Dealing with grief is tough. However, most of the people are able to overcome the loss of a loved one through the passage of time with the support of family, friends, healthy habits and a set daily routine.
Loss of a loved one is one of the toughest things which many of us face. But the reality is that no one can escape death. Dealing with grief is quite tough when we lose our child, parent or sibling. It may lead to very long period of depression and sadness. The sadness decreases with the passage of time but grieving is an important process for us to be able to overcome these feelings and continue to embrace the time you spent with your loved one.
The way everyone responds to death is different and employs personal coping mechanisms. However, majority of the people are able to overcome the loss on their own through passage of time. The time period dealing with grief differs for everyone, it many take months or year to come to term with loss. Human beings by design are resilient therefore are able endure loss and move on with life.
Dealing with Grief and Getting into Normal Life Again
If one picks up a renewed sense or meaning of purpose, the period of grief can be shortened. One of my friends who lost his mother started pursuing Doctorate in data science after one month of the loss, he found new direction and purpose and the move acted like a catalyst for him to overcome the feeling of loss.
Furthermore, if the following strategies are adopted, they will speed up the process to come to terms with grief.
1. Focus On Yourself and Your Loved Ones
Do not skip the meal. Turn to healthy food. Exercise regularly, particularly the cardiovascular exercises, they are known to lift up the mood. And getting plenty of sleep is very important too, the lack of it increases anxiety and restlessness. Also check on your loved ones that they are taking the necessary steps to restore and maintain their well-being.
“The death of a beloved is an amputation”- C.S. Lewis
2. Be with Others Who are Dealing with grief
Being together generates the hope of a normalized future. It gives confidence to each other that they are not alone in this journey. Collectively relive the good memories of the person who you have lost and cherish them together. These small efforts can make a big difference. Helping others has an added benefit of making you feel better as well.
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि- न्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः । अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो- न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ॥
3. Talk it Out
Talk with your friends and loved ones about what happened and how you are feeling. Express your fears and anxieties. This will make you feel light. Avoidance will not only disrupt the healing process but also set a feeling of isolation.
4. Accept How You Feel
During grief, it is very natural to experience wide range of emotions. You may feel exhausted, sad, angry or anxious. All these feelings are very normal and majority people in grief go through them. Eventually they will pass by.
5. Celebrate the Life of Your Loved One
Birthday or marriage anniversary of a loved one brings the memories back in a very intense form. It can be a really hard time for family and friends. But it can be the time for remembrance and honouring them. Do something in their memory in order to feel good. Do some charity in name of deceased, plant trees or passing the family name to the baby. This will help you honor the unique relationship you enjoyed with the deceased.
The above coping strategies are time tested and they help the majority of people in dealing with grief, however, in case the grief is intense, there is no harm in taking help of a mental health expert.
