In recent years, fatal accident crashes claimed the lives of over 35,000 individuals in the United States alone. The grief of losing a loved one is difficult to understand until you are faced with the tragedy yourself. Finding ways to cope with grief can seem impossible, but we are going to help you through it with this simple guide.
We are going to take a look at the tips you need for coping with grief following a tragic accident with a loss. Let’s get started.
Prepare For the Stages of Grief
Grief manifests differently for everyone. With that being said, grief often presents itself in stages. Understanding the stages of grief will help you prepare yourself for dealing with difficult emotions. Here is what to expect:
- Denial- After losing a loved one, denial is often felt. It can feel like the events post-accident are surreal and unnatural. This stage is often short-lived and progresses to the other stages quickly.
- Anger- Denial is often followed by irrational anger. Others may find it hard to approach you, and you may feel the need to be isolated.
- Bargaining- This stage is different for everyone, but it often involves begging or praying to a higher power to bring the person back who was lost in the fatal accident.
- Depression- During this stage, heightened emotions settle, and reality sets in. Depression can last years if it is not properly treated.
- Acceptance- This stage happens when the realization of what happened has set in, and you understand that there is nothing that you can do to change it. A person often still feels sadness, but daily life is more manageable.
These are the primary stages of grief that you can expect following a fatal accident. Everyone has their own unique experience; however, understanding the stages will help you to cope better.
Find an Advocate
When a death occurs because of an accident, there are many moving parts that need to be managed. Dealing with the logistical side while coping with grief is no easy task, so finding an advocate to help you navigate the legal waters post-accident is a crucial step.
Consider hiring a wrongful death lawyer. A wrongful death lawyer will be able to handle all of the legal aspects of the accident so you can focus on memorializing your loved one and healing from the tragedy yourself.
Don’t Forget About Your Needs
Grief can consume you and make you forget about your responsibilities to yourself. Even tasks like bathing can seem impossible to tackle when you are coping with grief. However, when you stop taking care of your responsibilities, you risk making the coping stages harder to overcome.
Reach out to loved ones for support during this time. Don’t try to do everything on your own, and if you find yourself unable to complete simple tasks, ask for help. Talking to a counselor to help manage your grief can be a great tool to help you manage your pain.
Managing Grief After a Fatal Accident
The months following a fatal accident are the hardest. Never push yourself to heal faster than you can do. Just remember to take everything one step at a time, and keep this guide close when you need a reminder to manage your grief.
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