How do I Cope With the Anniversary of a Loved One's Death?
- 1). Eat three meals a day. The anniversary, and days leading up to or following the anniversary, of a loved one's death can create a loss of appetite, which results in forgetting to eat or refusing to eat. Even if food is tasteless or you have no appetite, force yourself to eat.
- 2). Talk to someone about the anniversary. Talking to a friend, relative or even a pet can make coping and dealing with the reminder of the death easier. Then, someone is sharing in the pain and offering a shoulder to cry on or a hug. Avoiding the problem and not talking about it lets it build.
- 3). Cry. There is no set date when grief should stop. Every individual grieves at his own pace. On the anniversary of a loved one's death, grief is renewed and strengthened, especially on the first year. Go ahead and cry or grieve as necessary. Allowing the grief makes it easier to cope.
- 4). Focus on the good qualities of the individual. Celebrate the individual's life by remembering the happy times and his life rather than remembering his death. Recalling only the pain without the positive memories can make it harder to move on.
- 5). Attend or plan a memorial. Memorials on the anniversary of the death can make it easier to cope with the date. A memorial brings friends, relatives and anyone else who knew the individual together to honor him.
