Examples of Other Triggers: • Seeing your loved ones favorite food, color, objects or things that were special to them. • Seeing the way other families/loved ones interact with each other. • Finding out important news that you would have shared with your loved one. • Smelling a loved one’s favorite scent. • Having a dream about your loved one or about the crash. You will never forget your loved one and will always wish that you could share more time with them. As time passes, the memories associated with your loved one will no longer bring the same intensely painful thoughts and feelings. The loss will take on new meaning and you will eventually develop a new perspective of the world around you.
Finding Ways to Cope Friends and even some family members may not be able to support you while you grieve. Many people who attempt to comfort victims/survivors, including some professionals, do not understand that intense and long-lasting grief is appropriate for victims of substance impaired driving crashes. You may hear things like, “You’ll be okay,” or “It’s time to move on,” or even something like, “They had a good, long life.” In these situations, people often aren’t trying to hurt you, but they are probably unaware of how these statements might affect you. When someone approaches you with that type of a remark, if you are comfortable sharing, express how you are feeling and what you are thinking. You may be able to teach them the value of listening.
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