• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
Widowhood – How to Handle the First Few Weeks After the Loss of a Loved One

Widowhood – How to Handle the First Few Weeks After the Loss of a Loved One

January 26, 2021
Veterans Day Message from President Trump

Veterans Day Message from President Trump

August 1, 2022
Navajo Code Talker Samuel Sandoval dies

Navajo Code Talker Samuel Sandoval dies

August 1, 2022
#VeteranOfTheDay Marine Corps Veteran Victor “Brute” Harold Krulak

#VeteranOfTheDay Marine Corps Veteran Victor “Brute” Harold Krulak

August 1, 2022
Trump supporters attempt world record boat parade near Clearwater Beach

Trump supporters attempt world record boat parade near Clearwater Beach

August 1, 2022
Veteran honored for once-secret role in WWII ‘Ghost Army’

Veteran honored for once-secret role in WWII ‘Ghost Army’

August 1, 2022
Helping a Fellow Vet with Disability Claim : Veterans

Helping a Fellow Vet with Disability Claim : Veterans

July 31, 2022
Table Tennis 1. European Championship1995 Vienna (Wien)Veterans Orlovwki Dvoracek Tischtennis

Table Tennis 1. European Championship1995 Vienna (Wien)Veterans Orlovwki Dvoracek Tischtennis

July 31, 2022
Low-Cost Tech Shaping Modern Battlefield > U.S. Department of Defense > Defense Department News

Low-Cost Tech Shaping Modern Battlefield > U.S. Department of Defense > Defense Department News

July 31, 2022
The Army won’t lower its standards again to meet recruitment goals

The Army won’t lower its standards again to meet recruitment goals

July 31, 2022
Coast Guard veteran held without bail in ID theft mystery

Coast Guard veteran held without bail in ID theft mystery

July 31, 2022
British Normandy Memorial opens on D-Day anniversary

British Normandy Memorial opens on D-Day anniversary

July 31, 2022
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall Stories

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall Stories

July 31, 2022
Thursday, March 30, 2023
  • PRESS RELEASE
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT
198 Veterans News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Global Veterans
  • USA Veterans
  • EU Veterans
  • Canadian Veterans
  • Australian Veterans
  • Asia Veterans
  • African Veterans
  • Veteran Supports
  • More
    • Global Veteran Supports
    • Veterans Nonprofits
    • Veterans Sponsors
    • Sponsorship
    • Veteran Blogs
    • Veteran Books
    • VIP videos of Veterans
198 Veterans News
No Result
View All Result
Home Veteran Supports

Widowhood – How to Handle the First Few Weeks After the Loss of a Loved One

by The Editor
January 26, 2021
in Veteran Supports
235 18
0
Widowhood – How to Handle the First Few Weeks After the Loss of a Loved One
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Email

[ad_1]

There are over 10 million people in the United States whose spouse or partner has died. The death of a loved one is one of life’s most stressful events, and grief can be overwhelming. It is hard to deal with this kind of loss, but here are some ideas that may help.

Practical Matters

In the first days after the death of your loved one, you will be busy notifying friends and taking care of the details of a death. Lots of people will call or stop by to express sympathy. You will most likely be in a state of shock, and may find thinking about details easier than thinking about the past or the future.

In the first few weeks after the death, it is important to take care of financial matters. Notify banks, insurance companies, and pension funds. Check for a will, stock certificates, and any other important papers. Contact Social Security to apply for widowed persons benefits and ask for details on eligibility for Medicare.

If your spouse was a veteran, there may be some benefits, so contact the Veterans Administration. Advise all creditors, including issuers of credit cards, that your spouse has died. Some of your loans or perhaps your house may be paid for if there was insurance. Be sure to order enough death certificates. Most financial matters will require at least a copy if not an original death certificate.

Make decisions that must be made, but put off major decisions until a later date.

Dealing with Emotions

Your first reaction to the death of a spouse will probably be shock, numbness, and a sense of disbelief. In time, the numbness will be replaced by pain, sometimes physical pain. You may feel like your heart has been literally torn out of your body.

Your home and all the places you usually go seem full of painful reminders. You keep looking for your lost mate everywhere you go, expecting him or her to come around the corner and tell you it was just a dream.

A couple of weeks after the funeral, people tend to stop calling, relatives go home, and you are left in an empty house with an empty bed. Sadness, fear, forgetfulness, indecisiveness, anger, and guilt are all common reactions to loss.

For part or most of your life you have been a “wife” or “husband.” When you no longer have this role, you can feel lost. Somehow, you must create a new identity, a new purpose for life, new goals, a new sense of “normal”. There are many other losses as well.

Your partner may have been the primary wage earner, the housekeeper, the car mechanic, the cook, or the one who did the shopping. The thought of all that you have to deal with can be frightening and overwhelming.

Anger is a normal response when your life partner dies, especially if they were killed in an accident or an act of violence. You may feel bitter and hostile. It is important to allow others to comfort and support you.

Feeling guilty about the death of a spouse is very common. Your partner may have had a long period of sickness and suffering. You may think of things you could have done differently or better. Being human means that we do not always do everything perfectly, especially when under stress.

It is important to remember that you did the best you could and not feel guilty over things that you had no control over. Illness and accidents are things we cannot control.

