What to say to someone who witnessed a death? (2023)

How do you comfort someone who witnessed a death?

Take the time to resolve day-to-day conflicts so they do not add to your stress. Do not shy away from situations, people and places that remind you of the trauma. Find ways to relax and be kind to yourself. Turn to family, friends, and clergy person for support, and talk about your experiences and feelings with them.

For some people though, a traumatic event can lead to mental health issues such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug use, as well as impacting on their relationships with family, friends, and at work.

The four trauma responses most commonly recognized are fight, flight, freeze, fawn, sometimes called the 4 Fs of trauma.

In the most extreme situations, you might have lapses of memory or “lost time.” Schauer & Elbert (2010) refer to the stages of trauma responses as the 6 “F”s: Freeze, Flight, Fight, Fright, Flag, and Faint.

How long can a person be in shock after a traumatic event?

So some people recover from emotional shock in several hours. Others in several days, and some in several weeks. And for some, depending on what they go through, shock can even go on for six weeks or more. Note that it is also possible to experience 'delayed' emotional shock.

People experience emotional shock for varying amounts of time. Depending on its severity and the circumstances, it may dissipate on its own within minutes or may persist for longer. It can lead to acute stress disorder (ASD) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Physical injuries are among the most prevalent individual traumas. Millions of emergency room (ER) visits each year relate directly to physical injuries.

Short sympathy messages:

“Those we have held in our arms for a little while, we hold in our hearts forever.” – Unknown. “I am so sorry for your loss.” – Unknown. “We are with you through this difficult time.” – Unknown. “May the sorrow you feel in your heart lighten by the love that surrounds you.” – Unknown.

“Our love and deepest sympathies to you and your family.” “May you take comfort in loving memory and the friends and family that surround you.” “May the pain you feel now be nothing compared to joy found within the memories of (name.)” “I can't express how much we loved and cherished (name).

So to start off comforting someone, simply describe what you're seeing/sensing. Say something like, “I know you're having such a hard time with this,” or “I'm sorry you're hurting so much.” Also affirm that you hear what they're saying by saying it back to them in your own words.

What is a good short sympathy message?

Short sympathy messages:

“Those we have held in our arms for a little while, we hold in our hearts forever.” – Unknown. “I am so sorry for your loss.” – Unknown. “We are with you through this difficult time.” – Unknown. “May the sorrow you feel in your heart lighten by the love that surrounds you.” – Unknown.