Losing a loved one is an incredibly tough thing to go through, especially if it is the first time you’ve experienced this type of loss. You may be feeling a surge of different emotions and not know how to even begin sorting through them all. It is common to experience a great variety of emotions after losing a loved one, including everything from shock, guilt, anger, sadness, and confusion.

Even though it may not feel like it right now, the intensity of the pain you’re experiencing will not last forever. There are things that you can do to help yourself cope and heal. In time, finding peace and relief from the pain is possible. It’s important to give yourself grace, be patient, and allow others to support you during the healing process related to grief.

The Initial Stages of Grief

When you first lose a loved one, you may experience a sense of shock and denial. It may be hard to believe that your loved one is truly gone. The full reality of what has happened might still be setting in. During this time, it is especially important that you allow yourself to experience the pain, no matter how scary or overwhelming it might be. A lot of people choose to try to stay in a state of denial and ignore their true feelings. They may force themselves to stay busy, so they don’t have to think about what has happened. While this might work for a time, you cannot suppress grief forever, and the longer it is suppressed, the worse it can become.

Instead, it is better to confront the grief head-on and allow yourself to be sad. This is necessary to begin the healing process. During this time, allow yourself to lean on your family members and friends. Try not to spend too much time alone, and no matter how hard it may be, try to continue to take care of yourself. Make sure you’re drinking water and eating regularly, even if this is the last thing on your mind.

Self-care is really important during this time too. Continue to make time to do the things you love, whether it be spending quality time with a friend, getting outside into nature, or even just watching your favorite television show. Exercise can also be very helpful by decreasing stress levels and providing energy. It also releases endorphins, which may be able to help you think a little more clearly.

The Next Stage of the Healing Process of Grief

One of the best things that you can do to try to work through the emotions of grief is to consider joining a support group. As much as the people closest to you may want to help you, they might not be able to relate to your situation if they haven’t experienced loss before. This is why it can really help to spend time talking to people who know exactly what it feels like to lose a loved one and go through all the complicated emotions that come with it.

With most grief support groups, you’re going to find people coming from a lot of different life circumstances. Some people may be like you and have just recently experienced loss. Others may be continuing to grieve a loss that occurred many years ago. There are people grieving everyone from parents to siblings, friends, and even children. No matter what their situation is, there are still things that you can learn from them.

You can find solace in knowing that you are not alone in this pain and that there are others there who can support you and understand you.

Finding Hope After Grief

As time passes after the loss of a loved one, a sense of acceptance will begin to occur. This doesn’t mean that you will miss your loved one any less. But it does mean the pain will become more bearable, and you will be able to start thinking about moving forward. Talking about the person you lost may now be associated with joy or amusement over happy past memories instead of tinted in sadness.

You may also find solace in honoring your loved ones through your own actions. This can be done in small ways by participating in activities they once enjoyed. For example, you could get the family together and visit your loved one’s favorite restaurant or watch their favorite sports team play. This a great way to bring everyone together, and you can spend this time reminiscing about happy times. Maybe your loved one was passionate about one specific cause and worked hard for it. You could consider continuing their legacy by also volunteering for the same cause.

Grief is a very difficult thing to go through, and it is often associated with many complex emotions. At times you may feel completely overwhelmed and unsure of how to handle the loss. Regardless of what your emotions may be, they are valid, and it is important to honor them rather than push them away. Finding hope is possible. It is important to give yourself grace, be patient, and allow those close to you to support you. Some people make the mistake of turning to substances to handle grief. If this is your case, our team at The Kimberly Center can help. Call (855) 452-3683 today, and we’ll be happy to talk to you about the services we provide.