How To Help a Grieving Friend

When a close girlfriend has lost a family member, it can be tough to know how to help her through such a difficult time. Here are some ways that you can take care of your friend when she needs you the most.

Comfort Her

If one of your best friends has recently lost a loved one, often the best thing you can do is to offer your unconditional comfort and support. Reach out with phone calls and texts, and be there to lend her a shoulder to cry on whenever she needs it. Your friend may veer from sadness to anger to confusion on what feels like an emotional rollercoaster, and it’s up to you to give her a safe place to ride out these feelings.

In most cases, you should resist the urge to placate your friend by saying that you know how she feels, or that everything will get better in time. Because they’re uttered so often, sentiments like these tend to ring hollow. Instead, work to connect with your friend and get her to open up, so she feels encouraged to share what she’s experiencing. Then simply listen to her.

Lend a Hand

Your friend may feel overwhelmed by all there is to take care of when someone close to her has passed away. Often there are financial issues that must be attended to, such as settling bills and debts, selling a home, and administering wills, funeral arrangements, and last wishes. Try to think about ways you can help her, perhaps by doing some research or footwork to help her with these duties. Looking into something like how she can go about getting her inheritance advanced may take a lot off her plate.

Also, keep in mind some of the basic needs your friend may have. She may benefit from your assistance with everyday things, like preparing food or babysitting the kids while she takes care of larger issues. It can be easy for people to neglect routine matters when they are dealing with a loss, so aiding with small daily chores might be a bigger help than you know.

Provide Ongoing Support

Sometimes people think that their grieving friends should try to move on with their lives and simply snap out of it. That is often easier said than done, and if your friend doesn’t feel supported by you as she struggles with her grief and the aftermath of her loved one’s passing, she may feel you aren’t a true friend. Instead of ignoring her difficulties, you can show you really care for your best friend by being there for her as long as she needs you.

Often when someone is emerging from the fog of grief they can feel overwhelmed by how much they’ve neglected to take care of, so whenever possible, you should continue to lend a helping hand with tasks both large and small. From an emotional standpoint, your availability to provide a shoulder to cry on will likely be even more appreciated as your friend settles into the reality of her loss. Reaching out to your friend every few days just to say you are thinking of her will surely mean a lot.

When your closest friend has lost someone she holds dear, it’s important that you are there for her both emotionally and practically. Keep in contact with her so she feels she has someone looking out for her, and help her out with tasks that she may find overwhelming. By sticking by your friend’s side during such a trying time, you’ll be showing her that you truly are her best girlfriend.

About Post Author

Ken

See author's posts