Accept help from others

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Do not expect that your loved one will be able to take care of everything. Often times, you will likely be offered help. If not, don't be afraid to ask. For example, you can ask neighbors, relatives, and friends to do some shopping for you. In hospitals, hospices or nursing homes, you can pound the entire staff with questions - from the nurses to psychologists, social workers, pastors to the chief physicians. Can't or won't help you, ask the next. Be persistent, at some point you will get a useful answer.

In addition, there are certain institutions that are there to assist you. There should be social counseling centers in every city that can help you, for example, with financial issues or with applications. Self-help associations sometimes also take on such activities, although they mainly take care of your emotional needs.

In self-help groups you will meet other sufferers who have gone through similar things. There are mourning seminars, mourning groups or so-called mourning cafés. Many support groups specialize in specific situations, such as loss from cancer or sudden death that leaves a parent alone with young children. You can find more information on this on the Internet.

There you will also find contact details to receive pastoral care or advice by phone, email or chat. These services are often offered free of charge and anonymously. Telephone counseling, the Federal Ministry of Health and Independent Patient Advice Germany (UPD) offer various online services.

It is also possible that personal psychological support would do you good, especially if the loss is a traumatic event for you. There are various forms of therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy or the so-called "Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)" method, in which the eye movement is directed and incorporated into the therapy. Finding a suitable psychologist is not always easy. But if you feel like he can help, then don't be shy. You can use the psychotherapy information service to search.

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