How to cope after witnessing a death
Death is a sobering part of life. We often take life for granted. We make plans to visit friends in several months with little regard for how each day could be our last. Death wakes us up to what’s around us. Imagine if you’re walking down the street, jamming out to your music when suddenly you witness a pedestrian getting struck by an oncoming vehicle. Or imagine you’re getting off of work and you witness someone on the ground motionless from a heart attack. These situations, and ones like them, can shatter your sense of invulnerability. But, as tough as it is, you will survive these experiences. Here are some tips to help cope with witnessing a death firsthand.
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Instructions
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Talk to someone about it. Like everything else bad, it’s a good idea to vent to someone. Internalizing is never a good thing because these feelings will manifest themselves in some way whether you want them to or not. Better to take these feelings of helplessness and grief to someone you know fairly well. Even if she can’t make you feel better about what you saw, you’ll at least get a few things off of your mind. If friends and family don't work, consider a grief counselor.
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Think about it. Self-reflection is always a good thing. Think what it means to be alive. Cliché? Perhaps. But we are all humans, composed of the same matter. Occasionally, things shut down. Sometimes the powers that be intervene in our lives and take people we know from the world. If you think about death, it will make you appreciate being alive that much more.
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Relax. Death is a sad part of life. Unexpected death, while certainly tragic, is also an unfortunate part of life. But rest assured. Life does go on. It might sound insensitive or callous, but it’s true. The world doesn’t suddenly stop turning because one person passes on. Instead of obsessing over it, make a mental note of it and move on. I’m not saying one should be completely indifferent to death. To be indifferent would be wrong.
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Learn from it. Again, live your life to the fullest. The woman who gets struck by a car would probably give anything to have another day on earth. Imagine each day to be your last. Ideally, you’d be able to go to bed and be perfectly fine with the possibility of not waking up the next day.
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