Grief is the overwhelming sadness and pain and sometimes mourning which follows a loss. While losing someone or something you love is an inevitable aspect of life, it’s still among the most painful experiences you’ll ever endure.
Undoubtedly, death hurts, whether a friend, spouse, colleague, parent, child, or pet. Thus, finding support or counseling is always recommendable.
Losing a Spouse
In addition to the emotional burden of loss, losing a spouse typically involves addressing practical considerations such as burial arrangements. You may need to explain your spouse’s passing to your children and console them as you grieve.
Losing a companion also entails grieving your lifestyle habits, shared history, and planned future. You may feel lonely, hopeless, and anxious. You may also feel guilty for not protecting them enough or upset that they left.
It may be challenging, and for some, it requires rebuilding their lives from scratch. And although social support may help, every person grieves differently. And a transition from one grieving stage to the next isn’t always guaranteed. And so, while the hurt and pain may subside quickly in others, other people may have to deal with the grief for years.
Losing a Pet
In some cases, the loss of a pet can be as painful as the loss of a person. And so, don’t hold back; actively mourning helps you move on to a path towards reconciling with that loss.
HomeHeart Vets which offers at home euthanasia in Boston understands that bidding farewell to your beloved is difficult and thus helps “clients give their pets a peaceful end-of-life experience from the comfort of home surrounded by love.”
In-home pet euthanasia is beneficial since it helps your pet transition easily – not in a stressful environment like the vet clinic. It also provides the opportunity to say goodbye together; your family and friends may come over to comfort you as your pet is put to sleep.
Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that some people may not understand your pain. For instance, some well-meaning relatives and friends may think that you shouldn’t mourn or grieve too much, saying that “it’s just a dog.” That’s why it’s crucial to find grief counseling if necessary.
Parental loss
Losing a parent may be stressful for young children. The passing of the person you relied on, the individual who loved you unreservedly, can rock your life to its roots and leave a hole. It is normal for young children to punish themselves for a parent’s passing, thereby prolonging their grief.
Losing a parent as an adult can also be traumatic. It’s easy to feel adrift and relive childhood insecurities. Even if your parent lived a long and fruitful life, their death could make you think about your own. And if you lost both parents at a tender age, you might feel like part of the older adult generation with no parents, thus lamenting your youth.
And on the other hand, if your parent was abusive, their passing can leave you with confusing emotions.
Child Loss
Child loss is always traumatic. You’re losing your loved one and the years of promise, goals, and dreams. And so, the grief can be overwhelming and the bereavement process challenging to navigate.
Generally, parents feel responsible for their child’s health and safety; thus, guilt can be overpowering. And an extra weight of injustice can arise when you lose your child through miscarriage or as a toddler. It’s abnormal for parents to outlive their children, making accepting their death more challenging.
Losing a kid can also affect your connection with your spouse and make parenting the surviving kids emotionally challenging.
Friendship loss
Friendships bring happiness, understanding, and companionship. They’re crucial to our health and well-being; therefore, it’s justifiable to deeply mourn their departure.
When a close friend dies, it’s easy to feel ignored. Those around you may not accord the same weight to your friendship. This implies that they might downplay your loss, or such loss may seem trivial compared to a family member’s loss. This can lead to disenfranchised sorrow; when you feel intensely condemned or ostracized for handling the loss.
Find Support
A loss, be it of a pet, loved one, or close friend hurts. And so, grieving is inevitable. Please don’t go through it alone. Reach out and find the best support to lessen the pain and shorten the grieving process.
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
