National Grief Awareness Week 2nd - 8th December
National Grief Awareness Week is marked by The Good Grief Trust which connects more than 1,000 specialist services under one umbrella. This year their theme is "Growing with Grief". The theme acknowledges that, after a loss, we can't go back to the person we once were, but can instead grow into someone new, shaped by love, memories and resilience. For more information and resources please go to www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/ngaw/
Losing someone important to us can be emotionally devastating – whether it's a partner, family member or friend. Grief can bring up lots of different, complicated emotions, and can sometimes affect our physical health. Bereavement affects everyone in different ways, and it's possible to experience any range of emotions. You may feel lots of different emotions at the same time, or your feelings may change quickly. Your feelings may also be confusing at times. There's no right or wrong way to feel.
There's no time limit on grief. It varies hugely from person to person. It may depend on the type of relationship you had with the person who died, how close you were and how they died. It could also be affected by previous experiences of loss or grief.
Feelings of grief can also happen because of other types of loss or changes in circumstances. For example: the end of a relationship, the loss of a job or home or a decline in the physical or mental health of someone you care about
National Mind produces a free booklet on understanding the emotions and experiences of grief and provides information on specialist support and services available www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/bereavement/experiences-of-grief/
Self-care for Grief
Coping with losing someone can be incredibly painful. It can take time to understand your feelings and adjust to what has happened. It’s important to do what works for you. You might have good and bad days. Take things one step at a time – if the first step feels too hard, try to break it up into smaller steps. It might also help to try different things at different times. These are some tips:
Connect with others. Let others know what you need. Tell people what helps and what you find difficult. It's ok to ask others for support, and to be clear about what you need from them. It’s also ok if these needs change.
Seek support. See the list of bereavement support organisations for ideas about who might be able to help. You can also seek help if any current support isn't working for you. There are bereavement support and counselling services available www.cruse.org.uk/
Peer support. It may help to talk with others who are currently coping with a loss. Or who have experienced grief in the past. Check out the peer support pages for more information. You can also find peer support via an online community, such as Mind's Side by Side or www.uok.org.uk/qwell-uok-digital-mental-health-support/..
Self-Care. Grief can have a huge impact on every part of our lives. It can make it harder to do the things we normally do to take care of ourselves. This can affect our physical and mental wellbeing. Try to keep a routine for sleeping and make food choices that work for you. Think about your drugs and alcohol use and understand your triggers. This could help you gradually learn how to cope with triggers when they happen.
Moving forward with grief is an individual process. Remember that there's no time limit on grief. There isn't a point where you're supposed to 'complete' your grief and move on however The Good Grief Trust has stories and videos of people talking about their experiences of moving forward which may be helpful. www.thegoodgrieftrust.org/need-know-info/from-us-to-you/for-those-moving-forward/
If you would like information on support you can contact one of our Mental Health Advice Team on 01273 666950 or email info@mindcharity.co.uk.
You can also find about about other mental health and wellbeing services in Brighton and Hove and East at www.uok.org.uk and in West Sussex go to www.pathfinderwestsussex.org.uk.