Moving Forward with Life after Losing a Loved One
I’m Ed Smith, a wrongful death lawyer in Sacramento. When a loved one passes away, you may feel as though a part of you has died too. You may feel grief-stricken and alone. Moving on from such a traumatic experience is never easy. Although there’s no timetable for grief, the length of time it will take for you to move on depends on how you’re coping with the loss. Allowing yourself to grieve openly and in stages, will make it easier to deal with your loved one’s death.
Grief after the Funeral
The period immediately after the funeral can be tough. While you may feel connected with family and friends during the funeral and burial ceremonies, you may begin to feel a profound sense of loss once the funeral is over with. You may begin to realize that you will have to face life without your loved one, return to work or go back to your regular routine. Some days will be harder than others. However, you need to do what feels right for you. Though returning to work may not be a choice, you do have an option when it comes to socializing with your friends. Don’t feel guilty about declining their invitations. They will understand.
Handling Grief Differently
Know that there are different stages of grief and you may go through them differently than the rest of your family and friends. Don’t compare how you’re feeling to how others are feeling. Everyone’s grief is unique and personal. Give yourself plenty of time to go through each stage of grief at your own pace. Don’t feel ashamed by your sadness and don’t feel pressure to get over it.
Accepting the Loss
There’s no easy way to accept the loss of your loved one. However, you will need to overcome the denial process and accept that your loved one is never coming back. Attending the ceremonies, viewing the body and visiting the burial site is the first step. It will also be helpful to talk about your loved one often. Share stories and special memories with those who knew the deceased. Don’t be afraid to discuss the circumstances surrounding your loved one’s death. Ease into the process of coming to terms with your loss. Eventually start making plans to move on with your life when you are able.
Experiencing the Pain of Grief
Grief is heartbreaking. You may try to soothe the pain with alcohol or drugs. You may even keep your emotions bottled up. However, it is not healthy. You won’t be able to move on with life if you don’t allow yourself to feel the pain. You may want to let yourself experience the grieving process and move through every stage of grief. There’s no easy way to make grief any less painful. Looking at grief in a positive light may be helpful. Remember that through each stage of the grief cycle you enter into, you are one step closer to feeling better.
Adjusting to Life
Adjusting to your new life without the person is one of the most challenging things to do, primarily if it was a sudden or traumatic death. This is particularly true if the person was a spouse. Your finances and household responsibilities will need to be sorted out.
Refocus your energy while you are trying to acclimate to life without your loved one. Volunteer at a charitable organization, plant a tree in his or her honor, spend more time with other family members. No matter what you decide to do, live your life afresh by remembering your loved one fondly.
Moving On
Moving on without your loved one will take one day at a time. It may take months or even years before you feel back to your usual self. Don’t apologize if you are moving slow, you are entitled to move at your own pace. You will heal, move on and be stronger. One day you will look back on the experience you’ve shared with your loved one with warm and loving memories instead of sadness and grief.
Watch YouTube Video: The Grieving Process with Dr. Sean. In this video, Dr. Sean Richardson provides tips on how to manage and get through the grieving process.
Sacramento Wrongful Death Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a wrongful death lawyer in Sacramento. Grief is a natural response when someone you love passes away. If you’ve lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, please call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly and compassionate legal advice.
I’ve assisted numerous residents in Sacramento and throughout Northern California for the past 36 years with many personal injury and wrongful death cases.
I am a member of the Million Dollar Forum.
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