Have you ever been to a funeral? Probably, It’s the end of life, the death of a person – one of our greatest fears, which is why funerals are often periods characterized by great emotional stress and tension.
And, as human beings, we like to know what to expect when entering situations (funerals, graduation ceremonies, test exams) where we can expect high degrees of emotional tension. Humans have many instinctive behaviors, such as the stages of grief; this theory has since been discredited because it is hard to separate what behavior is instinctual versus learned. However, research has discovered that people do pass through 5 distinct emotional stages when dealing with death and loss in their lives. Read on to learn more about these stages as experienced by funeral homes in Covington, LA.
Denial and isolation are the first two stages of grief experienced by a person after the death of a loved one. In the denial stage, it is as if the bereaved is living in a dream world. They may deny that their loved one died or may believe that if they ignore the fact that their loved one has died, it will not be true.
The bereaved may also isolate themselves from other people as they try to come to terms with their loss. They may avoid talking about the deceased person, or they may even deny that they are grieving at all. This later behavior can lead to more depression and feelings of guilt.
In this stage of grief, the bereaved need support from those around them and should be encouraged to talk about their feelings and emotions.
Anger can be an appropriate response to loss, but it’s crucial to recognize that anger can also be destructive. The most common cause of anger at a funeral is the death itself, and for many people, the emotions surrounding the loss are magnified by guilt or regret.
You may be feeling rage, resentment, and even hostility toward your loved one’s death. It’s normal to feel like this, but you should remember that feelings of anger are not justifiable. They don’t make you a bad person.
The important thing is to channel your emotions constructively. Focus on the things that have caused you pain and talk about your feelings with someone who can listen and support you. Remember that venting your emotions can relieve some pressure.
Bargaining is the stage of grieving, characterized by a desire to have things be different. The person experiencing this stage wants to bargain with fate and its powers to try and stop bad things from happening.
At a funeral, the bargaining stage is manifested as a feeling of hope among friends and family that the deceased wasn’t really dead or that something could be done to reverse their death. These feelings are most commonly shown by people talking about how the deceased was “so young” or “had so much potential” or had a “long life ahead of them.” The truth is that none of these things can help reverse death. We just want it to be different than what it is.
A person in grief—whether it’s a friend, family member, or someone else who is close to the deceased often goes through stages of mourning, and one can be depressed after losing someone. When dealing with depression in the context of grief, it’s crucial to understand that there are two main types of depression that a person can experience:
The best way to cope with depression after the loss of a loved one is to use support from friends and family, therapy, and medication if prescribed by a doctor.
The Acceptance Stage is the final stage of death, in which we begin to accept the truth that the loved one will never return. The acceptance stage can be particularly difficult as it is often accompanied by a sense of loss and emptiness or demoralization.
It’s important to realize that this sense of loss is not necessarily tied to the person who has passed away but rather, it’s tied to an attachment to how things were before their death. Most people find it helpful to keep reminders around them to allow them to feel connected to their lost loved one.
After this stage comes the remembrance stage which consists of going over previous memories of your loved one and reflecting on them, enjoying them, and allowing yourself to feel happiness in these memories again.
Grief can be a lonely and isolating experience. One of the most important things that a person grieving a loss can do is reach out and find a support system that they trust. And for more information about grief and other funeral options, contact funeral homes in Covington, LA.