How to Get Through the First Couple of Weeks After a Death

When a death of a loved one occurs you experience a sense of shock or numbness. It is as if you’re in disbelief that this has actually happened. Right after a loved one has died there are many different factors that need to be thought about and organized, such as the funeral, family gatherings, cooking, etc. The bustle and business will keep your mind busy for a short period of time, although when you go back to living life afterward, normal may feel out of hands reach and impossible to achieve. Life will not be as it was before. You will have many trials and tribulations as you begin to cope with your loss.

For many of your friends or your loved one’s acquaintances, the funeral and the service are where the grieving process ends for them. Depending on the relationship shared with the deceased, most will continue on with life, kids, career, and other things. Where does that leave you? What do you do once the funeral has passed and you are still grieving and experiencing a great amount of pain?

Here a few tips to help you get through the first couple of weeks after a death:

Patience: The emotions you are feeling are very real and you need to be patient with yourself. This is a process of working through these emotions and the pain that follow a death. You may experience different emotions such as loss of sleep or appetite, anger, fear, guilt, or even nightmares. Realizing that your family may be going through these same emotions, it is important to reach out for support during these trying times and also offer your support in return. You may also reach out to a close personal friend for support as well.

Have a Plan: There may be other tasks that need to be done after the funeral and service such as the working through the details of the will or insurance claims. Also, sorting through personal items of the deceased or dealing with financials. Planning what needs to be done and what may be able to wait. Organizing an action plan to get these things taken care of will help deal with the important items. Grieving is an ongoing process and it goes by the pace of the individual. Some days may be better than others and other days may feel that it is impossible to get through. There will be moments where certain things happen that bring up memories of your loved one so just remember to take it one day at a time. Every day is a new day to learn how to cope and manage with your loss.

Over time you will have the confrontation with the loss and come to a healthy acceptance where you are able to return to a routine close to what you had before. There is no doubt your loved one will always have a place in your heart and mind but over time the thought of them will become easier and will be a warming memory. Remember to give yourself time and be patient with your grieving process. If you would like to ask any questions or discuss further on this topic, you can contact, Arbutus Funeral Service, here.