Grieving A Living Loved One: Coping With Grieving Someone Who Is Still Alive
To continue the series on grief, this article is going to discuss grieving a living loved one. Grief can be experienced in many forms. It can be painful, overwhelming and is almost always handled differently by everyone who experiences it. Dealing with the grief of a loved one dying is always hard, but there is a sense of closure when someone passes. After a loved one passes on, it is painful but grief can begin. Many mental health counselors and bereavement specialists help people cope with the death of a loved one, but how does someone handle grieving someone who is still alive?
Ambiguous Loss While Grieving a Living Loved One
Dr. Pauline Boss, Ph.D., pioneered the concept of ambiguous loss, which happens when someone who “loses” a loved one they once held near and dear to them because they are no longer the person they once knew. Ambiguous loss can happen due to dementia, physical injuries, mental illness or in the case of Dr. B’s brother, Wayne, addiction and substance abuse.
Dr. B does not talk about her brother often because she is disappointed. Dr. B, being a psychiatric nurse practitioner, spends her life teaching and sharing mental strength to many. Yet, she feels like she is losing her own brother to a drug addiction. The video below offers more insight into Dr. B’s brother and how she personally deals with the ambiguous loss of grieving someone who is still alive.
Mentally Strong can Help You Cope with Grieving Someone who is Still Alive
It’s important to understand that there are no definite answers for how to grieve someone who is still alive. If someone is dealing with the loss of a living loved one, it is important that they do not give up! They are not alone. It is okay to feel grief for the healing process to take shape. It is important to practice self-care and seek out support. Others may not understand what it’s like to grieve for someone who is still alive, but healing will occur with open and honest communication.
Dr. B created the Mentally STRONG Method by using the skills that she developed while learning to cope with her own grief. If someone is grieving a living loved one, the Mentally STRONG Method will help you learn to think, organize and choose a healthier and happier life. Contact Mentally STRONG today for more information.
Interested in learning more? Contact Mentally STRONG to learn how The Mentally STRONG Method can help with grieving a living loved one.
