- 1). Talk about your guilty feelings. Talking about how you feel can be healing. Speak with family and friends about what you are going through. If you are uncomfortable speaking to family and friends about the death, find a counselor that you are comfortable with and spend time speaking with her about the guilt you hold.
- 2). Acknowledge your feelings of guilt. Allow yourself to recognize that you are being affected by the guilt. Once you are able to acknowledge that you feel guilty, you are better able to start the healing process.
- 3). Write about your feelings of guilt. Writing can allow you to put feelings into words that you are unable to express in any other way. Buy a journal and spend time writing down your emotions and feelings. Be honest while you write.
- 4). Explore the reasons for your guilt. Ask yourself why you feel guilty. Determine if your guilt is founded. Do not hold yourself responsible for the death if the individual made irresponsible choices. Seek professional help if you truly believe that you are the reason for the death.
- 5). Recognize your need to grieve. You have to grieve in order to heal after a loss. Give yourself the time you need to grieve the loss of your loved one so that you can move on with your life.
- 6). Allow yourself to cry if you need to. Crying over both the death and the guilt can help you heal and move forward after your loss. Tears are not necessary for a person to heal from grief, but they can be beneficial.
- 7). Remind yourself that, ultimately, you have no control over death. Your loved one's death was out of your hands. When you realize this, it will be easier for you to put aside your guilt.
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