Helping Someone with Grief and Loss Helping Someone with Grief and Loss Speaking to someone who is grieving can be difficult. Quite often, you never know what to say, even if they are a close family member or good friend. You may be frightened of saying the wrong thing.
This month’s blog at C.R. Low Funeral Directors looks at how you can support someone after a loss. For further information, call us in Selkirk on 01750 21259 .
Acknowledge the Loss It is understandable to feel uncomfortable about the subject of death. However, staying silent or avoiding contact after a bereavement can make an individual feel isolated.
Reaching out to a bereaved person lets them know that you are available to talk and listen.
Give Them Space When a person is grieving, they may not want to spend lots of time around others or respond to messages. It is worth letting them know that they can respond whenever they feel like it and that you are thinking of them.
Adapting to life after a loss can take time and people need space to process it.
Talk About the Deceased When someone dies, it can feel like they have been erased from a person’s memories. Although you may fear that talking about the dead may bring up painful feelings, it can bring comfort.
Many people appreciate the opportunity to talk about the memory of a loved one rather than bottle it up.
There is No Wrong Way to Grieve Grief can be an emotional rollercoaster with many unpredictable highs and lows. Everyone grieves differently. Some may swing between grieving and getting on with life. Avoid telling your loved one what they should be feeling or doing.
Help them Seek Additional Support It can be difficult supporting someone who is suffering from bereavement. So, it may be worth exploring additional support. If they are ready or interested, help the individual explore additional options such as:
At a Loss
Cruse Bereavement Care
The Good Grief Trust
Be Patient In the first few weeks after a death, the individual may have many things to sort out. There is no time limit on grieving, and they may need to talk about their loss for many months afterwards. It may be especially difficult on certain dates/anniversaries.
Bereaved people experience many different emotions which can make it difficult to be around them. Try not to take any anger or upset personally.
Contact Us For more information about helping someone cope with grief and bereavement, contact C.R. Low Funeral Directors. Call us in Selkirk on 01750 21259 . Alternatively, you can fill out our contact form and we will respond promptly.