How to Recover From the Death of a Loved One

The death of a loved one often feels like a missing piece of yourself. You experience a painful loss that you wonder if anyone around you can possibly understand. Grief after the loss of one you've loved is a bewildering experience and the process toward healing and recovery can be complicated. Without the proper knowledge of how to handle the wide range of emotions you have encountered, you may feel lost yourself and unable to cope with such a painful experience. However, there are tools that can equip you to discern these emotions and process them in a healthy manner.

Instructions

• 1

  Be patient with yourself. Make sure that you are giving yourself plenty of time to process the emotions that you are experiencing. Prepare yourself for the long haul. Grief takes a great deal of time, depending on the depth of relationship you had with the deceased.

• 2

  Be honest about your emotions. Keep a journal and work through each emotion and thought -- positive or negative -- with paper and pen. Allow yourself to be honest about your true feelings regarding the death of your loved one.

• 3

  Give yourself plenty of rest. Make sure that you are sleeping enough as well as eating enough. Proper sleep and nutrition can do wonders for your emotional health and will propel you forward in the grief process.

• 4

  Find a support group that can help you through this difficult time. Having friends that will listen and understand grief is essential to the recovery process. Other people going through the same experience can be found at your local hospice or a bereavement group in your neighborhood.

• 5

  Let yourself have a good cry as often as you need. This is especially important at the beginning of the grieving process. Remind yourself that is normal to cry after the death of someone important in your life. This will be a very healing element as you grieve.