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After My Dad Died, I Realized I Knew Nothing About the Grieving Process

The death of a loved one is one of the most intense experiences in life. Losing a father can be especially difficult. Learning about grief can help you move through the necessary steps and deal with the death of your father.

Grieving the loss of a parent is personal. There’s no “normal” path or timeline. Everyone deals with it in their own way. But taking steps to understand your emotions and find support can make the process a little easier. Start with these strategies.

Know that your emotions will change. Grief is tied to sadness. But you’ll likely go through a variety of emotions. “When my dad died, I was in shock,” says Jason Phillips, a therapist in Raleigh, NC. “Death wasn’t something we talked about in my family, so things went back to normal after a few days.” Weeks later, as Phillips started to process his dad’s passing, he was flooded with emotion.
You may go through these stages of grief:

* Denial. You may feel numb or shocked. This is your brain’s way of dealing with the overwhelming news.
* Anger. As you come to terms with the loss, your emotions may turn into anger. You may direct it toward other people, the parent who died, or a higher power.


* Bargaining. You may feel guilty, and think “if only ...” and “what if ...” This puts off the reality of your loss.
* Depression. As the loss sinks in, you feel sad. You may cry and have trouble sleeping and eating.
* Acceptance. You’ve accepted the reality. While you’re still upset, you’re moving on with your life.