From right after the service at a funeral home in Clarksville, TN to the following months and years, losing a loved one will always be hard and painful. It’s true that everyone experiences grief in different ways and for different amounts of time, but it’s also true that there are some common warning signs that your grief might be too much for you to handle on your own.

If you experience any of the following, you might want to consider seeking help for your loss:

• Avoiding Time with Loved Ones – Sometimes it’s easier to process grief on our own, but it’s also important to be with loved ones. If you find yourself consistently avoiding other people, you should consider counseling.
• Inability to Move On – There is nothing to be ashamed of about not being able to move on. Sometimes we all need a bit of help.
• Numbness to Emotion – Grief comes with a range of emotions, from sad and confused to even happy. Each emotion is acceptable during periods of mourning, but numbness is not. If you are feeling entirely numb and unable to feel any emotions, it may be time to seek help.
• Hallucinations/Voices – It may be comforting to imagine your lost loved one is with you but hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t there is always a cause for concern. Be especially wary if what you are seeing, or hearing is accusing or angry.
• Loss of Enjoyment – You shouldn’t stop living your life completely during grief. You’re still allowed to pursue your interests and goals. If your grief is preventing you from pursuing activities that you enjoy or enjoying things you normally would, you may just need help finding your way forward.
• Sudden Changes in Behavior – If you find that you don’t recognize the choices you’re making or the person you’ve become, this may be cause for concern. Keep an eye out for irrational anger, excessive drinking, and drug use.
• Escapism – Staying busy or trying to escape to avoid feeling sad is not a long-term solution. Eventually, you will need to face your feelings. If you are don’t feel up to doing so on your own, it may be wise to ask for a helping hand.
• Inability to Continue Normal Activities – If you are unable to perform normal activities like going to work or school, or even eating or sleeping, you may need help with coping.
• Fear of New Relationships – Apprehension of new relationships due to the fear of loss is common when grieving. However, in order to move forward and continue to grow, we must forge new relationships
• Thoughts of Hurting Yourself – Feeling you want to hurt yourself should not be ignored and must be addressed with a professional.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is a Clarksville, TN funeral home with years of experience with grief and loss. We can offer you more information on dealing with or getting help for grief in addition to our funeral services. Please give us a call to learn more about what we can do for you.