How to Cope with Loss
by Sarah Nevelus, FAU Sophomore | Thursday, Jun 25, 2020
Unfortunately, most–if not all–people will experience grief at least once in their life. Whether it’s
the death of a loved one or someone you’ve never met, the loss of human life is distressing and
difficult to deal with. Grief is an emotional roller-coaster, and the ride isn’t a fun one. Here are 3
tips to help you cope with loss and move through grief.
the death of a loved one or someone you’ve never met, the loss of human life is distressing and
difficult to deal with. Grief is an emotional roller-coaster, and the ride isn’t a fun one. Here are 3
tips to help you cope with loss and move through grief.
1- Allow yourself to feel
Grief is painful and can be very uncomfortable. It’s natural to not want to feel the sadness that
comes with grief, as it’s a human instinct to avoid things that cause pain. Despite this, it is
important to allow yourself to feel whatever emotions come up. You can’t fix what you don’t
acknowledge, so accepting how you’re feeling is the first step in working through it. You may
feel pressure to return to everyday life, but don’t suppress your emotions for the sake of getting
back to work or school sooner. You are allowed to be sad about losing someone special to you,
and it’s important to take the time you need to process what has happened. You may be slower to
process a death than others around you, but that’s okay. It is not a contest to see who can handle
it best. Everything you feel is valid, so don’t beat yourself up for not “moving on” as quickly as
you’d like. Honor the process and take it easy on yourself. Grieving is not forgetting about the
person until you aren’t sad anymore. It's about working through the pain and sadness, and
eventually finding a way to honor that person’s memory.
Grief is painful and can be very uncomfortable. It’s natural to not want to feel the sadness that
comes with grief, as it’s a human instinct to avoid things that cause pain. Despite this, it is
important to allow yourself to feel whatever emotions come up. You can’t fix what you don’t
acknowledge, so accepting how you’re feeling is the first step in working through it. You may
feel pressure to return to everyday life, but don’t suppress your emotions for the sake of getting
back to work or school sooner. You are allowed to be sad about losing someone special to you,
and it’s important to take the time you need to process what has happened. You may be slower to
process a death than others around you, but that’s okay. It is not a contest to see who can handle
it best. Everything you feel is valid, so don’t beat yourself up for not “moving on” as quickly as
you’d like. Honor the process and take it easy on yourself. Grieving is not forgetting about the
person until you aren’t sad anymore. It's about working through the pain and sadness, and
eventually finding a way to honor that person’s memory.
2- Talk it out
It is important to allow yourself to feel the pain of grief, but even more important to talk with
others about what you’re feeling. Talking to trusted family and friends can be beneficial;
however, professional help is always the best option. Keeping emotions bottled up can be very
stressful for the mind and body, and it doesn’t allow you to process the death and move forward.
It’s common to experience a wide range of emotions, and it can be very confusing. Depending on
the situation, you may feel anything from anger and abandonment to sadness and guilt. Talking
openly with others can really help sort out what you're feeling and make sense of the complicated
mix of emotions.
It is important to allow yourself to feel the pain of grief, but even more important to talk with
others about what you’re feeling. Talking to trusted family and friends can be beneficial;
however, professional help is always the best option. Keeping emotions bottled up can be very
stressful for the mind and body, and it doesn’t allow you to process the death and move forward.
It’s common to experience a wide range of emotions, and it can be very confusing. Depending on
the situation, you may feel anything from anger and abandonment to sadness and guilt. Talking
openly with others can really help sort out what you're feeling and make sense of the complicated
mix of emotions.
3- Stay connected
When grieving a loss, it’s easy to feel cut off from those around you who aren’t struggling the
way you are. It can be tempting to isolate yourself, especially if you feel you don’t have the
energy to spend time with others like you once did. You may think that spending time alone is
saving your energy and allowing you to heal; however, social isolation can negatively affect your
When grieving a loss, it’s easy to feel cut off from those around you who aren’t struggling the
way you are. It can be tempting to isolate yourself, especially if you feel you don’t have the
energy to spend time with others like you once did. You may think that spending time alone is
saving your energy and allowing you to heal; however, social isolation can negatively affect your
mental and physical health. It's important to take time for yourself but not to the extent of
neglecting the value of social interaction.
The advice to avoid social isolation may be easier said than done given the current global
pandemic, but there are plenty of ways to stay connected socially while staying physically
distant. Texting, calling, video chats, and group chats are all great ways to keep in touch and
avoid isolation and loneliness. It is so important, now more than ever, to reach out and stay
connected with others. It is important to know that you are not alone.
neglecting the value of social interaction.
The advice to avoid social isolation may be easier said than done given the current global
pandemic, but there are plenty of ways to stay connected socially while staying physically
distant. Texting, calling, video chats, and group chats are all great ways to keep in touch and
avoid isolation and loneliness. It is so important, now more than ever, to reach out and stay
connected with others. It is important to know that you are not alone.
If you’re having a particularly difficult time grieving the loss of a loved one, remember this
quote: "Where there is deep grief, there was great love. Everything you’re feeling is the result of
how much you loved and cared for this person, and that’s a beautiful thing."
quote: "Where there is deep grief, there was great love. Everything you’re feeling is the result of
how much you loved and cared for this person, and that’s a beautiful thing."
When grieving the loss of someone, make sure to allow yourself to feel, talk it out, and stay
connected. Doing these things will ensure that you process the loss effectively and make the
emotional roller-coaster of grief just a little bit smoother.