Resources for the Lonely

Posted on Thursday December 21, 2017 in Caregiving Tips

resources for the lonely

Coping with the loss of a loved one can lead a person through a spectrum of confusing emotions. These emotions can range from shock to anger to depression to guilt and beyond. While everyone grieves differently and experiences unique emotions, it is quite common to encounter at least some of these. When the person who has passed happened to be particularly close to the person in grief, feelings of loneliness and isolation can be among the most common.

At Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care, we understand that grieving alone makes coping with loss all the more difficult. Of the many challenges that a person faces during the grieving process, struggling alone does not have to be one of them.

Lean on People in Your Life

While spending time alone and doing things like flipping through old photo albums or praying can play a crucial role in grieving, another effective way to help oneself through a difficult time is by leaning on loved ones still around.

Friends and family are part of a person’s life for a reason. Whether it’s in good times or bad, family and friends provide a critical support system to aid in healing. Becoming sheltered from their support can sometimes result in a more difficult and possibly prolonged grieving process.

Finding Online Support

For those not ready to reach out to friends and family or those without friends or family in close proximity altogether, there are a number of accessible online resources to help cope and, of course, remember that no one is alone in this world.

Open to Hope is a non-profit foundation that aims to help people find hope once again after losing a loved one. On the website, there are thousands of helpful and inspiring articles, videos from the series “Open to Hope,” and radio interviews from those dealing with loss and recovery and are available to help.
Beyond Indigo Forum is for those who are dealing with a loss and want to share their story. Users can write about a loved one, a special memory, their struggles or things they find helpful during a tough time. Among the thousands of user-submitted posts, it is easy to find someone sharing a similar experience, which can help, especially for a person who may feel that no one understands what they are going through.

Compassionate Friends offers an online support community with live chats for those suffering from the loss of a child. Users enter these live chat rooms to connect with others and share experiences with other parents, grandparents, and siblings grieving the death of a child.

The Dougy Center is for anyone looking to help a grieving child. When there is a death in the family, children often are unaware of how to properly grieve and express their emotions. This confusion can prompt them to isolate themselves and spend more time alone. This site includes activities and information to help kids and teens in grief that can encourage them to be more open to communication.

Gratefulness.org offers visitors the chance to simply light a virtual candle in remembrance of a passed loved one. Visitors honor loved ones by lighting one of these candles and joining the thousands of other candles that have been lit by people around the world.

Support Groups

Online sources of support can be an excellent first step in the grieving process. Eventually, it can be most beneficial to seek in-person support as well. If needed, there are a number of grief resources to aid one in this process.

The Grief Recovery Method lets a person easily find support groups near them. After entering a zip code, users can find local support groups, one-on-one help and weekend grief workshops for help with personal loss.

Soaring Spirits can help those feeling lonely after mourning the loss of a significant other. This is a community made of both male and female widows who have found a connection in their shared experiences of loss. This organization offers social events, pen pals, and online forums to help members grieve.

The Grief Recovery Program at Crossroads is a unique and individual program to help those heal who have recently lost a loved one. Our Grief Recovery Method Outreach Program teaches people the right steps to take in dealing with the pain caused by loss. This bereavement support group program creates a safe environment for people to begin the healing process.

In the end, it can be difficult to accept that life after losing a loved one might not be the same. Loneliness can come along with that, but it doesn’t have to stay.

If you or a loved one is coping with a loss, either give us a call at 1-888-564-3405 or find a grief recovery group near you.

Recommended Reading:

Coping with Grief and the Holidays

Remembering Deceased Loved Ones during the Holidays

Personal Remembrance for the Holidays