Grieving

We’re all different. No two people’s needs, desires, personalities or emotional responses are the same, and it’s important to bear this in mind when trying to come to terms with the loss of a loved one. While it can be tempting to pore through well-known coping mechanisms or read about the famous ‘Five Stages of Grief’, the best way to adjust to the passing of someone close to you isn’t something that can simply be applied to everyone.

It’s normal to feel lost, confused or uncomfortable, and there is no pressure on you to act or respond any differently than you feel. Try to take things at a pace that is comfortable and manageable for you. It may help you to speak with friends, family members or colleagues about your experiences.

One method that can be helpful for trying to adjust to the passing of a loved one is meaning-making. This can offer a new perspective on loss, and empower you to use this experience to make positive changes in other areas of your life. For example, some people find that the loss of a friend or family member prompts them to adopt new attitudes towards their own health and well-being, or leads to a strengthening of relationships with others close to them.

Another useful way of coping with loss is the idea of growing around grief. Rather than waiting for the feeling of grief to shrink and fade away, it can be helpful to focus more on your own psychological and emotional development. This will help you to grow, while empowering you to come to terms with your grief.

If you feel that speaking to an experienced grief counsellor would be helpful, just click on our free, anonymous GriefChat messaging service. This is available by clicking the box located at the bottom-right hand corner of your screen (for mobile users, this will appear as a speech-bubble icon).