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All of us experience the death of a loved one or friend at some point in our lives, and each of us is affected by that death. Our individual reactions may differ. After the death of a loved one or friend, a normal process of grieving takes place. Often grieving takes place in stages. Different emotions are experienced during different stages of this process. The stages of grieving are different for each person. Some of the emotions that can be part of this grieving process are:
· Shock, which protects you from the impact of the death for awhile;
· Anger, which may be experienced at being let down by the person who died or when you are looking for someone to blame for the death;
· Depression, or feelings of isolation and loneliness;
· Guilt, what didn't you do to save the person;
· Denial, a process of not allowing feelings to come to the surface;
· Fear, not understanding the grieving process;
· Sadness, an overwhelming sense of loss;
· Anxiety, an inability to concentrate which can become so severe that one cannot function;
· Relief, because of the end of suffering the loved one has endured; and
· Longing, a sense of wanting everything to return to what it had been.
Not everyone experiences the same feelings or stages, nor with the same intensity. There is no one "right way", no necessary order to stages, nor is there a correct time period for this process. Grieving may progress over a period of two years or even longer, depending on many individual factors, such as depth and length of relationship with the loved one or friend.
Many people have a need for religious services and other rituals which promote the grieving process, provide social support and allow a death to be validated. These rituals provide a time for family and friends to support each other and to say goodbye to the deceased person. Different cultural or religious traditions have different rituals. Examples of these rituals include holding a wake where the body is displayed or sitting Shiva in which the family is given comfort through home visitations by friends. Some people display a picture of the deceased in their home, perhaps surrounded by candles and flowers. Other examples include holding a memorial service, writing in a journal, visiting the grave site. All of these can help healing. Go To Page: 1 2 |
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