Grieving happens as a result of loss. Certainly, the death of a loved one brings about grief, but other losses can cause grief:
- End of a relationship
- Failure to achieve a goal
- Illness
- Abuse (either of yourself or a loved one)
- Death of a pet
- Loss of property through fire or other tragedy
The grieving process is as individual as the person grieving. Each person goes at their own pace in their own way. Eventually, you will have more good days than bad days; you?ll begin to feel more optimistic. Most grief experts agree that the majority of grief adjustments take two to four years to complete.
Even though you feel helpless, you can do a few things to help yourself cope.
Ways to Survive Grief
- Be realistic. Recovery takes time. Trust that you will feel better eventually.
- Take care of yourself. Exercise, eat nutritious meals, and get enough rest. Make time for things you enjoy.
- Don?t deny your feelings. Resist the urge to busy yourself so you don?t have time to think about your loss. Acknowledge that you?ve experienced a loss. Allow yourself to cry. If you?re angry, admit it and take steps to appropriately express it.
- Put off major decisions if possible. The pain of your grief has probably affected your ability to make sound decisions.
- Do things that are healing:
- Journal
- Read books about coping with grief
- Pursue creative or athletic endeavors
- Lean on your faith
- Help others
- When you?re ready, start planning things you can look forward to, like a mini-vacation or dinner with a friend.
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