One of the most painful things anyone can go through in their lives is losing a loved one. There’s no easy way to part and say goodbye to the people you love. The thought of adjusting to the new reality without them can be unbearable and sometimes even seemingly impossible. So, people end up grieving for weeks, months, or even years.
The grieving process is different for every person. Some may move on after months, while others have to grieve for years before they eventually move on. People can also experience grief at random times. For instance, there may be days when you feel shattered and lonely inside, and the next day you feel at peace about the fact that death is inevitable. Overall, each person has their own way of handling the process of grief. Here is urn.
How To Cope With Bereavement Depression?
When a person experiences bereavement, it’s normal for them to lose their appetite, deprive themselves of sleep, and neglect their own needs. After a few days or weeks, they’ll slowly learn to live life without the person they lost. But when these unhealthy habits continue for months and years, that person may be at risk of depression or is already suffering from depression. Depression can happen if you don’t take care of your needs and you’ve isolated yourself for a very long time.
While there’s no perfect formula to ease the pain of losing a loved one, there are ways you can cope with your grief and better manage your depression. Here are five ways you can cope with bereavement depression:
1. Accept Loneliness But Never Isolate Too Much
Feeling lonely is completely normal when you’re grieving, especially if you recently lost someone who’s dearly close to you. To overcome this loneliness, don’t be afraid to reach out to your family and other people you trust. You can vent out your sadness and let them comfort you. As much as you want to be alone on some days, make sure to never isolate yourself too much for a very long time.
If you believe keeping your loved one’s remains will help you cope with your grief and accept the loneliness you’re feeling, it may be a good idea to have your loved one cremated, put their ashes in a special urn, and keep it at home. Funeral services like Hathaway Funeral Directors and others can provide you beautiful urns for free as part of their services. Once you have the urn, you may dedicate a space for it in your home. This will make you feel that your loved one is still with you and hopefully help you cope with loneliness.
2. Set Small Goals
It’s hard to focus on doing anything while you’re grieving and depressed. To avoid overwhelming yourself, start each day by listing down small and easy goals you can achieve during the day or week. The more goals you complete, the more you’ll feel self-fulfillment and find that sense of purpose and meaning in your life again. Small goals can be as simple as taking your dog out for a quick walk, completing easy household chores, or finishing one chapter of your favorite book.
3. Strive To Get Enough Sleep
When you’re grieving, sleep is almost impossible. There will be plenty of sleepless nights as you constantly overthink and look back on your memories with the person you lost. However, depriving yourself of sleep for weeks, months, or even years can lead to or worsen your depression. Thus, as much as possible, strive to get enough sleep every night. You can slowly get back to your old nighttime routine and sleeping schedule.
If your old bedtime routine reminds you of your lost loved one, work on creating a new bedtime routine that may help you cope with grief and avoid depression. Just keep in mind that it’s vital to let yourself rest physically and emotionally.
4. Be Patient With Yourself
When you’re depressed and grieving, these emotions can sometimes influence you to do certain things or make major life decisions. As much as possible, never let yourself be ruled by your emotions and avoid making huge decisions right away. Remember that you’re not in your best mental and emotional state to think clearly and decide wisely. So, exercise caution and be patient with yourself. Let yourself go through the grieving process instead of pressuring yourself to keep it together right away.
5. Maintain Your Hobbies
Going back to the activities that used to bring you joy before your loved one’s death can help aid you through the grieving process and help you cope with depression. As you go back to your old hobbies, you may feel a sense of comfort as you start doing familiar things again. Meanwhile, if some activities remind you of the person you lost, you’re always free to try out new hobbies as a way of starting over again.
Endnote
Grieving for your loss is completely normal. Just remember these tips and prioritize taking care of yourself to avoid spiraling into depression. Allow yourself go through the natural grieving process, but remember to find the courage to accept and make peace with your loss.
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