Dealing With Sudden Bereavement - An Empathetic Guide
When dealing with sudden bereavement, it’s easy to feel lost and as if you don’t know where to turn. The shock of unexpected circumstances can leave you reeling, and this makes it harder to put plans into action. However, it’s also true that decisions have to be made, and so by leaning on all the support you can, taking those first few steps can be done.
However, it’s important to remember that forcing yourself to feel or act a certain way is not always healthy, and you’re not “wrong” for feeling the way you do. What matters is learning the best steps to take despite that, giving you a goal to focus on, and a means of seeking some form of closure.
In this post, we’ll discuss some essential tips for dealing with sudden bereavement. We hope the following advice can help you:
Take It A Day At A Time
At a time like this, it’s hard to know where to start. This is why taking it a day at a time is important. Note that your “processing” of the event won’t happen at a schedule that suits you, but if you keep a routine as well as you can, you can at least tend to yourself, eat enough, spend time with loved ones, and yes, rest properly, instead of never leaving your bed. Going for walks, talking with your loved ones, being kind to yourself, all that comes on a daily basis. Don’t rush yourself, but let yourself breathe, without isolating away from everyone. This can be hard to do, but it will help you feel so much better.
There’s No “Perfect Response”
At a time like this it’s easy to think you have to feel A, B and C, but reactions to issues like this can be strained and unpredictable. For exmaple, some people might be surprised to feel little outside of basic sadness, worrying if they didn’t care about the person or the situation at hand enough. But this might just be shock, and you may need a few weeks or more to slowly settle enough to begin processing what has happened. That’s entirely natural. If you feel that something is wrong, absolutely reach out to your doctor or counselor for help. But remember, just because you’re not responding “perfectly,” it doesn’t mean you’re not responding naturally.
Get The Process Started
One of the more difficult issues regarding bereavement, aside from the loss of your loved one of course, is that there are a fair amount of tasks you need to organize after the fact. The funeral arrangements take time to put into place but must be planned with care, as might arranging for a memorial. You may even need to put in a claim for life insurance, negotiate the payout with their place of employment, or file a fatal car accident claim to ensure you get exactly what you’re entitled to for such a difficult outcome. WIth a little help from family and friends, taking this step by step, and day by day can help you get the “organization” out of the way, and instead start seeking closure.
With this advice, you’re sure to deal with sudden bereavement in the healthiest manner.
