When we think about grief, we usually think of when somebody we care about has passed. However, grief can also relate to when a person is still alive, but the relationship has simply changed. It can be as simple as two people just drifting apart or as big as going separate ways due to a conflict. No matter how it happens, it can be difficult to come to terms with.
Grief is your body’s reaction to losing someone that you care about, and it can show up when you least expect it. Knowing how to deal with this grief can be difficult, especially when you know that the relationship can still be there since the other person is still alive. Here are some ways to deal with grief after drifting away from someone you care about;
Acceptance; Coming to terms with a loss of a relationship through going separate ways can take time and that’s ok. Change is natural, who you were at 18 is different to who you are at 24 etc. Due to this, relationships can change and accepting this change can help you in the long run. Embrace it, allow yourself to feel those feelings that come with this change.
Create new relationships; Finding who you can connect with after drifting away from someone in your past can help you heal from these past relationships. It allows you to create a new community, create new memories and find people that you can foster a new bond with. It allows you to not feel so alone and stop yourself from thinking about the past as often.
Reflect; When a relationship drifts apart, there may not always be a concrete reason as to why the relationship goes its separate ways. However, reflecting on the relationship can help you move forward and come to terms with this loss. Remember that when you are reflecting on the relationship, try and avoid putting blame onto anything as it can cause you to hold resentment.
Relationships come and go, there’ll be people who are only supposed to be in your life for a chapter and others who are meant to be there for life. This doesn’t mean that it makes it any easier in coming to terms with moving on but no matter what stage of life you’ll be in, there will be people out there that you will be able to connect with. Allow yourself to grieve past relationships you’ve had whilst allowing yourself to find happiness in others.