Grief almost always takes a long time to pass, from months to even years, and it presents differently from person to person. Grief can be extremely difficult to handle, even long after you leave the funeral at a funeral home in North Versailles, PA.

How do you know when your grief is too much for you to handle all on your own? Use this list of ten signs to know if you might need to seek extra help or counseling for your grief.

• 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.
• Thoughts of Hurting Yourself – Feeling you want to hurt yourself should not be ignored and must be addressed with a professional.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 and eye out for irrational anger, excessive drinking, and drug use.
• 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.
• 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 many need a help with coping.
• 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.

If you want to learn more about how to deal with grief, or have questions about North Versailles, PA funeral homes, just reach out to Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. We are happy to do whatever we can for you in your time of loss.