Grief is a natural human emotion and it's a healthy reaction to a tragic event, whether it be news of an illness, death or loss of a loved one. Through grief you're able to express and explore your emotions during a difficult time. The Kubler-Ross model of grief includes five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. You can find support through the difficult stages of grief with five coping mechanisms that can help you express yourself and work through the grief process in a healthy way.
Denial
While denial is an actual stage of the grieving process, it's also an important coping mechanism as well, according to MayoClinic.com. Denial softens the blow of the initial news. When reality becomes too painful and overwhelming, denial is the first coping mechanism that naturally occurs in order to protect you. While you may think denial is unhealthy, it's actually an important first step to the grieving and coping process. Denial is fine as long as it isn't causing physical or mental harm.
Support
Finding support through family, friends and even medical professionals can help you through a difficult time, especially if you're feeling angry and hopeless about your condition or the death of a loved one. Talking to your family members about how you feel, or joining a support group with people who have gone through a similar situation can help you talk things out. The American Cancer Society recommends bereavement counseling to help you adjust to your new way of life, if necessary.
Expression
Expressing your feelings of grief, no matter what stage you're in, can help you work through your feelings. While talking to someone can help you express yourself, so can forms of art. Try writing down your feelings, or creating a work of art to express yourself. Expression can be a powerful coping mechanism as it allows you to externalize the emotions, fears, sadness and eventual acceptance that you feel throughout the grieving process, says the University of Iowa University Counseling Service.
Faith
Your faith can be a powerful coping mechanism, especially when dealing with death and dying. Depending on your faith and religion, you may believe in an afterlife, heavenly rewards and a comforting peace. HelpGuide.org notes that spiritual activities like praying, visiting a church or temple or meditating can help you work through your grief in a healthy way. Grief can also make you question your faith, so it's a good time to talk to a clergyman or even research other religions.
Time
Sometimes, the most effective coping mechanism is time: time to heal the wounds of grief and time to resolve your feelings and emotions. There is no time limit on the grief process. For some, it will take weeks and months, for others, years. Giving yourself ample time to grieve, and knowing that it's time well spent can help you realize the value of grief and sadness and look forward to a time when it isn't the most important emotion in your life.
