How to Deal With Feelings of Bereavement

Tragically, everyone experiences bereavement at some point in life. The loss of a parent, spouse, sibling or child can be devastating, and the ways of experiencing and expressing grief are different. Bereavement accompanies not only the death of a loved one but also such personal tragedies as terminal illness, job loss, financial loss and divorce, in addition to loss due to natural disasters, physical disabilities or the death of a beloved pet.

Instructions

• 1

  Rest whenever you can. Mourning is exhausting. However, you may also find yourself sleeping long hours to avoid the grief you experience during waking hours.

• 2

  Avoid self-medicating with tranquilizers, alcohol and food, which may dull the pain but present problems of their own. The anxiety of grief can cause loss of appetite, weight loss, overeating or weight gain.

• 3

  Join a support group for grieving survivors. There, you can share your feelings with others who understand what you are going through, without feeling uncomfortable or worrying that your are burdening your friends with your sorrow.

• 4

  Avoid, if you must, places or situations that remind you too painfully of your loved one, but gradually try to revisit those situations to experience pleasant memories rather than pain. It is all right to smile and even laugh. You may feel guilty for laughing, knowing that your loved one is gone, but he would surely not want your grief to ruin all your enjoyment of life.

• 5

  Create a memorial. Many online sites and charitable organizations are available to set up a memorial for the departed. Consider establishing an annual award to honor a local student in memory of your loved one.You may wish to contribute to an organization researching the illness that took your loved one's life. Other organizations offer balloon launches and butterfly releases to celebrate the lives of deceased individuals.