Seeing a grieving loved one can be very difficult to bear. Sometimes you wish you can take away her pain and endure it for her. You sometimes feel helpless especially if your loved one lost someone very close and special. Supporting a grieving loved one is one way you can truly show how important she is to you. This is an opportunity for you to show your sincerity and genuineness because this is the time when your loved one really needs your help. Grieving is a complicated emotion that takes a lot of understanding and tolerance. To make it easier on your part to extend support for a grieving loved one, it's better to understand what she is going through.
It really helps if you have a knowledge about the phases and stage of grieving. The first the denial stage, this is when you loved denies the loss. For instance, if your girlfriend is suffering from the loss of her mother and is used to prepare breakfast for her, in denial phase, your girlfriend will continue to cook her mom's favorite meal.
Denial is the brains way of coping with a traumatic situation. The next is anger- this is when your girlfriend will feel so much anger at herself and for her mom for leaving. After anger, the next stage is bargaining, usually bargaining happens before the loss.Your girlfriend may want to bargain from the Almighty Above to take her mother's place. After bargaining, the dark stage of depression begins. In depression, this when she feels hopeless, powerless, bitterness, frustration, pathetic and sometimes suicidal, this stage should be monitored carefully. When she has recovered from this stage, the next stage is acceptance. This is when she has accepted the loss of losing someone and cherishes the fond memories of the deceased person. In supporting your grieving loved one, it's essential that you let your presence felt. Just be around and reachable whenever she needs you. Aside from letting your presence felt, you should learn to listen to her.
Grieving people sometimes have so many unanswered questions about death and life. These questions can sometimes make you feel uncomfortable. If you don't know what to say just keep silent and give a hug, a peck on the cheeks or squeezing the hands can say a lot more than talking. In supporting a grieving loved one, voluntarily offering help can ease her life. If you're going out for groceries, volunteer to do her groceries, volunteer to help with the chores and if she has children, volunteer to look out for them. In helping a grieving loved one, it's important to express your true concern and talk about the deceased person candidly and encourage her to open up if she feels like it.
Allow your person to recover at her own pace. Never compel the grieving person to cheer up. Sometimes this is the worst thing you can do. It belittles the feeling of your partner. In supporting a grieving loved one, offer your strength and full understanding. This is the time to show how you really love and care for your partner.
Supporting a Grieving Loved One