Dealing With Grief.
The title suggests that I am here to teach people how to deal with grief, well am not. And don’t get me wrong, no one is really a genius when it comes to matters of the heart (even the best ones out there get heartbroken all the time). I decided to write this piece just to encourage those going through the loss of a loved one and to tell them there is light at the end of the tunnel.
No one is really prepared for the part of life where you lose people when growing up. My mother died in 2020, following the breakout of Covid 19. I lost my father a year later, so grief is something I’ve had to deal with on my own. The road to recovery is difficult; don’t let anyone tell you to toughen up or move on; it’s going to take time.
When dealing with grief, there are five stages that I will discuss with you.
Denial
At this stage, part of you doesn’t accept the loss of your loved one. Most times one may not show signs of being emotional and this is because they still haven’t come to terms with the bitter fact of losing someone. Sometimes, one will feel lost like they just had a bad dream which they will be hoping to wake up from.
Anger
As reality begins to set in, so does the rage. You should be extremely patient with someone who is going through this stage. They are going to be on the edge by the slightest provocation. Be there for them when this happens, as it will. Such people must be shown love rather than judged.
Bargaining
After going through the first two stages, one realizes that denial and anger do not produce the desired results. At this point, one may begin to have irrational thoughts and even wonder if their loved one would still be alive if they had done something different..
Depression
Depression sets in after bargaining with oneself and realizing that nothing could be done to change what had happened. One may choose to remain silent, drown themselves in drugs, or become reckless. As I previously stated, matters of the heart can be tricky at times, and there may not be a specific solution to assist a person at this stage.
Acceptance
Someone eventually accepts to live with the loss of a loved one at this point. There could also be a significant improvement in both mental and physical health.
Those left behind experience a great deal of emotional pain and suffering after a tragedy strikes. No one is really built to deal with loss, but when it happens, we need people we can rely on to support us while we grieve. It may take a year, two years, or even twenty years, but it is my hope that all those going through grief will one day find peace.
