Common Strategies Used to Cope With Death

It is only natural to experience grief when a loved one dies. The National Mental Health Association suggests the following ways to cope effectively with the pain:

• Seek out caring people. Find friends and relatives who can understand your feelings of loss or join support groups with others who are experiencing similar losses.


• Express your feelings. Tell others how you are feeling; it will help you to work through the grieving process.


• Take care of your health. Maintain regular contact with your family physician and be sure to eat well and get plenty of rest.


• Accept that life is for the living. It takes effort to begin to live again in the present and not dwell on the past.


• Postpone major life changes. Try to hold off on making any major changes to give yourself time to adjust to your loss.


• Be patient. It can take months or even years to absorb a major loss and accept your changed life.


• Seek outside help when necessary. If your grief seems to be too much to bear, seek professional assistance to help come to terms with your loss and work through your grief.

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