Everyone knows how hard it can be dealing with the loss of a friend or loved one. But, often times, we get so caught up in the whirlwind of it all that we don’t realize how it is affecting us mentally, emotionally, and even physically.

Mentally and emotionally, we may lose ourselves temporarily or even react to the situation traumatically. After an event like death, it takes time to cope with pain and feel more at ease again. Support from the people around you can speed your recovery. Whether your traumatic event occurred years ago or yesterday, realizing you can heal and move on is a step in the right direction.

The physical effects of death on our bodies prove to be the most dangerous. All the time, we hear how an elderly lady dies due to the grief of losing her husband. And although people can suffer grief from the loss of anything, it often times is referring to the death of a loved one.

Risk factors for experiencing more serious symptoms of grief for a longer period of time can be related to the survivor's own physical and emotional health before the loss. The nature of the death could also play a role. It is not uncommon for surviving loved ones who had or a strained relationship to suffer severe feelings of grief. After doing research, I found that parents who have lost their child are at a higher risk of divorce. And not only that, but they are also at an increased risk for a decline in emotional health. This could include being psychiatrically hospitalized following the loss.

Overall, death is all around us. It’s not something we can escape or something we can ultimately prevent. From the second we are born, we start dying. It’s Mother Nature; and the sooner we come to the terms of reality with it, the easier it will be to accept. Remember the good times, and don’t give up. Think of it this way, if you’ve been struck by the death of a friend or loved one, would they want to see you down?