Dealing with the Distress of Pet Loss

Only you know what it’s like to deal with the loss of your pet. The experience of each person is different when it comes to handling the distress of pet loss. Many people will say, “I know how you feel.” They will tell you about how they lost their pet and how incredibly upsetting it was for them. They will expect that you will feel the same exact way, but unfortunately, it’s not that easy.

You know what it’s like to lose YOUR pet.

You should burden yourself with thoughts of how you should feel. It’s not how you “should” feel, it’s how you “are” feeling.

When you try to hurry the mourning process, you will end up causing more harm than good to yourself. Yes, people will say, “You need to get over it.” However, they are wrong. They do not understand what YOU are going through. They are different from you.

When you take time to care for yourself in the way you should, you end up grieving in a healthy way that will result in happiness. You may not believe that right now because you are so miserable, but the future is bright. You just need to get to the future before you see that brightness.

What can you do before you get that brightness? Consider these tips on dealing with the distress of pet loss.

• Be good to yourself. If you have a stressful life, decide to take a break from it. When you take a break from it, you will cut down on the added stress. This will help you heal.
• Speak to those who support you. Many people will try to change the way you feel right now. No one should change the way you feel. Instead, people should comfort you and support you along the way.
• Surround yourself with memories of your pet. You may not have your pet physically around you, but you do have the memories. Use those memories to help you adjust to a new life without your pet.
• Consider taking a trip away from your home. In your home, you remember your pet sitting or lying here and there. Taking a break from your home can help you heal internally and then when you get home, you may be able to have the strength to start working on your healing inside of your home without your pet.
• Talk to a therapist. You may not think it’s needed, but it really is sometimes. Talking to a professional can be the best way to get the support you need. Many people just don’t know the right things to say, but counselors do.

Dealing with the distress of pet loss is difficult, but you can do it. Time does heal wounds and as long as you keep going, you will start to see the cloud of misery lift.

We help people grieve the loss of their pets through preserving their remains and memories with urns and figurines. Contact us if you have any questions or concerns.