Loss is difficult under any circumstances. But military loss is a different kind of grief.
Dealing with the loss of a loved one in the military is a whole different process. There can be children involved who don’t understand and other relatives who can make things better or more difficult.
Then there’s the added pressure of how to grieve. Everyone expects you to suffer in a certain way and tell you when you’re not grieving how they would like.
They may say you are too upset or not upset enough. There is no right way to grieve.
Grieving is a very personal process, and everyone does things differently.
How to Cope With the Loss of a Loved One in the Military.
Photo by D0N MIL04K from Pexels
Remember: Grief Looks Different to Everyone.
Grief comes from personal experiences and feelings. Not only your own experiences with grieving but also your experience with the person you have lost.
Someone who had a smooth relationship full of love and support will grieve differently from someone who had a strained and uncomfortable relationship with them.
One person may disagree with the loved one’s military service, and another could be incredibly proud and patriotic. These people will go through their complicated feelings differently.
The most important thing is to remember that and be supportive of one another.
Find a Way to Commemorate Them.
You can preserve the memory of a loved one in whatever way you choose. It can be a representation of who they were or who they were to you.
There are plenty of options for people who died in the line of duty, such as flag cases, medal displays, and printed photos.
Commemoration can get very creative and help you work through your grief. A photo display can help with the process as you go through pictures, share stories and work through all of your emotions.
These photos can be put together in a scrapbook to tell the story of their lives through pictures. Write the memories behind these photos next to them so people will always know the stories of the loved ones they lost.
A flag case or a medal display can help show pride in their service and prompt others to ask about them.
Connect With Others.
Military losses are widespread. While it’s not pleasant to think about, there is someone else out there who went through the same thing as you.
There could be other grieving people for your loved one or people who lost loved ones around the same time or even the same way.
Reach out to other people, so you don’t feel alone. Support groups for military losses are out there. Connect online and in real life. Swap contacts and stories and stand together in grief. It can become something beautiful through that.
Three Ways to Cope With Loss in the Military.
Please remember that you’re not alone during this time. Grief is something so personal yet so familiar at the same time. Reach out, work through and get better.
Hello, I’m Thuy of honeybunnytwee. I write a Wellness Wednesday guest bloggers series. Send me an article or link to a blog post about health and wellness, self-care, fitness, or mental health at honeybunnytwee@gmail.com. Upon review, you’ll have a chance to be featured! I’m always looking for more Wellness Wednesday submissions.