5 Ways of Handling Grief

The loss of someone close to us brings about sadness beyond words and expression. Most people fall deep into grieving that they forget about the living ones who depend on them.

Though each of us is unique and have our own ways of coping, here are the five (5) general ways and proven effective means of dealing with grief:

G - Give yourself away. Look for a place where you can be of great help. Charitable institutions, home for the aged, and home for the orphans are just of the many places to go to. Divert your attention on the needs of others. Focusing on other people’s concerns will do wonders on your grieving heart.

R - Revisit old hobbies. The suppressed feelings of hurt within you might explode anytime soon at inappropriate places. You wouldn’t want that to happen, would you? These mixed feelings of anger, hurt and loneliness may very well manifest themselves on great works of art (just go splashing that brush on an empty canvass). Or maybe it’s been quite awhile since you’ve practiced that butterfly stroke on a pool with friends (or alone). It’s a good therapeutic exercise to go back and revisit these old hobbies to let go of those unwanted energies.

I – Itemize or list down the things which remind you of your late loved one. It is not good for your mind and heart to still be looking at some pictures of you and him together (over and over again) at the moment. Keepsakes are good but not if it becomes a symbol of you hoping against all odds that he just might walk right up to you and tell you he’s well and alive. We humans understandably love holding on to what little hope we find.

E – Engage in spiritual activities. This is the best time to rekindle that spiritual fire in you. Go back to Him and you’ll see how fast you’ll heal in many miraculous ways. No matter what or who you believe in, go back and simply get in touch with your spiritual side.

F – Find a support group. Nothing beats a hug, a kiss, a tap on the shoulder or words of courage and strength given by people who love you. There’s still nothing like the human touch. This is basically the reason why most people who go through depression are advised to see a doctor or psychiatrist to help treat them the human way.There is no given time frame when you should be actively finding a way to move on. You may do so after the funeral, or after the memorial service or years after that. Don’t rush it. You’ll know when you’re ready.