Grief is a natural response to losing someone you love. It affects everyone differently and can bring up a mix of emotions like sadness, anger, guilt, or even numbness. You might also feel physically drained and have trouble sleeping, thinking clearly, or feeling detached from the world around you.
Grief takes time. It’s common for people to feel the effects for years, and certain dates like birthdays, holidays, or anniversaries can be especially tough. There’s no “right” way to grieve, and no set timeline.
Grief is like being on a roller-coaster, your emotions can change from day to day or even hour to hour. When grieving, we need to be kind to ourselves and not make judgements on our own behaviour. If you find yourself having a good day, enjoy it, the next day could be completely different.
Children grieve too, just in their own way. Talking to children about death and the feelings that come with the death of someone you love is important. In the words of Dr Alan Wolfelt ‘if you are old enough to love, you are old enough to grieve’ so age appropriate talks with children can help them navigate the many feelings they may experience.
For example:
Grief is deeply personal. Just being there kindly and consistently can mean everything.
People who are grieving need to know you will not judge or devalue their feelings by using clichés such as ‘at least he didn’t suffer’. What you can say to a grieving person is something like ‘I wish I had the words to ease the pain you are going through right now’
We all need a helping hand, particularly at a time of uncertainty, grief and bereavement. If you or somene you know is struggling with loss, the following organisations offer trusted support. While we support the service providers we do not affiliate ourselves with any particular group. This list is provided for assistance only.
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