Grief Support
In this blog we will attempt to offer some grief support. I am not a grief counselor, or therapist. What I am sharing is information I have read about grief support over the years of working with the families we serve.
What is grief? Grief is a natural response to loss. It is an emotional suffering. Usually, the more significant the loss, the more intense the grief. At times it is strong, and feels overwhelming. Grief is normal. It is both universal and a personal experience. Everyone grieves differently, and what you are experiencing is normal. Healing is a process and takes time. Unfortunately, it can’t be rushed.
Stages of grief –according to the Elisabeth Kuber-Ross Foundation, there are 5 stages of grief.
Denial-This is a refusal to accept reality. You may feel like you are going numb, or life doesn’t make sense. However, denial may help us pace our feelings of grief.
Anger- In this stage of grief, you may get angry with yourself or others. Knowing this stage exist may help you understand what someone who is dealing with a loss is going through.
Bargaining- Bargaining is the “what if stage”. You may find yourself bargaining with god so you don’t have to go through this again. Asking for things to be different, and in return you will do something.
Depression– In this stage, you experience grief at a stronger level. It is a normal and necessary stage. You may be too sad to do anything.
Acceptance-In this stage you are accepting that our loved one is truly gone. Things won’t be the way they were. You are in a new reality, or new normal.
Symptoms of grief– Grief is an emotional pain, but it does have physical signs. The physical symptoms of grief may include Fatigue, lower immunity, weight loss or gain, aches and pains, and insomnia.
How to cope
Allow your self to grieve. The first stage in coping is to realize that grief is normal. What you are experiencing is normal. Allow yourself to cry.
Create a memorial. Allow yourself to remember your loved one. Share your memories. You may create one on our website (linkable). Send us your memorial and photos, and we will be happy to post your memorial.
Don’t grieve alone-It is important to seek grief support. You may want turn to your church. Perhaps talking to friends and family will help. Also, you may want to talk to a therapist
Take Care of Yourself. When you feel good physically, it helps you feel good emotionally.
On-line resources. There are some great on-line resources for grief support. I am linking to a few of them here.
http://www.onlinegriefsupport.com/
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/grief_loss.htm