Essential Coping Tools When Dealing With Loss

After the loss of a loved one, you may feel like your whole life is turned upside down. And after dealing with funeral arrangements and families coming in from out of town, it can be hard to pick up the pieces. Coping with a loss is never easy, but there are some simple strategies that can help you take a step forward through your grief. This article will discuss some practical coping tools that those dealing with grief find helpful.

Self-Care is Important

It is easy to let our own care slip when there is so much on your plate. Self-care doesn’t just mean spa days and treating yourself to something nice (although, this can help sometimes). Ultimately, you need to provide care for yourself. Make sure that you are eating, bathing, and overall just taking care of yourself in general. Drink water. While comfort foods can be helpful during this time, be sure to eat a few nutritious meals too. Grief and stress put a lot of strain on your body, so take care of it.

Disassociation is Normal

It is common for grieving individuals to lose focus, be forgetful, and disassociate. This is all normal. Understanding that it happens, and forgiving yourself when it does, is a part of working through your grief. Ultimately, it is important to recognize when you are having these moments and navigate through them safely. If you are finding it hard to focus, consider calling a ride-share or asking someone else to drive.

Humor as a Coping Mechanism

Humor can be a good way to work through emotions. It may be hard to be in a light-hearted mood while you are grieving, but comedy can lift your spirits. Try watching your favorite funny movie, or a comedy special. You aren’t trying to dismiss your grief, but rather find positive emotions among the wreckage. 
Additionally, sharing funny stories and memories of the loved one you lost can be a good way to embrace humor. Happy memories can be healing.

Getting Active

Let’s face it. For most people, it's hard enough to hit the gym when we aren’t feeling grief. But exercising, in almost any form, is a good way to make us feel better. When you get active, your brain releases endorphins that make you feel better. Exercising is also a form of self-care. So whether you do a few yoga poses, go for a run, or pump some iron, moving your body can be an important tool in coping with loss while caring for your body. 

Talk to Someone

Reaching out and talking about your feelings can be a great way to work through your emotions. Try talking with a close friend or family member that you can trust. Additionally, you may want to consider looking into professional assistance. A grief counselor or therapist may be able to help you work through your grief. Also, grief support groups may be helpful to you. Most grief support groups bring together others in your community experiencing loss and guide them through discussions designed to help you all work through your emotions in a safe manner. 

The author of this post is not a professional therapist or counselor. For assistance in finding a grief counselor that is right for you, there are a number of resources out there. For our Grief Resource Center, written by Dr. Bill Webster, click here. 
For over 50 years, Matthew Funeral Home has been serving the Staten Island community. We can help with almost every aspect of your loved one’s memorial service. Our family is here to serve yours, every step of the way.