The loss of a family member isn’t something we like to think about but at some point, it’s going to happen to all of us. It’s always going to be a difficult period and for a while, it’s going to feel like you’ll never get over it. It’s important to remember that, while you’ll always miss that person, there will come a point when you come to terms with it and you can move on with your life. Until then, things are going to be rough. These are some ways that you can help ease some of the pain during that period.
Express Yourself
This is the most important thing to remember because if you keep all of those negative feelings bottled up, you’ll only feel worse. Talking to friends and family members about it is the only way you can release some of that stress and start to come to terms with that loss. Don’t feel pressured to talk about it right away, it’s natural to avoid the topic for a while. However, make sure that, when you’re ready, you express those feelings.
Sort Out The Will
When you’ve just lost a family member the idea of going through all of their stuff and dividing up their assets is probably the last thing on your mind, but it can be a big help. Get legal advice from somewhere like Hunter Street Chambers to deal with the paperwork side of things so you and your family can focus on dealing with all of their possessions. Although you might think it’s the last thing you should be doing, it can actually be quite therapeutic to go through all of that person’s belongings. It serves as a reminder of the full life that they had and helps you to put things into perspective a bit more.
Avoid Alcohol
Having the odd drink to alleviate stress isn’t a huge problem but when it comes to dealing with loss, it’s not a good idea. If you start turning to alcohol every time you’re feeling down, it will become a crutch and you risk developing a dependence. It also doesn’t help you work through any of those feelings, it just stifles them. When you wake up the next morning you’ll feel just as bad as you did before. Trying to run from your emotions is not the way forward, you need to tackle them head on and work through them.
Maintain A Routine
All of your day to day tasks will be completely irrelevant to you in the face of a family loss but it’s vital that you try to maintain your normal routine as far as possible. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself sat at home thinking about it constantly. It’s not healthy to ignore your feelings completely but it’s also not a good idea to sit around doing nothing and thinking about it all day long. Getting out of the house and doing something productive will make you feel a whole lot better. It’s also vital that you carry on eating well and don’t resort to eating snack food all of the time because this will affect your mood as well.
The loss of a family member is never going to be easy but it’s important to remember that you need to express your feelings and try to get on with life as much as possible.
