I have had to deal with an immensly heavy amount of grief in my life by myself and I just want to share some things that has helped me process, or at the very least comforted me while I've been at my worst.
This is just my experiences also. It's different for everyone.
I have gone through five sudden losses-all of whom I've loved closely and unrelated to eachother- within a very short time-frame. Like where am I even supposed to start or is there even a point?
First of all, lots, and lots of time alone. Sitting with it. Crying. Screaming. Punching walls. Starting unecessary fights. All the emotional stuff. There's no way around it. You've got to let yourself feel the pressure of the reality in order to live with the pain of it.
I thought I had cried all the tears I had left. And then my cat died too. My emotional support best friend companion, who I leaned on during my other losses. For some reason, she hit harder than any of the humans I've lost.
So secondly, even if it's an animal, give yourself the proper time to grieve them too. They're just as important. There is no shame in loving a creature so much that it hurts when they're gone.
If you've got a support system, that's great. Be with them. I can't say much about that side of things because I've always been alone with this stuff.
Even though I had family around me, nobody wanted to ever talk about these things. They don't even want to talk on a normal day. And it feels very taboo to even mention the subject.
Grief shouldn't be as taboo as it is.
Third is subjective. Going through old photos and videos will either help you or make you worse. It depends on who you are and how you process this stuff.
Surround yourself with things that comfort you. Play a nostalgic video game. Listen to music. Buy yourself a treat. Watch your favorite movie. Don't force yourself to be okay when you're not okay.
Five. Get a tattoo. No explanation needed. Make your lost ones a permanent part of yourself.
And lastly, I am one of those people who are comforted by seeing the pain I go through in a fictional story. Something, something, it helps to see my reality be spoken about when grief feels like such a taboo subject for everyday life.
Basically, when the blorbo suffers, I am comforted because I feel seen.
So if you're the type of person who does not take comfort in fictional grief, I do not recommend. Otherwise, here are a few pieces of media specifically involving grief and loss that I recommend.
Mr Magnorium's Wonder Emporium
The Banshees of Inirsherin
Six Feet Under (highly recommend.)
Alice in Borderland S1/S2(specifically Arisu's experience with grief.)
The Mentalist (the grief storyline is long but it's there)
Kemono No Souja Erin (anime)
A few ones (not necessarily about grief) to help you get back on your feet:
