Best Ways to Deal with grief

Don’t ever think that you have an image to maintain by being strong and self-sufficient. Now is a good time to lean on your friends or family for support, and they will be more than willing to get you through this rough patch.

It’s common for grieving people to push people away. But instead, you should draw them closer and spend as much time in their presence as you can. When they offer support, take it. Let them if you need help with arranging the funeral or just a shoulder to cry on. You don’t have to do it alone.

Talking to people is another great way to deal with grief. A lot of times, we feel sad just because we weren't able to vent to someone and get the closure we need. Getting things off your chest is highly underrated, and it could do wonders for your mood and really just change the way you were approaching the loss. If the person is someone who is facing the same grief, it's even better. It gives you a chance to think out loud and maybe get some help, or offer help, to the person listening.

If your grief doesn’t seem to go away or if you develop symptoms that resemble clinical depression, speak to a mental health professional or a grief counselor right away.

If you are not sure about when you should go forward with this, here is when:

· If you wish you had died with the person you lost.

· If you feel that life is not worth living anymore.

· If you keep blaming yourself for the loss of the person, or for the failure of preventing it.

· If you are finding it difficult to place trust in others since your loss.

· If you feel disconnected from your friends and family for more than a few weeks.

· If you find yourself unable to carry out your daily activities normally.

Crying is a form of mourning, and it isn't, by any means, synonymous with being weak. Crying proves nothing other than the fact that you're having difficulty dealing with whatever is going on. Moreover, it's a normal response to sadness, and you're not the only one in the world who is going through that. Do not think that crying means you're weaker than others. Similarly, if you aren't crying, this doesn't mean you're not in grief. People have lots of different ways of grieving their loss. Not crying may be one of them.

If somebody is advising you to “get over it” or “move on”, don’t pay any heed. Don’t run away from your feelings based on someone else’s words. Feel whatever you are feeling without judging yourself. It is okay to be angry or cry your eyes out. On the contrary, it is okay to have a chuckle if it feels natural. Let your feelings flow without any regulation. 

There's a pretty common misconception that you should distract yourself and make sure that you don't have the free time to think about whatever is bothering you. Does that give you momentary happiness? Yes. Definitely. However, this is extremely tasking for your emotional well-being. For actual progress and healing, you need to grief properly before you're able to move away. Either you take it in small doses over the course of the next year (or more than a few years even), or deal with it immediately and get back on your feet in a few days.

Almost all religions have a mourning ritual that you can draw comfort from. Resort to spiritual activities that you find meaningful, like going to church, meditating, or praying. If an event has led you to question your faith, speak to a clergy member or any other person in your religious community and seek their input.