Terror attacks are devastating for victims and survivors. They are even worse for families that lose their loved ones in such incidents. Many families experienced the trauma after the 9/11 attacks that killed thousands of victims. The sad part is that bombs and weapons do not differentiate victims, and the young and the old suffer alike. The thought of losing a child in a terror attack is daunting for any mother.
You wake up one morning, send your child to school, and get on with the day as usual. Suddenly, you hear the news of a random attack and realize that your kid could be a victim. You can imagine the trauma of being a victim’s parent. Coping with the aftermath can be the worst thing you may experience in your lifetime. But life does not stop with a loss, no matter how painful it is. Here are a few tips to help you survive as a mom after losing your child in a terror attack.
Deal with your guilt
Dealing with your guilt is the first step because you will probably blame yourself for not being able to prevent the situation. You could have asked your child to stay home instead of going to the market or take them to a picnic instead of sending them to school. You may find yourself replaying the incident in your mind a thousand times a day. Moreover, you may consider it your mistake. But living with the guilt of not doing your bit to save your child will only worsen the situation. Deal with the feelings and accept them as a part of the healing process because you could have done nothing to change what happened.
Stick with your loved ones
Losing a child is the worst nightmare for a mom, but you have to live and regain control over your life for your loved ones. After all, you are responsible for your partner and other kids. Loving your deceased child does not mean you should give up on others. Stick with your loved ones, and rebuild your life. You need not forget about the loss, but carry the beautiful memories together as a gift you share with your family. Consider it a collective strategy to heal and start afresh.
Seek justice and compensation
Nothing can bring your child back, but you can definitely lessen the pain by seeking justice for them. No one deserves to die in a terror attack, and victims’ families must get compensation for their pain and loss. Fortunately, the law comes to their rescue with legal rights to claim compensation. For example, the 9/11 survivors and victims’ families can seek 9/11 legal representation to file lawsuits for compensation. Think of compensation as a way to cover your loss and pain. It can help you deal with personal trauma because you get peace of mind by claiming it.
Join a support group
Terror attacks often have high death tolls. You may find hundreds of moms and families sharing your pain because of a similar loss. Coping is hard, but you can join a support group. Families often come together to form social media groups and forums to seek justice for their loved ones. Joining them is a good way to open up about your grief with people going through similar experiences. You may also get valuable advice from other moms who may have found a way to regain control. Knowing that you are not alone eases the journey to normalcy.
Look for professional help
The grief of losing a child is not similar to any other painful event you may experience as a mom. Undermining it is the last thing you should do because it can affect your sanity. In fact, you must look for the professional help from a therapist if your emotions are uncontrollable. Waiting until you reach the edge is not the right solution because you may fall prey to depression or PTSD due to the sudden trauma. A therapist can help you accept your emotions and find ways to cope with them.
Life is never the same for moms who lose their children. You may never recover from the pain and loss, and the situation is even more challenging when the event is sudden and unexpected. But coping is not a choice as it is the only way to stay afloat and resume normalcy in your life. Follow these tips to deal with the pain and ditch your guilt after losing a child in a terror attack.
Kori
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