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EXPERIENCE OF PET LOSS
SIGNS THAT YOU ARE HEALING
- you think more about your pet’s life than you do about her/his death
- emotions are not as intense and you feel a sense of control over them
- energy level, sleep patterns, appetite, and other physiological changes brought about by the loss are returning to normal
- you are regaining an interest in activities you enjoyed before your loss
- reminders of your pet and the circumstances surrounding her/his death are not as painful
- you do not try to avoid reminders of your pet
- you are better able to remember the good times you shared with your pet
- “triggers” or those memories that catch you off guard are not as overwhelming
- you are beginning to focus more on the present and future and less on the past
- you are able to talk about your pet without crying or feeling intense sadness
- you can enjoy yourself, laugh, and have a good time without feeling guilty
- you control your pain, it doesn’t control you
- you do not feel guilty when realizing you no longer think about your pet all of the time
- you have resolved any issues of guilt that you were experiencing
- letting go of your pain does not feel as though you are betraying your pet
- you no longer wish the world would stop because of your loss
- letting go of your pain does not feel as though you are betraying your pet
To continue next in the series, click below.
THE EXPERIENCE OF PET LOSS – Children and Pet Loss (9 of 12)
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