Losing a person you love is very painful and difficult process to cope with. After losing that significant person in your life, you may start to go through different kinds of complicated and unexpected emotions. These emotions will come out as anger, sadness, guilt, and distress.  You sometimes get the feeling that this is always how you are going to feel moving forward and that the sadness will never go away. Despite the fact that these emotions can be scary and overpowering, these are very typical responses when losing someone you love. Acknowledging these feelings is part of the mourning process and permitting you to experience these feelings is what is essential for how to cope with the loss of a loved one.

There is no scientifically proper way to mourn the loss of a loved one however there are suggested ways to deal with the internal pain. You can and will be able to get past this difficult time in your life! Mourning can be an experience that has the potential to heal the pain that is burning inside of you. It can actually strengthen and enhance life.

Sorrow and sadness is a normal reaction to loss. Our minds are programmed in such a way that when a loved one leaves us we start to go through very emotional times. However we are also programmed to slowly over time accept these losses and move forward with our lives.

Mourning is a very personal experience. The way you mourn has numerous factors to it and will depend on your religion or culture, your style of coping, your character, your life experiences to this present date, and how the loss occurred. To cope with the loss of a loved one takes some time. Emotional healing does not happen overnight. It cannot be rushed as there is no exact “normal” time frame associated with mourning. Some individuals tend to emotionally become more comfortable with the situation in a few weeks. Others take months or sometimes years to fully accept and move on with their lives. However long your mourning experience is, it is imperative that you allow for the process to unfold naturally.

• Denial or Rejection: “This is not happening right now. I must be dreaming”

• Resentment and Rage (Anger) : “Why did this happen to me out of all people ?

• Negotiating With Yourself: “Undo this and I will do __________ in return”

• Sadness and Despair (Depression) : “I don’t want to do anything right now. I am too upset” “What’s the point of anything anymore”

• Recognition or Acceptance: “I am upset, but accept what has happened”

When you’re trying to cope with the loss of a loved one, it’s imperative to try to take good care of your well being. The emotional strain of a loved one passing away can easily drain your energy. Taking care of your emotional and physical wants will aid you in coping with this difficult time.

• Don’t ignore your feelings.

• Articulate your emotions in a physical or artistic way.

• Take care of your physical well being. Be active and keep your body in good shape.

• Do not allow others dictate what or how you should be feeling at this difficult time.

• Prepare for future emotional moments that could arise