Get help if you need to find ways to process through these stages healthily.
4. Keep Busy
There are always going to be tasks to do when someone dies. People accumulate a lifetime of possessions and relationships. Friends will have to be informed, and wills are going to need to be addressed as well. This can be a fraught process sometimes, especially if there is conflict over a will reading. If that is the case, don’t let your grief get in the way of fulfilling the deceased’s wishes. Get legal help from The Inheritance Experts who will have the experience and advice you need to contest a will.
5. Physical and Emotional Needs
You’re going to need to look after yourself, even when you’re grieving. It’s far too easy to forget to eat dinner or turn the heating on when your mind is over-occupied. Make sure that you do the following:
- Don’t ignore your feelings – Acknowledge your grief.
- Express yourself – Creative outlets can be useful for processing complex emotions.
- Keep busy – Try and spend some time on your hobbies and interests.
- Let yourself grieve – You may hear phrases like “Get over it,” or “You need to move on.” Don’t let anyone tell you how to feel.
- Beware of triggers – Anniversaries and birthdays are always going to be a challenging time. Make sure that you’re mentally prepared for them, and have your coping strategies ready to go.
If you need to get professional help to guide you through the grief process, that’s not a failing. Be smart about your loss, and remember that what you’re going through may well change you, but the pain will lessen over time. Stay strong, and look to your support network when you need it.
I hope these 5 Steps to Help Recover from Grief helped you. Remember that you’re not alone. It’s a journey that we all go through.
All the best,
Emily
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