How to manage grief in times of confinement and health crises?

Whether the loved one died of the coronavirus or not, during this period of confinement the funeral ceremonies were greatly disrupted. Limited to 20 people from the first family circle of the deceased, they did not allow the most distant to go there. This essential step in the grieving process must be replaced by other rituals.

Exceptional conditions

The people most affected by difficult mourning are generally affected because they were unable to accompany their loved one in their last moments as they wished. Because of the protective measures, only access by telephone or video is possible, imitating of course the understanding of the death.

Just like in the event of a natural disaster or violent death, these conditions deeply hurt and complicate the grieving process of being able to say goodbye to the person you love.

Reinventing new rituals

Even if these complications must be taken into account, they do not block the grieving process. If the funeral and the accompaniment facilitate acceptance in our societies, other rituals can be invented, for example the use of a photo of the person, a candle, flowers, or the reading of a text. .

Rather than thinking about what could not have been done, it is better to invent your own ritual that could have best corresponded to the deceased. For this, we sometimes encourage you to write down what you feel and what you have experienced with the person to recreate a moment of intimacy that allows you to express what you have on your heart.

Then, when possible, a second ceremony can be planned at a later date to meet and honor the memory of the deceased as imagined. Even deferred, it will help those who need it most to grieve.

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