How To Cope With An Emotional Loss

Emotional loss is a fact of life.  Whether you’re six or sixty, you have experienced emotional loss.  It never gets easier, though we may become more adept at dealing with it.

No matter what the situation is, a loss is incredibly difficult to deal with. Whether you have lost your job, coping with the passing of a loved one, dealing with a breakup, or have lost a friend, an emotional loss is difficult to come to terms with.

Anything that makes you sad and makes you feel a sense of grief is an emotional loss. It will no doubt have a significant impact on the way you think, feel, and behave.

There are ways to cope. Let’s take a closer look at emotional loss, and ways you might want to try and deal with it moving forward.

How To Deal With Emotional Loss

1. Allow yourself to grieve. It doesn’t matter whether it takes you a month, two months, or even six. There is no time limit to dealing with loss in a healthy way.

   * Try not to compare yourself to other people around you. If you do, you may end up feeling guilty for coping at a different pace than others. You don’t need guilt added to your thoughts and your worries when you may have enough to deal with already!

2. Your loss is important. Situations involving grief and loss shouldn’t be minimized. Even if you think that your grief and sadness aren’t important, don’t trivialize them!

   * Part of the process of coping with an emotional loss is to give yourself time to grieve and make sure that your feelings matter.

   * Even if you’ve lost your job and you don’t feel it is significant enough to feel like an emotional loss, ignore that voice of doubt in your head and allow yourself the space and chance to grieve. You are entitled to process experiences healthily.

3. Talk to people. Confide in others. One of the best ways to heal and feel more supported is to confide in friends and family.

   * Discuss how you are feeling. Talk through any concerns, regrets, confusion, or just exactly how you’re processing your loss. Allow yourself to grieve, cry, or be angry if necessary.

   * Other people can be a great voice of reason. You can experience different types of support and you can even get words of wisdom and empathy.

   * Sharing your issues really can make them feel a little lighter, as you have people to both make suggestions to you on a practical level moving forward, but also to look after you and support you emotionally.

4. Embrace the past and plan for the future. One of the most effective ways to deal with an emotional loss is to embrace the feelings that you are dealing with.

   * For example, if you are dealing with the loss of a new job or a breakup, get a journal and write down how you feel. Be specific and honest with yourself.

   * Next, write down what you are looking forward to in the future, and how you intend to deal with the emotional pain that you have expressed.

  * By facing the emotional pain and then finding steps to overcome it, you are taking back control, allowing yourself to grieve, and moving on healthily.

You shouldn’t bottle up your feelings and keep them to yourself. Remember, your feelings are valid and important. If you need to deal with your emotional loss, then surround yourself with loving, supportive people and be brave, open, and honest.

Please share your thoughts and any response you may have in the form below.

Return to SeniorHealthyLifestyles.com

Bible Study Guides

It Is Written

Amazing Facts

Authentic