Medical Update August 2024

Medical Guide, August 2024— 9 Tips to cope with the loss of a loved one T he loss of a loved one can be di ffi cult to confront. That di ffi culty might have been height- ened in recent years, when a global pandemic has caused the death of millions, includ- ing many people who were otherwise healthy prior to contracting the COVID-19 virus. Each individual may experience the griev- ing process in their own unique way, but the American Psycholog- ical Association notes that researchers have found that social sup- port and healthy habits can help most people recover from loss. The APA also urges indi- viduals to speak with a licensed mental health professional if they are dealing with severe or complicated grief, a con- dition marked by broad changes to all personal relationships, a sense of meaninglessness, a prolonged yearning or searching for the de- ceased, and a sense of rupture in personal be- liefs. The APA reports that some additional strate- gies may help grieving individuals process and come to terms with the loss of a loved one. • Discuss the death of your loved one. The APA notes that avoiding talking about a deceased loved one can lead to isolation and a disruption in the healing process. Speaking about the death of a loved one can help individuals understand what hap- pened, and that under- standing can facilitate the healing process. • Take care of your health. Mental Health America, a com- munity-based nonpro fi t committed to promoting mental health, urges in- dividuals dealing with the loss of a loved one to take care of their own health. After losing a loved one, some people may be in danger of de- veloping a dependence on medication or alcohol that they’re using to deal with their grief. It’s im- portant that grieving in- dividuals recognize that threat and the role that maintaining one’s per- sonal health can play in the healing process. Reg- ular contact with your physician, routine exer- cise and a healthy diet can promote personal health and may help in- dividuals avoid the pit- falls of addiction after the death of a loved one. • Accept your feel- ings. The APA notes that it’s normal for grieving individuals to experience a range of emotions, in- cluding sadness, anger and exhaustion. Indi- viduals who feel over- whelmed by their emo- tions are urged to speak with a licensed mental health professional. Such professionals can recom- mend various strategies to cope with emotions that can sometimes feel overwhelming. • Celebrate your loved one. The APA rec- ognizes that many people fi nd the anniversaries of a loved one’s death to be especially di ffi cult. The APA recommends indi- viduals use such anniver- saries as opportunities to celebrate their loved one’s life. Plant a garden in a loved one’s memory or honor them with a do- nation to a charity they supported. Such gestures can add some positivity to the anniversary and help in the healing pro- cess. The death of a loved one can inspire a range of emotions. Various strategies can help indi- viduals cope with such losses. More information about grieving is avail- able at www.apa.org. A ccording to Mental Health America, individuals’ reactions to the death of a loved one can elicit unique emotions linked to their relationship to the deceased. For exam- ple, MHA, a commu- nity-based nonpro fi t focused on promoting mental health, notes that a child’s death could inspire di ff erent feelings than the loss of an elderly spouse. When parents lose a child, that death may arouse a sense of injustice that can overwhelm the child’s parents as they contemplate lost poten- tial, unful fi lled dreams and, in certain in- stances, the child’s suf- fering. Elderly individ- uals who lose a spouse may be overcome by feelings of loneliness. Recognition of these di ff erent reactions is important because it can help individuals and their support net- works more e ff ectively cope with their grief. Did you know?