Tips For Coping with the Loss of a Pet

Pets are amazing which is why coping with the loss of a pet is tough. They come into your family one day and within just a few short weeks it feels like they’ve been there all along.

Owning a pet is one of the most fulfilling and enjoyable things in life.

For every burden your pet has placed on you they have repaid you many times over with their silliness, affection, and presence. Unfortunately, our pets do not live as long as we do and that makes our time with them ever the sweeter. When they are gone, it can leave you with genuine grief.

Are Grief and Sadness the Same Thing?

Grief may be a type of sadness, but they are not the same thing. Many people own pets, and not all of them have the same experience with loss or owning a pet. Losing a pet can be surprisingly impactful for people who did not expect to be affected so much. Sure, they expect to be sad and to miss their pet, but they instead find themselves going through the same grieving process they might if they had lost a family member.

Grief is not just a broad emotion, but a set of psychological processes a person must go through in order to properly process the loss of a loved one or pet.

Given that not all people are the same, this process can be very different from person to person as everyone struggles with different aspects of loss. Denial is often the very first symptom of grief stemming from loss. Denial is your mind trying to reject the reality that your pet has passed on. As irrational as it may seem, we often feel emotionally that there’s got to be something we could do to change the outcome. Once their pet’s passing has begun to sink in a bit more, this feeling often changes to wondering what you could have done differently.

How Do You Cope with Grief?

The most important aspect of dealing with grief is allowing yourself to feel and express those emotions. It is a common tactic to want to logically override our emotions. When we suppress our emotions, we allow them to influence our behavior and leak out in ways unintended. Allowing yourself to get these emotions out as they arise can help you move forward.

Reach Out for Help

Coping with the loss of a pet is not something you have to deal with alone. It is equally important to rely on others such as family or friends to simply discuss the feelings and get them off of your chest. Speaking to a therapist who can help you objectively work through your emotions can also be a great way for you to cultivate awareness of how you’re feeling.

It is seldom the case that the loss of a pet is the only issue occurring in our lives. Loss and grief are so tremendously difficult because we must carry on with our duties and obligations in spite of what we are feeling.

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