How to Cope with Grief

3 Healthy Ways to Heal After Losing a Loved One

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Understanding Grief: A Natural Response to Loss

Losing someone you love can feel like your world has turned upside down. You may feel sad, angry, lonely, or even numb. Some people struggle with sleep, concentration, or a sudden loss of purpose, especially if they were a caregiver. These reactions are all part of grief, a natural process that affects your mind, body, and emotions.

It’s important to remember: there is no “right” way to grieve. Scientists who study grief stress that mourning is deeply personal, and cultural traditions often shape how we express it. In some cultures, grief is private and quiet, while in others, it’s open and communal.

Giving Yourself Permission to Grieve

Many people believe they should feel a certain way after a loss. But experts like Dr. Wendy Lichtenthal, a psychologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, emphasize the importance of allowing yourself to feel whatever comes naturally. Being compassionate and kind to yourself can make the healing process less overwhelming.

3 Healthy Ways to Cope With Loss

There are many healthy coping strategies, and different approaches work for different people. Some helpful ways to navigate grief include:

• Movement and creativity: Walking, swimming, painting, or writing can provide comfort when words aren’t enough.
• Talking it out: Sharing memories and feelings with family, friends, or a grief counselor can help.
• Finding balance in emotions: Research shows that emotional flexibility (allowing both sadness and joy) supports long-term healing. Smiling or laughing at happy memories is not a betrayal of grief, but a healthy part of adapting.

Types of Grief You May Experience

Not all grief looks the same. Researchers have identified different types, including:
• Acute grief: Strong emotions that arise immediately after loss.
• Complicated grief: About 10% of people experience prolonged, intense grief that makes it hard to adapt. Specialized therapies have been shown to help, with 70% of patients reporting improved symptoms.
• Anticipatory grief: When you begin grieving before a loss occurs, such as while caring for a terminally ill loved one. Facing the reality of death openly can sometimes make coping afterward easier.

Finding Meaning and Life After Loss

Psychiatrist Dr. M. Katherine Shear explains that adapting to loss requires accepting its finality while finding ways to honor the enduring connection with the person who died. This doesn’t mean forgetting, it means creating a new vision for your life while keeping their memory alive.

Researchers have found that finding meaning in life after loss, whether through relationships, spiritual practice, or honoring your loved one’s legacy, helps people move forward.

When to Seek Extra Support

While grief is a natural process, sometimes it can feel impossible to move forward. If your sadness feels overwhelming, or if daily life seems unmanageable, professional grief counseling or therapy can help. As Dr. Shear puts it: “Grief is a form of love, and it needs to find a place in your life after you lose someone close.”

A New Path Forward: How TMS Therapy Can Help

If grief has deepened into lasting depression or made it difficult to function day to day, you may benefit from additional treatment options. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Therapy is an FDA-approved, non-medication treatment for depression that uses gentle magnetic pulses to stimulate areas of the brain linked to mood regulation.
For many people struggling with prolonged sadness after loss, TMS offers a safe and effective path to relief, without the side effects of traditional medications. At NeuroStim TMS, our compassionate care team has helped thousands of patients find renewed energy, focus, and hope.
If you’re ready to explore whether TMS Therapy is right for you, schedule a consultation with NeuroStim TMS today.

Hope Beyond Grief

The death of a loved one is one of life’s hardest experiences. But with time, support, and compassion – for yourself and from others – healing is possible. Remember that grief doesn’t mean letting go of love; it means learning how to carry it forward in new ways.

If you’re struggling, don’t lose hope. Whether through friends, counseling, or treatments like TMS Therapy, support is available.

Learn more about how NeuroStim TMS can help you feel like yourself again. Reach out today to schedule your Free TMS Therapy Phone Consultation.