How to Cope With Your Partner's Death?

source: lifepathgroup

Irrespective of the time spent together, the death of a partner comes as a completely life-changing event. You experience being on an emotional rollercoaster where guilt engulfs you daily as you raise questions like “Why am I still alive?"

One of the biggest concerns that arise is how you are going to manage without them. These moments of introspection demand bracing yourself because coping with the death of a spouse can be very difficult otherwise. In this guide, we have shared some tips to help you overcome the grieving stages faster.

1. Be Self-Compassionate

After such a huge loss, there is no right or wrong way to feel. How successful your marriage was, what led to the death, and how dependent you were on one another are some elementary factors affecting your reaction. You can feel brokenhearted and anxious, especially when both of you have experienced many significant moments together. 

In other cases, one may be pleased imagining that their partner is no longer in pain. Otherwise, they may feel guilty for being the one who is still alive. You must realise each person grieves differently.

2. Plan and Execute a Fitness Regimen

3. Adopt an Open Book Personality

Experiencing signs of depression when dealing with a loss is quite common as you feel isolated and perplexed simultaneously. Doctors even link a greater risk of developing several psychiatric diseases to the event of sudden loss of a spouse.

According to medical reports, one of the main risk factors for depression following an unanticipated loss is a lack of social support. Thus, while coping with the death of a spouse, we suggest you not hesitate to ask for assistance from other people in your life.

4. Accept Grieving Is a Harsh Routine to Go Through

5. Take Action on Time

6. Seek Support

7. Manoeuvre Your Social Life

Being a single person all of a sudden may make it challenging to navigate social situations. If you and your spouse frequently interacted with other married couples, you may find it difficult to blend in further. 

Going alone to parties and other occasions can make you uncomfortable. In such cases, you can express your feelings to your friends and let them know that you may require postponing ‘couples’ get-togethers for a while.

8. Commemorate Your Memories

9. Visit a Therapist for Complicated Grief Treatment

Incorporating the ways of coping with the death of a spouse partially transforms a person's life. For instance, if they fail in the process, intense grieving arises as a natural response. In fact, there are situations when grief is so severe that it prevents you from moving on with your life. In medical terms, this is referred to as "complex grieving." Some of the major symptoms include:

• Developing the impression that you are no longer needed
• Experiencing trouble executing daily tasks
• Continuing to feel guilty or blame others for the passing of a loved one
• Wishing you could have passed away too and joined your partner in their journey 
• Experiencing a decline in social interactions with people

If at any stage you come across a combination of these symptoms, consider consulting your doctor or a therapist. Therapeutic options can help immensely if you find it difficult to move over these energy-drawing emotions.

Coping with the death of a spouse is really difficult. Everyone experiences grief differently, and over time the intensity varies. However, it is possible to rebuild your life and find fulfilment while still valuing the memories of your marriage and your loved one.