Inhibitive grief is what happens when you don’t face the loss of a loved one after their service at a funeral home in Oakland, CA. Though it seems shocking, inhibitive grief if very common and it can lead to a variety of emotional and physical issues if its left unaddressed. Here is more about inhibitive grief, why it happens, and what you can do about it:

• How does inhibitive grief happen? You might end up with inhibitive grief if you put your focus and energy into distractions instead of working through the loss and how it makes you feel.
• How do you know you have inhibitive grief? People with inhibited grief often show very few outward signs of mourning, but instead begin to experience physical symptoms that are an outward manifestation of their pent-up emotions. Some of the symptoms of inhibitive grief are muscle tension, insomnia, lack of appetite, depression, anxiety, nightmares, and digestive problems. These issues will only worsen if you continue to ignore your grieving.
• What’s the difference between inhibitive and delayed grief? Inhibitive grief is when you ignore the loss because facing it is too painful or too hard. Delayed grief is when you don’t feel the pain of loss right away, often because you suffered another loss right before and are therefore distracted, such as when you lose and loved one and then your job. You might not feel the pain of losing your job right away because you’re already grieving the loss of your loved one.
• Why does traumatic loss often lead to inhibitive grief? If you lose a loved one in a traumatic, sudden way, processing the loss might simply be too much for you. So, instead of talking about it, facing it, or otherwise accepting the loss, you push it away. But traumatic grief is hard enough without adding the pain of leaving it unresolved.
• Why are some people more likely to experience inhibitive grief? In some families, it is a sign of weakness to cry or show emotions. If you grew up this way, you were trained to hold in your emotions and not feel the pain of loss. This will therefore make you more susceptible to inhibitive grief.
• Can you have inhibitive grief over losses beyond death? Grief can happen after any kind of loss, whether that means a death, move, job loss, divorce, or any other event that causes change in your life.

No matter how or why you’re experiencing inhibitive grief, you must remember that you are not alone. Grief is a universal emotion. We have all gone through grief at some point, even if we all do it differently. Moving forward from your grief is important so that you can begin to heal. You’ll never forget, but you can move forward, grow, and learn to live again. We are here to help if you want more information on types of grief or Oakland, CA funeral homes. Call or visit us today.

At some point, you will have to offer condolences to someone, so it’s better to come up with a plan now for what to say than to get stuck with the same old, dry phrase that doesn’t mean as much as it should. Telling someone, “I am sorry for your loss,” after a loss and service at a funeral home in Oakland, CA can feel empty. This is because it’s said so often. But what else is there to say?

Here are condolence phrases you can use to offer meaningful comfort and support to someone after they lose a loved one, like “What a wonderful life your XX lived!” The deceased did live a wonderful life. This phrase opens the door for the bereaved to bring up favorite memories of their lost loved one, which helps them process the loss and heal. There’s also “I am so sorry to learn about XX’s passing.” The person you’re comforting loved the deceased dearly. They were important. By mentioning their lost loved one’s name, you’re making your comment much more personal and meaningful.

What about “No words I can offer will make this hurt go away, but I am here for you at this devastating time”? While you’ve gone through losses of your own, you don’t “know” how the deceased feels as you’ve never lost that specific person with that specific relationship in that specific way. Its ok to acknowledge that, and balance that acknowledgement with a promise of ongoing support. “Even though we can’t be together during this difficult time, I am holding you close in my heart” is another good saying. It’s not always possible to make it to a funeral or a memorial service. When sending attendance regrets, you can use this phrase to express that you are still thinking of the bereaved. You can also make it more personal by sending a bereavement gift, a card, or giving them a call.

You can say “Someone as special as XX won’t ever fade from our hearts and memories.” It’s easy for the bereaved to feel that everyone will forget their lost loved one now that they’re gone. This phrase will help them know that you will not forget the deceased and that their legacy will live on. Another good phrase is “My heart breaks with you at the loss of your XX.” The bereaved was someone’s mother, father, son, daughter, sister, brother, aunt, or any other important part of someone’s life. Acknowledging the relationship the bereaved had with the deceased makes your comment more personal.

It’s important to note that there is nothing technically wrong with saying “I’m sorry for your loss.” There are just more personal, meaningful ways to convey the same sentiment. Don’t worry about it if that’s what you choose to say, if you’ve said it in the past, or if it slips out in the moment. It’s not a hurtful or offensive phrase, and the sentiment is still there despite its overuse. You want to say something to the grieving person that means a little more than this much-repeated phrase.

