Healthy Ways to Mourn and Commemorate Loved Ones

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Losing a loved one is never easy, but there are ways to commemorate their life and mourn for their death that could make managing the loss less difficult. Celebrating a life and grieving for a loss in the proper manner can also be beneficial for others who are trying to come to terms with the loved one’s death. Here are some healthy ways to mourn and commemorate loved ones.

Plan an Appropriate Funeral

The funeral for your deceased loved one should have a theme that reflects his or her life in the best possible manner. For example, Healthline.com states that you and other attendees at the funeral could try wearing livelier or even humorous outfits if the deceased loved one had a vibrant personality and wasn’t known to be a sad person. If the person was a veteran, a military-themed funeral may be appropriate. Focusing on positive attributes of the person’s life during the funeral can also help you and other attendees grieve and celebrate their life in a healthy way.

Don’t Become Too Isolated

Grieving the death of a loved one in private too often can be bad for your emotional health and make accepting the loss that much more difficult. It is best to have close friends and family members to talk to regularly, and it is also a good idea to involve these people in planning the memorial service or any other events that recognize your deceased loved one. You should always have someone you can call whenever you’re having particularly difficult moments with managing your grieving.

Talk to a Therapist

If the loss has caused you more emotional hardship than what is usually considered normal, talking to a therapist may be your best option. The therapist can try to help you find better methods for managing the loss so that it will be less taxing on your psyche. Any resulting depression or anxiety from the loss can also be treated with specific therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or interpersonal therapy, or possibly with medications. If you’re unable to attend in-person therapy sessions, some therapists are willing to conduct sessions online.

Have Special Keepsakes Made

Certain items can be customized to remember deceased loved ones better. Rings, pendants and other pieces of jewelry can be engraved with the person’s name and worn whenever you want to celebrate their life. If the person was cremated, you can get a bullet necklace for ashes that is made from premium silver and features a small compartment to hold a small amount of the person’s ashes. Another healthy way to pay recognition is by ordering a customized plaque or garden stone that has the person’s name and birth and death dates engraved on it.

Allow Yourself the Right to Grieve

Grieving is a natural part of losing a loved one, but some individuals try to bottle up their emotions and refrain from feeling sad. You may want to avoid grieving, but this can have detrimental emotional effects if you refuse to recognize the painful feelings that the death has caused. You should allow yourself the right to grieve and recognize that there is nothing wrong with you for having these sad feelings. Allowing yourself to grieve properly will also help you move forward with your life faster.

Visit the Final Resting Place

It may be good for you to visit the person’s final resting place so that you can experience greater closure. Avoiding going to the final resting place could ultimately be more problematic for you and make you more afraid to face the reality of the person’s death. Most cemeteries are designed to be peaceful spaces among nature, and you may experience a lot of emotional comfort by spending time in the one where your loved one is buried. If the person was cremated and had their ashes interred in a columbarium, you can visit the site to pay special tributes. You should also remain at the site for as much time as you need to give yourself peace of mind.

Mourning and remembering the life of your deceased loved one in the healthiest ways possible can help you move through your mental and emotional anguish better. Doing so can also help you come to terms with the situation better so that you will be able to adjust to the changes from the loss in your life more effectively.

Katie Gorden

Katie earned a BA in English from WWU and loves to write. She also adores hiking in redwood forests, photography, and a campfire surrounded by friends and family.

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