Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult events you can experience. Understanding grief and learning how to cope can help you heal and move forward with your life as you honor the person you miss.

Grief is what you feel when you lose someone or something dear to you. How long you grieve depends on the closeness of the relationship, whether the loss was sudden or expected and the nature of the bond.

When you grieve, you often have intense and enduring feelings of disbelief, shock, despair, sadness and guilt that can be hard to deal with. Even so, these feelings are a normal part of healing. Experiencing them will allow you to move on with your life.

Support

Support is important to healing. Mourning, the public side of grief that varies from culture to culture, is a vital source of support. Regardless of the ritual, mourning provides an accepted way to recognize the death of a loved one. It also helps you say goodbye in a public ceremony that honors the person and gives family members ongoing support and sympathy.

Other sources of support are:

• Close friends
• Grief counselors and social workers
• Grief support groups
• Other family members
• Psychotherapists
• Your faith community

Healing From Grief

It’s important to take care of yourself when you are grieving. You should make every effort to:

• Eat a healthy diet.
• Exercise regularly.
• Get enough sleep.
• Maintain your normal routine.

Some people find that creating a meaningful memorial in the person’s honor is helpful. For example, fund a scholarship program or give a gift to a charity or an aid fund in the person’s name.

Resist the urge to numb the pain with alcohol or drugs. This can delay healing and lead to further problems.

Finally, be patient with yourself. There's no universal timetable for grief.

Professional Help

While grief is similar to depression, clinical depression is a psychological disorder. Grief is a normal response to loss, but grief can lead to depression.

Contact your healthcare provider right away if your symptoms last for more than one year after a major loss or if you have resorted to drugs or alcohol to cope with the loss.

Call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Line at 988 if you have thoughts of suicide.