Losing a loved one is never easy. It’s one of life’s most difficult moments, and there are endless ways to cope. For some, handling heartbreak alone is helpful. For others, in-depth grief counseling is the only way to fill the void. Just remember, there is no “right” way to grieve, but there are unhealthy ways. This guide will help you differentiate between normal sorrow and when professional help is a wiser option. 

Normal Grief

After funeral services, it’s natural to feel depressed, devastated, and even hopeless. A sudden void has impacted your life in unexpected ways, and suddenly, the future seems unclear. Feeling this way is perfectly normal; grief is a time-consuming process that doesn’t end after you leave the funeral home.

Up to six months after a loss, feelings of grief are common, no matter how someone mourns. During normal grief, eventually, you’ll realize that the last thing your loved one would want is feelings of uncertainty or discouragement. They would want you to feel peace, to be optimistic, and to move forward. As this reality sets in, those devastating thoughts will start slowing down, and you’ll start moving forward with a sense of peace. 

Complicated Grief

Complicated grief leaves mourners stuck in a bubble long after funeral services have ended. Instead of pain that withers over time, it stays at a standstill. There’s a lack of hope for the future and a feeling that the pain is never-ending. If you’re experiencing complicated grief, you’ll feel “stuck” and unable to move past the loss. You’ll be unable to picture the future without your loved one in it, which makes it impossible to move forward and find comfort. For a moment, it can feel as though life isn’t worth living.

According to “ The Huffington Post,” if these symptoms persist for more than six months, you’re experiencing complicated grief. If this is the case, seek professional grief counseling. You will be surprised at how much assistance it provides. While life doesn’t come with an instruction manual, grief counseling puts your loss into perspective.

Counseling helps you realize that, while there will always be a void in your life, your loved one would want you to carry on with hope, happiness, and success. It helps you break the chains of complicated grief, moving forward into the light. The process won’t happen instantly, but understanding your own emotions, how to control them, and how to move past them will be a wonderful life improvement.

At Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, we serve the Trumbull, Connecticut, community with compassion and support during their greatest times of need. From pre-planning arrangements to helping ailing loved ones heal through grief counseling, we are here to offer the care that you deserve. Visit our website to learn more about our trusted funeral home services and resources, or call us at (203) 373-1013.