I've not lost anyone in a number of years, but for some reason my dad will bring up that he probably won't be around very much longer almost every time I see him. We've had a strained relationship, but never became estranged, and my kids adore him. I'm not ready for what that kind of loss will feel like. My husband lost his dad 5 years ago and it was painful beyond belief for him. I can't fathom that loss at this stage of our lives. It felt like he was gone too soon.

Such a thoughtful and relevant topic. Thank you, Warped.

How do I cope?

I relate to what LisLioness & soup shared about not being over it. I too, feel that I’ll never get over it. I think in time I’ll manage my loss better but no, the pain/scar will remain.

Losing a loved one such as a parent, child or spouse is like losing a limb. I’ve cried everyday since losing Dad and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. My brothers are the same; this pain is like no other. 

How to help others (and ourselves)

By letting them talk freely about their loss and allowing them to cry, and even sharing tears with them. This allows them to know that this is a normal, healthy process. There is nothing to feel ashamed about. There is no fixed timeline when you are not allowed to feel sad anymore. Each individual’s circumstances differ, and that influences the process of grief.

It is perfectly Normal during the grief process to feel guilt. If I had of done this or that; it’s all part of it. If you recognise this, it helps put things in perspective and you know to stop beating yourself up. Your loved one does not want you doing this, so stop for them.

Think of creating a special, personalised tribute to them. This process fosters positive feelings/happy memories and is cathartic.

One of the most important things is that we look after our physical body. Eat well, keep hydrated and when you are ready, get back to walking/exercise. 

Amidst the grief make a special  time to do something that will bring you joy and even a laugh. This will help balance things out and remind you that despite pain, life is still beautiful.

P.S. I need to work on following my advice 😆. Writing this out has served as a good reminder.

This is very synchronistic, I just signed up for a grief training. Was going to start it today but didn’t get the chance. I think the best way to cope is to first allow yourself to feel the feelings. Crying is especially cathartic. It releases endorphins in the brain and literally heal physical, mental and emotional pain.

Understand grief. Educate yourself about the stages. But know the stages don’t always look the same for everyone. Not everyone experiences every stage or in the same order. And sometimes they can disappear for a while and come back later on. 

Talk to a grief therapist. Often people close to us who we think should be there for us don’t know what to say/how to help, so they often say things they think are helpful but are kind of hurtful such as “everything happens for a reason” or after a while they may start telling you it’s time to move on. 
A grief therapist will provide supportive listening and encourage you when you are ready. Before going with a therapist, I would just make sure they are trained and specialize in grief counseling and have plenty of experience first.

Not for everyone, but some people like support groups. They can help you not feel so isolated in your grief. 

I agree that taking care of your physical health and your hygiene is great for mental health as well. Fresh air and being in nature, especially by water can be very cathartic. 

Grief is so hard. The worst part about living  🙁 

I was involved in an Amanita Muscaria research project. It works on the GABA receptors. 

The first night I took a microdose of Amanita Mascaria Elixir at bedtime.

When I woke up, I had remembered, processed and resolved 10 years of delayed grieving I had suppressed while living in CPTSD. 

Gone. Done.