How to cope with the loss of a loved one

Everyone grieves differently, but how does one cope with the loss of a loved one or be there for someone grieving?

I feel so dazed and numb, like this is all happening in a movie and not in my life. I feel guilty for feeling relieved that she is gone, as I could not bear to see her go through so much physical pain. I feel like I lost a part of my identity and support. Everything around me reminds me of my mother as if she will suddenly appear from the next room.

Why do bad things always happen to me and my family? Can’t God give us a break? Why do people leave us when we want them the most?

Why did my child have to go before me? There was so much he had to do and see in this world.

Life is so unfair.

Almost all of us have experienced these feelings of shock, numbness, guilt, anger, sadness and fear after losing a loved one. These are natural and normal reactions and are a part of the grieving process. People grieve differently depending upon different coping styles, general outlook on life and other stressors being experienced. In addition, the closer and strongly associated a person is with someone, the greater the grief.

Here are a few things that you need to know about grief in order to cope better with your loss or help a friend and loved one cope:

Some of you may have heard of the five popular stages of grief; denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. However, not everyone goes through all these stages and that too in any particular order.

More than understanding these stages, it is important to understand that the grief and feelings associated with it are more intense right after the loss and is experienced almost all the time. Gradually they start to lose their intensity and may not affect every moment of a person’s life.

Remind yourself that there is no hard and fast rule to how much time a person would take to grieve and how intense their reactions would be. The loss someone experiences is personal and thus grief cannot be generalised.

Everyone does not grieve the same way and similarly everyone does not cope the same way.

Telling someone how they should and should not be feeling does not help. The anger, guilt, sadness and fear is temporary for most and goes away with time. You don’t need to tell them not to feel this way.

Sharing your thoughts and feelings with family and friends who understand you can be the most helpful way of coping with loss. Most people have the need to share the details of the illness/event that led to the death etcetera. People also find it helpful to share memories of their times spent with the person who has departed.

Let your loved ones talk, without interrupting or asking for more details. Listening can be the most useful support that you can give to someone who is grieving.

Avoid blocking your feelings by not talking about them or by keeping yourself busy with other things right after. This does not help you grieve faster.

Men, often due to socialisation and the need to appear strong, find it difficult to open up and share their feelings. Remember that they need to grieve as much as women do. Very young children also grieve. Not talking to children about the loss of a loved one or shielding them away leaves them more confused. Allow them the space to ask questions and let them share their fears and concerns.

Find peace and comfort in your faith. Religious and spiritual beliefs help people find deeper meaning to death and the loss.

Take care of your physical health by eating healthy, exercising and getting enough sleep.

Gradually normalise your routine by doing things that you were previously doing.

Getting back into things that bring to you a sense of purpose can be an extremely useful way of coping. Forming a routine for grieving children or continuing with the former one, also helps bring normalcy to children’s lives. Letting the children know that they would be taken care of after they lose a parent or caregiver, is essential.

Seek professional support, if you:

• feel that the intensity of the feelings is not decreasing with time,


• feel too depressed to do anything,


• feel numb or worthless,


• blame yourself in some way for the loss,


• have difficulty sharing with others or maintaining relationships

There is no right or wrong way to grieve.

There are healthy ways to cope with the pain that, in time, can renew you and let you to move on. The goal of grieving is not to eradicate all the pain or the memories of the loss, but for you to cherish and remember the memories of your loved one and use those memories to move on, while understanding the universal rule of life that,

‘Nothing is permanent, not even us’.

As John Green said in his novel, The Fault in Our Stars,

“Grief does not change you. It reveals you.”