6 Simple ways of trying to cope with grief

Grief can take several forms and is usually a major life event such as death of a loved one, relationship breakdown or coping with the news of serious illness.

  1. FACE YOUR FEELINGS BECAUSE GRIEF IS NATURAL: Allow yourself time to grieve and don’t try to hide your feelings.   It is often the case that people keep busy and try not to think about the loss as a way of coping with painful feelings, but this can be counter productive.
  1. TALK ABOUT IT: Your natural support network will be your family and friends who understand your sadness. Sharing heavy feelings has a way of uniting us together as we try to come to terms with life changing events.  Support groups are also available where you can meet like minded people and share your experiences.
  1. LOOK AFTER YOURSELF: It is important avoid dependency on drugs, alcohol, over-eating etc. as they only serve as a block. In general, medication is not recommended either, unless of course, the grief becomes over-whelming or unmanageable over a prolonged period of time. Your G.P will be able to discuss this with you further.
  1. TAKE SMALL STEPS: Just getting out in the fresh air will help to relieve your heavy feelings. Take baby steps to help you through the days ahead. Try to eat and sleep well and be kind to yourself. Remember that crying is a natural response and reminds us that we are expressing our sadness and slowly healing our emotional pain.
  1. SPIRITUAL BELIEFS:   In times of crisis, when we are looking for answers, we often turn to the broader picture in terms of our spiritual or religious beliefs. Praying, meditation or simply finding the God within may help ease our pain. Some people turn away from their beliefs as they find it difficult to come to terms with life changing events. Whatever your beliefs, it is important to remind ourselves that we are not just a mind or a body, we are mind, body and spirit and looking at our spiritual side will be an comforting and illuminating experience.
  1. COUNSELLING THERAPY: Seeking help from a professional therapist will help you understand your thoughts and feelings and will support you through the process. Line-Link Counselling Services is here for just that. Gentle and sensitive counselling will help you come to terms with any form of grief and slowly you will be able to move forward on your life journey with confidence, once again.