Feeling lost, angry, and guilty often makes us irrational and sometimes irritable. Other reactions you may experience include:

  • Your sleep patterns may become disturbed. You may find yourself up all night and wanting to sleep all day.
  • You may feel totally exhausted, without the energy to do much of anything.
  • You may lose your appetite and have no interest in cooking, or even eating food that’s already prepared.
  • You may feel nauseous, tense, or just generally not well. You may identify with your deceased partner so much that you start having symptoms of the illness that caused his or her death.
  • You may drink too much, smoke more cigarettes than usual, and overuse tranquilizers, pain pills, or sleeping pills.
  • What helps

    Remember that there is no timeline for your grief. You will heal at your own pace and in your own time. Here are some ideas to help you cope:

    Eat a healthy diet whether you feel like it or not. Get some form of regular exercise every day, such as walking. Get out of the house several times a week. Run errands, go to dinner, and find ways to spend time with other people.

    Give yourself permission to laugh, sing, joke, and encourage others. It doesn’t mean that you are not grieving “enough” or that you have forgotten your spouse. You will not forget.

    Go back to work as soon as possible. Keep busy. It helps to have things to do.

    See your healthcare provider for a checkup, especially if you have headaches, chest pain, or digestive problems.

    Pay attention while driving or operating machinery. You may also be distracted and more prone to accidents.

    Count your blessings, not your troubles. Instead of saying, “I miss him or her so much,” say, “He taught me how to have fun” or “she brought so much beauty to the world”.

    Don’t make important life decisions for a few months. Resist the urge to sell your house, quit your job, move to another town, move in with your family, give away large sums of money, or retire from your former lifestyle.

    Make tentative decisions, for example, take a vacation before you decide on a permanent move. You cannot make decisions just to help ease the pain of grief. The grief will follow you wherever you go. Moving away won’t change how you feel.

    It may help to join a grief support program like AARP Widowed Persons Service. Call 1-800-424-3410 or visit the Web site at http://www.aarp.org/families/grief_loss

    Most cities have grief support groups that are open to the public. Look in the yellow pages for hospices.

    You may also want to contact churches or hospitals as they often have support groups.

    Some people are overwhelmed by their grief and feel like they cannot cope with their loss. They may be drinking more, using drugs, or even feeling suicidal. If you feel this way, you might want to see a therapist who specializes in grief counseling. Getting help is often the first step toward feeling better.

    [ad_2]

    Source by Marlene C. Griffin

    Tags: HandlelossLovedWeeksWidowhood
    Share196Tweet123Send
    • Trending
    • Comments
    • Latest
    Desmond inquiry: Lionel Desmond’s case manager at Veterans Affairs begins testimony – Halifax

    Desmond inquiry: Lionel Desmond’s case manager at Veterans Affairs begins testimony – Halifax

    June 22, 2021
    Afghans, Canadian veterans in Alberta fear Taliban takeover will undo years of progress

    Afghans, Canadian veterans in Alberta fear Taliban takeover will undo years of progress

    August 14, 2021
    Lionel Desmond inquiry: Veterans Affairs review cites delays, calls for changes – Halifax

    Lionel Desmond inquiry: Veterans Affairs review cites delays, calls for changes – Halifax

    June 25, 2021

    Hello world!

    1

    Lady Gaga Pulled Off One of the Best Halftime Shows Ever

    0

    Barack Obama’s Now Mainly Focusing on Wearing This Casual Backwards Hat

    0
    Veterans Day Message from President Trump

    Veterans Day Message from President Trump

    August 1, 2022
    Navajo Code Talker Samuel Sandoval dies

    Navajo Code Talker Samuel Sandoval dies

    August 1, 2022
    #VeteranOfTheDay Marine Corps Veteran Victor “Brute” Harold Krulak

    #VeteranOfTheDay Marine Corps Veteran Victor “Brute” Harold Krulak

    August 1, 2022
    198 Veterans News

    Own and operated by The Ike Lemuwa Group, LLC a Commonwealth of Virginia Limited Liability Company, USA.
    Info@nigeriasmartnews.com / info@ikelemuwagroup.com
    Toll-Free: 1 888 642 8433
    3821 Dominion Drive Dumfries, Virginia, 22026. USA

    Trending News

    Troops En Route to Afghanistan Aim to Help Remove Civilians, Pentagon Official Says > U.S. Department of Defense > Defense Department News

    The Favorite Receivers of Miami Dolphins Quarterback Dan Marino

    I’m hoping someone has the answer. : Veterans

    Technology for Seniors Who Won’t Give Up Their Flip Phones – Veterans Home Care

    Veterans Benefits Banking Program

    Recent News

    Veterans Day Message from President Trump

    Navajo Code Talker Samuel Sandoval dies

    #VeteranOfTheDay Marine Corps Veteran Victor “Brute” Harold Krulak

    Trump supporters attempt world record boat parade near Clearwater Beach

    • Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA
    • Cookie Policy
    • T & C
    • Contact

    198 Veterans News - Copyright AllRights Reserved.

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • Global Veterans
    • USA Veterans
    • EU Veterans
    • Canadian Veterans
    • Australian Veterans
    • Asia Veterans
    • African Veterans
    • Veteran Supports
    • More
      • Global Veteran Supports
      • Veterans Nonprofits
      • Veterans Sponsors
      • Sponsorship
      • Veteran Blogs
      • Veteran Books
      • VIP videos of Veterans

    198 Veterans News - Copyright AllRights Reserved.

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password?

    Create New Account!

    Fill the forms below to register

    All fields are required. Log In

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In