Depression After the Loss of a Loved One

It is understandable to be a little down in the dumps after losing a loved one. However, plunging into a deep depression isn't normal. After I lost my grandmother, I plunged into a deep depression. For almost a week, I stayed in bed and cried almost constantly. After that week of feeling sorry for myself and wondering how my life could continue without my grandmother, I decided to seek help for my depression. Luckily, I learned a few techniques to help me realize that my life could carry on.

Collage

A friend suggested that I make a collage of pictures of my grandmother. She told me to include one word phrases that describe my grandmother. At first, the collage was hard. It took me over a week to get three pictures on the poster. Once I got past those three pictures, I realized that I was actually making a tribute to my grandmother. For a month, I worked on my collage. Once it was finished, I had it framed and now it is in my office so that I can look at it when I need a pick-me-up.

Journal

I think the thing that helped me to get over the loss of my grandmother was journaling about my many memories of my grandmother. At the top of each journal page, I wrote something that my grandmother would say. Each day had a different phrase. My grandmother passed away six years ago and I am still filling journal pages almost daily with memories of her. Now, I have a record of my grandmother that I can pass on to my children and share with my cousins who miss her just as much as I do.

Cooking and Baking

My grandmother always had food cooking in her home. She had two side-by-side refrigerators and two deep freezers that were always full of food. Before she passed on, my grandmother taught me how to make some of my favorite dishes-crawfish etouffee and monkey bread, among others. When I make these dishes, I remember the love that Maw Maw put into every dish she cooked and I feel closer to her.

Prayer

My grandmother was a devout Catholic. Before she passed away, she gave me a special Bible. It didn't get read much before she passed away, but since then, the Bible is the most read book in my home. I find comfort in the fact that my grandmother has a mansion in God's house and that she doesn't want me to be sad.

Bottom Line

Losing a loved one is difficult, but by honoring the memory of your loved one, you can minimize your sadness and create a legacy for others to remember your loved ones.