Our parents are our greatest support. When they are an essential part of our life, we know we have someone to rely on whenever things get rough. They are there to help us overcome the obstacles and give us advice on how things should be done. Those who have their parents by their side while growing up and later in life are very lucky. Those who lost a parent know the grief and the sadness of losing a part of your heart and soul. When a parent dies, things change. We are no longer the person we used to be. These are some of the things that take a completely different turn once we experience such a tragic event.
1. You Become More Anxious
The loss may affect you in a very deep emotional level. Those people whose mother or father died are more likely to struggle with depression, anxiety, and stress. Even everyday commitments take a lot of extra effort to deal with.
2. You Can’t Deal With People Complaining About Their Parents
When you know your parent is not around any longer and you will never have the chance to hug them or tell them how much you love them, it’s impossible to deal with people who are complaining about their mothers and fathers. They have no idea how lucky they are to even have them in their life.
3. You Feel the Grief in Your Body
The sadness and the grief one feels after losing a parent not only affect their mental, but also physical well-being. So during the process of mourning, people should we well aware of this and take care of both their body and soul.
4. You Learn to Live with Sadness
Someone who lost a parent will never stop missing that person who left the world, but as time passes by, they learn how to live with the loss and come to terms with the fact the person is no longer there. Eventually, they continue living their life, as that’s all they can do. In cases people are severely affected with the loss and the grieving lasts for too long, they should ask for medical assistance.
5. Holidays Have Changed
Holidays are that time of the year that we spend with our family and friends. That’s time of love, enjoyment, and happiness. So when one person is no longer there, we will forever miss their place during those family gatherings. However, over time, we create new meaningful ways of celebrating the occasions without them.
6. You Learn to Accept Their Flaws
No matter the relationship you and your parents had, once they are gone, you will miss them dearly. In cases there were some things that you didn’t like about them, their death will make you accept all their flaws and mistakes.
7. Your Emotions Become Complicated
It is very natural for a person whose parent, or parents died to be overflown with negative feelings and emotions. But remember, that’s normal and it’s an inevitable part of the grieving process.
8. Your Relationship with Your Siblings Changes
Relying on your siblings might be one of the ways of coping with the pain easily. However, whereas in some families brothers and sisters become closer as the grief unites them, there are also those families where the siblings split apart because the parents were the ones keeping them together.
9. You Catch Yourself Trying to Call Them
You know they are gone, but your heart and mind can’t easily accept the fact you’ll never see them again, so you catch yourself writing them a message, or calling them on their phone.
10. You Learn How Strong Love Is
You realize that when a person is gone, the love for them is still there and never fades away. You learn that the love you got from your parents, and the one you gave them back is all that matters. This helps the healing process.
If you need any support, see the following resources resources:
Grief.com (USA) www.grief.com
My Grief Angels (USA, Canada) www.mygriefangels.com
If you or someone you know is suffering from a mental health crisis, please reach out to a crisis line in your area. Here are some helpful numbers:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (USA): 1-800-273-8255
Depression Hotline (USA): 1-866-208-4949
Crisis Text Line (USA): 741741
For life-threatening crises, call 9-1-1.