5 Ways to Recover from Pet Loss
Losing a pet is as bad as losing a human loved one. Your pet was part of your life, and now that part is gone. You’re devastated, and you may not know how you’ll make it each day.
The good news is that you will be able to recover from pet loss. The following are 5 ways you can do that.
#1: Let yourself cry because you need to let it out. You don’t have to do it in front of people. You can do it alone in your bedroom with the door closed, even locked. It’s just good to have a good cry. It may be scary at first because strong emotions may accompany those tears, but afterwards, you will likely feel much better.
#2: Hold on to the memories because they will be what you will carry with you. Look at pictures and remember the good times you had with your pet. You may not have him/her right now, but you do have those photos and memories. Cherish them and allow them to touch your heart in that special way that only your pet could do up to this point.
#3: Talk to people about it. People care about you, and they want to help you. Talking to them about the way you feel will help you get it out of you. Venting is a powerful coping strategy. Just getting all of those thoughts out of your head can do wonders for you how you feel. Give it a try and you may just find that it can help you get through the day or even the days following.
#4: Take care of yourself. You may want to lay in bed all day or not feel like eating, but that’s not going to make you feel better. Your body needs exercise and healthy food to help you grieve. Depriving yourself can make you feel sick, and that will just add to your problems. Try to get up and do what you were doing before your pet died. He/She may not be part of your life now, but you still have that life to lead. It will be hard, but you’ll recover much quicker if you’re able to pick up the pieces and move forward.
#5: Give yourself time to grieve. Grieving can take a while. You will need to be patient with yourself. Don’t tell yourself that you should be over it by now because there are no limits on when you should be back to “normal.” It’s depends on many factors, so you will need to wait it out until you’ve processed all of the grief you’re dealing with right now.
This time is sensitive. Give yourself a break, but don’t stop living. You need to learn how to live life without your fur baby. You can do it – it’s just going to be hard.
We wish you a lot of support and comfort as you go through this difficult time.
Image courtesy of The Photographer.