Assisting a Bereaved Person

It can be difficult to know what to say or do when someone you care about is grieving after a loss. Many intense and painful emotions, such as depression, anger, guilt, and profound sadness, plague the bereaved. They frequently feel isolated and alone in their grief, as the intense pain and difficult emotions make people hesitant to offer support. Is someone you know bereaved? Investigate cremation service in St. Charles, MO, and learn what to say and how to comfort someone who is experiencing bereavement, grief, or loss.

Keys to Assisting a Bereaved Loved One

• Don’t let your fear of saying or doing the wrong thing keep you from reaching out.
• Let your bereaved loved one know you’re available to listen.
• Offer to assist practically.
• Continue to show your support after the funeral.
• Recognize that everyone grieves differently and for varying lengths of time.

Understanding the Bereavement Process

The more you understand about grief and how it is treated, the better prepared you will be to assist a bereaved friend or family member.

• Extreme emotions and behaviors can accompany grief – Guilt, anger, despair, and fear are all common emotions. A bereaved person may scream to the heavens, obsess over death, lash out at loved ones, or cry for hours. Your loved one requires reassurance that what they are experiencing is normal. Don’t pass judgment on them or take their grief responses personally.
• There is no correct or incorrect way to grieve – Grief does not always progress in neat, predictable stages. It can be an emotional rollercoaster, with ups and downs that are unpredictable. Because everyone grieves in their way, avoid telling your loved one what they should be feeling or doing.
• There is no set timeline for mourning – Many people take 18 to 24 months to recover from bereavement, but for others, the process may be longer or shorter. Don’t put pressure on your loved one to move on or make them feel as if they’ve been in mourning for too long. This has the potential to slow the healing process.

Knowing What to Say to a Bereaved Person

The bereaved need to know that their loss is being acknowledged, that it is not too painful to discuss, and that their loved one will not be forgotten. They may want to cry on your shoulder one day and vent, sit in silence, or share memories the next. You can learn from the grieving person by being present and compassionately listening. Simply being present and listening to them can provide great comfort and healing.

You may be concerned about intruding, saying the wrong thing, or making your loved one feel even worse during this difficult time. Or perhaps you believe there is little you can do to improve things. That’s understandable; however, don’t let your discomfort keep you from reaching out to someone grieving. Your loved one requires your assistance now more than ever. You don’t have to have all the right answers, give all the right advice, or say and do all the right things. The most important thing you can do for someone who is in grief is to simply be present. Your presence and support will help your loved one cope with the pain and gradually begin to heal. This is something that the cremation service in St. Charles, MO can assist you with. Please contact us right away.