Dealing with the Fear of the Familiar

Right now, you might not feel ready to go the places you shared with your lost loved one; the memories associated with those places might be too painful.

Acknowledge this fact and resolve to experience these special places in your own time. Like your grief, the memories evoked by these physical spaces will become less painful and you will learn to deal with them. Until that time comes, making small changes can help, like taking a different route to work, choosing a different movie theater or spending more time out in nature.

However, don’t try to run from your grief; it will only follow you wherever you go. Don’t decide to move to a new city with the hopes of escaping the pain. Likewise, changing careers or making any other life-altering decisions within the first six months is not a good idea. Though your grief will eventually subside, these decisions could affect you and your family for a lifetime.