Ways of Coping With Death

The death of a family member, friend or close acquaintance can be a very difficult time emotionally. Everyone handles dealing with such situations in a different manner. Some people feel very sad and withdrawn while others become angry and violent and still others act almost maniacally happy. To get through the period of grief that often follows a death, it is important to find healthy ways of coping with your feelings. These can be through creative projects, family funeral traditions or seeking support from other people.

Stages of Grief

• There are five stages of grief recognized by the psychiatric community. These are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. As grief is unique to the individual, these stages are just a general idea of what a person might go through. Some people experience none of them, while others suffer all of them. Some people will only deal with one or two of these stages, while others will deal with them in a different order.

Positive Coping Methods

• Seeking support from friends, family or a professional can help some people work through their grief in a positive manner. Other people channel their feelings into creative projects such as poetry writing, painting or music. Taking part in the funeral process can also help some people cope with death, as it can give them a chance to fully accept their loss as well as give them closure.

Negative Coping Methods

• The feelings of loss and sadness when a loved one dies can be overwhelming and some people channel those feelings into negative coping methods. They might perform dangerous stunts, take drugs, drink alcohol heavily, lash out verbally or physically at people trying to help them, or fall into a deep depression and stop functioning altogether.

Grief Versus Depression

• While grief and depression share some of the same characteristics, grief is expected to lessen as time goes on and the person begins to recover from the emotional shock of the loss. A person suffering from true depression might not recover even after a long period of time, and could also begin suffering from feelings of hopelessness and guilt as well as thoughts of suicide. Those suffering from deep depression might also quit functioning on a social level and could start having delusions. These people should seek professional help in the way of counseling or medications to help them cope with their depression.