Dealing with a loss is extremely difficult no matter the circumstance. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many families have had to mourn their loved ones from a distance because they couldn’t physically attend funerals or fly over due to global travel restrictions. Learning to navigate through these unpredictable times will be difficult for anyone that is dealing with loss. However, here is some of our best advice on how to deal with loss from a distance.
Mourning a death, be it of a family member, friend, or loved one, is an extremely painful chapter in anybody’s life. Speaking about death and grief seems to be a slightly taboo subject that people would rather glaze over. However, truth be told, death is inevitable and soon we will all experience this rather tragic part of life. This sad and bewildering time in our lives is made even more difficult by the current health crisis.
The coronavirus pandemic has turned our world upside down. What happens when someone dies away from home? Previously, if you heard of a loved one passing, you could travel and attend their funeral. Now it seems even more difficult to gain a sense of closure as the crisis has imposed global travel restrictions and even transformed our ability to attend traditional funerals. If you cannot meet your loved ones, try to organize a digital send-off for your closest friends and family. It may not be the same as physically embracing one another, but you can at least share your favorite memories of this person.
Try to check in on a regular basis with your family or friends who are also mourning. The most important thing you can do whilst mourning is ensuring you are emotionally supported and that you do the same to others. Even a simple facetime, text, or voice note can help keep you connected with your loved ones. Communication may be difficult as the pain brought about by the grief could eclipse your ability to express yourself. However, it is very important that you communicate your emotions and process your grief.
You could reach out to a friend, a stranger, or even a therapist. There is always someone who is willing to help. Don’t try to battle this grief by yourself. Make sure you express your emotions as this will drastically help your level of well-being. Your initial response may be to isolate and bottle up your emotions. However, this will only repress your trauma temporarily. The best thing you can do during these troubling circumstances is to take each day as it comes. The road to recovery after death is different for every individual.
Don’t try to rush the process, instead, try to embrace the support of your loved ones and cherish the memories you shared with the deceased. How to deal with such a significant loss may not make any sense at the moment, but with time you will learn to view things from a different perspective.
