Almost Smart Cookie Tips:

Learning about Mourning from the Suicide of Marie Osmond's Son

I was fortunate enough to be part of a wonderful interview with Winter, of HollywoodLife.com. 

You can read the article by clicking on the link below.  But before you click, let me list a few tips to help people who are in mourning.

1.  Accept various ways of mourning. Everyone mourns differently.  Some cry and fall apart in the beginning, some never do and "keep their own counsel,

and others are "hit" later by those awful mourning pangs of grief.

2.  Don't judge others.  The loss of a parent, spouse or child or any other very important person in one's life can cause a cascade of intense emotional reactions of loss, regret, anger, confusion and relief.  You probably don't know everything about another person's relationship with the deceased person.  Be a true friend and be supportive. 

3.  Don't be so hard on yourself.  Mourning is a very complicated experience.  The loss might be stirring up and revealing feelings and memories you didn't expect. Go easy on yourself and take care of yourself.  Eat right, get a good night's sleep and exercise.

4.  Get professional help. If you are in mourning and are overwhelmed, very anxious and depressed, get help.

5. Connect.  Join grief support groups.  Stay in touch with your friends--new and old.  Social connection reduces the negative emotions such as loss of control over one's live.

6.  Get back to life.  Don't stop your life.  Instead, keep doing what you need to do--including going back to work.  Or, start a new life.  These efforts will pump up your sense of inner strength and emotional resiliency.

http://www.hollywoodlife.com/2010/03/04/marie-osmond-son-suicide/