Do you want more information on conveying sympathy or Oakland, CA funeral homes? Call or visit us today.

Picking out a gift for someone going through a loss can be another wonderful way to show someone just how deeply you care after a loss and service at a funeral home in Oakland, CA. Sympathy cards, phone calls, texts, and visits are all well and good, but sometimes you want to do a little more.

Traditionally, bereavement gifts are often home cooked meals, flowers, or other practical items. But these days, bereavement can be so much more, from journals and jewelry to plants, home décor, and more. Here are some bereavement gift ideas to help inspire you:

1. Photo Book – Like a scrapbook but made digitally, photo books are bound, printed photos of the deceased. Choose your favorite pictures of the deceased and have them printed through a photo book company to give to the bereaved.
2. Engraved Glassware – Many people like to do toasts in honor of those they’ve lost. An engraved glass, whether beer mug, wine glass, highball, or water glass, makes a great bereavement gift as it gives the bereaved a special way to make those memorial toasts.
3. Grief Journal – Grief journals make great bereavement gifts as they provide the bereaved a place to write down their thoughts, feelings, memories, or anything else they want. Grief journaling has been around for a very long time, and was around long before it had an official name or designation as it can be very helpful in processing loss and the feelings that come with it.
4. Picture Frame – Photos are a great way to help remember and honor the deceased, making picture frames to hold photos of the deceased great bereavement gifts. Look for a special frame that might signify something unique about the deceased. For example, if they loved to golf, get a golf-themed frame.
5. Memorial Trees – You can buy a tree to plant in honor of the deceased. Memorial trees not only provide the bereaved with a place to visit when they want to remember their lost loved one, but they also help make the world a greener, better place.
6. Candle Holder – Many people like to light candles in remembrance of lost loved ones. Buying a candle holder as a bereavement gift gives your friend a special candle holder they can use to honor their lost loved one, especially if you get in engraved with a special message or picture of the deceased.
7. Positive Thoughts Jar – A positive thoughts jar is a jar filled with slips of paper on which positive thoughts are written. You can order one online or make your own with a mason jar and printer paper. These little notes can help remind the bereaved that even when days seem dark and bleak, there is still so much beauty and joy in life to experience.

A tasteful memorial gift can go a long way in expressing your support and love for a grieving friend in their time of need.  We are here to help if you want more information on bereavement gifts or Oakland, CA funeral homes. Call or visit us today to learn more.

It is a terrible thing to lose a loved one, but hopefully these tips will help soothe your mind during your time of loss. Whether you are honoring a final wish to scatter the ashes somewhere sentimental or take the ashes back home with you to your funeral home in Oakland, CA, traveling with cremains can be stressful. You want to ensure that nothing happens to the ashes, and you want to be sure you’re following any laws or regulations around transporting cremated remains.

If you’re traveling long distances with cremated remains, you might be a bit worried. Whether your lost loved one cremated somewhere far away, you’re bringing your lost loved one’s cremates remains somewhere far away after their cremation, or your lost loved one wanted to their cremains to be scattered in an exotic location, you should consider driving.

Driving gives you the most control over how your lost loved one’s ashes are handled during transit. While there are some factors you cannot control, such as the quality of the roads or other drivers, traveling by car is a good way to calm your nerves while transporting cremains. When traveling with cremains by car, you need to make sure they are in a sturdy, unbreakable container. If you’ve purchased a glass urn or an urn made from another delicate material, do not put the cremains in it until you’ve made it to your final destination. Instead, keep them in a cardboard, wood, cloth, or plastic container so they won’t spill if knocked over on a bump road or if you get in a fender bender. You can also get an heirloom urn that houses an internal container with the ashes inside. This double layering will ensure there is no damage to the urn during travel. Put the urn or other container inside another holder of some kind to keep the urn steady on the road. You can use a carry-on case, like you would use if going on a short plane trip. Put the case inside, place it in your trunk or backseat, and hit the road.

Do you need to fly?

Flying with an urn is more complicated than driving with an urn. First, you should always bring the cremains on the plane with you. Do not check them in a bag as some airlines will not accept checked cremated remains and you can never be sure the bag will not get lost or damaged alone the way. Carrying the ashes on the plane with you is the best way to make sure they’re safe and secure. Second, you need to be sure the urn is TSA complaint so it will pass a security screening. The only acceptable urns you can carry on a plane, by TSA standards, are made from wood, non-lead ceramic, glass, or plastic.

Use these tips to safely travel with cremated remains by car or by plane to help calm your nerves during your time of grief. Call or visit us today for more information on Oakland, CA funeral homes.