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 you 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
• 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