Wednesday, April 15th, 2009...8:50 pm

Traditional Methods for Coping with Grief

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Traditional methods are based on the perspective that you cannot release emotions, nor heal from grief. They stress that you never fully get over the loss of your loved one. Instead, they provide excellent support for dealing with the symptoms of grief.

 

Complicated Grief

If the pain of the loss is so constant and severe that it keeps you from resuming your life, you may be suffering from a condition known as complicated grief. Complicated grief is when people are stuck in an intense state of mourning. You may have trouble accepting the death long after it has occurred or be so preoccupied with the person who died that it disrupts your daily routine and undermines your other relationships.

Symptoms of complicated grief include

  • Intense longing and yearning for the deceased
  • Intrusive thoughts or images of your loved one
  • Denial of the death or sense of disbelief
  • Inability to cope with everyday life
  • Continued emotional distress
  • Avoiding things that remind you of your loved one
  • Extreme anger or bitterness over the loss
  • Feeling that life is empty or meaningless
“If it’s been several months or more since your loss and your emotions remain so intense or debilitating that you have trouble going about your normal routine, consider talking to your health care provider.”
The Mayo Clinic

“Complicated grief treatment hasn’t been standardized because mental health providers are still learning about the condition. Research studies testing various types of treatment have had mixed results. That isn’t to say that treatment isn’t helpful, though. More study is needed to help determine which treatment options may be best for complicated grief.”
Source: Mayo Clinic

 

Coping with Grief and Loss

The traditional view states that the single most important factor in healing from loss is having the support of other people, expressing and sharing your feelings. “Connecting with others will help you heal.”

The focus is on acceptance, building hope, learning coping strategies, and joining a support group or undergoing therapy – as there is no traditionally accepted or defined grieving process.

However:

 Accepting

By accepting that you will never fully overcome and heal from this loss, you are more likely to accept that you will always live with this pain.

 Hope

The words “time heals all wounds” and “it will feel better in time” gives mourners hope that this will pass if they just stay strong and wait.

 Coping

Coping methods are freely shared because grief is viewed as something to deal with, rather than recover from.
 
Some of the more common misconceptions involve “try not to think about it”, “do something to distract yourself”, “expect to feel emotional as it is normal”, “talk about your grief”, “search for meaning”, “join a support group where everyone talks about their sadness”, “stop dwelling on the past”, “be patient
- it can take months or years”, “accept the loss – which doesn’t mean that it doesn’t still hurt.”

While many forms of support are used and do help certain individuals, little scientific research has shown clear benefits for any particular approach.

 Counseling

This is based on discussing your Emotions of Grief with professional psychologists, psychiatrists, or counselors – including why these feelings occur and what you can do to reduce and manage the symptoms.

 

You might also like:


A Fresh Perspective
of Grief


How To Heal Your Loss


The Emotions of Grief


Myths and Realities of Grief


Help A Friend Who Is Grieving

 

A Fresh Perspective of Grief and Loss
Traditional Methods for Coping with Grief
Emotions and Grief
About Loss
How To Heal Your Loss
Free Podcast: Loss of a Loved One
Understand Your Emotions of Grief
The Myths and Realities of Grief
How Can I Help A Friend Who Is Grieving?
The Emotional Stages of Grief

 

 

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