Coping skills to help in healing

If you are faced with a sudden loss, the following suggestions may help heal the pain:

Talk with people who understand and with those you trust. An informal support group of family members and friends might help. Expressing your feelings will help you to heal. Organized support groups also let you know you are not alone.

Rituals and traditions are important. Hold a funeral or other type of commemorative activity for the deceased. Holidays, birthdays and anniversaries are particularly difficult times. It is not necessary to replicate traditions that defined the person; you might have to redefine them, but some sort of tradition offers a sense of stability and helps to regain predictability in life.

Maintain your social support system.

Try to maintain a daily routine.

Get plenty of sleep, eat a balanced diet and exercise. These are often habits that fall by the wayside during grief. However, part of recovery is staying active, functional and taking care of yourself. It is possible to continue these activities even if you don't feel like it. Sometimes, if you act as if you are feeling better than you are, your heart and head will follow.