After losing her sister to a freak accident on the freeway, Kimberly, 28, a homemaker, talks about how she has learnt to cope with the death of her loved one. If you are in a similar position as Kimberly, we truly feel sorry for your loss. Depending on the situation you are in, here are 5 ways to deal with the death of a loved one.
1. Talk to a close friend/relative
“There is nothing better than a shoulder to cry on during times like these. I was a big mess after the death of my sister but what got me through are my late night talks with my mother. I leaned on her for support and she made sure I got through this in one piece”, said Kimberly. We think talking to someone about your grief and loss is a great way to deal with the death of a loved one. After all, nothing can beat the support and advice of a person close to you, don’t you think?
2. Write and express
A very effective way to deal with the death of a loved one is to write and express your feelings, whether it is in the form of a diary, poem or journals. “I wrote poems about the good times I had spent with my sister which often brought a smile to my face. I think writing helps dealing with grief because it serves as a channel for the outlet of your emotions”, explained Kimberly.
3. Accept that it is okay to feel sad
Whoever said that you need to be a superman or superwoman and simply rough it out while you try to find way to deal with the death of a loved one? That’s not true. We are human beings and it is totally acceptable for us to feel sad and shed a tear or two. “During the aftermath of the death of my sister, I found out that the more I tried to resist feeling sad or resist crying, the more difficult it became for me. I finally learnt to accept sadness and maybe even channel my sadness to a quick emotional outlet in the privacy of my bedroom. Yes, it is okay to cry”, re-affirmed Kimberly.
4. Keep yourself busy
“One of the best ways to deal with the death of a loved one is to start recuperating from the loss by keeping yourself busy. I have realized that the more I occupied myself with activities like reading, household chores, going out to run errands and the usual routine, the lesser was the effect of grief on my mental state”, said Kimberly. We know that you may not feel like getting back to work or occupying yourself with activities immediately after the loss of your loved one. But after a few days, start getting back on track and back to your routine slowly.
5. Get enough rest, sleep and food
In many cases, tragic deaths often leave people restless and unable to sleep which is understandable due to the severe emotional trauma. However, you must understand that getting ample rest, sleep and a healthy diet are your supportive pillars in times of stress. “I was lucky enough not to fall in the trap of sleep deprivation. I’ve heard that lack of sleep can multiply the levels of emotional trauma that people face while trying to learn how to deal with the death of a loved one”, said Kimberly.