Grief Awareness Week 2023
It’s Grief Awareness Week 2023 this 2nd to 8th of December, a time to check in on your neighbours, put the kettle on, or stop for a chat.
Understanding Grief
Grief is a process of experiencing absence, loss and sadness which can also lead to physical symptoms including a loss of energy, feeling tense, having brain fog or having a hollow feeling in your stomach. Not all people experience and cope with grief in the same way and it’s important to remember that there is no ‘right way.’
The shock of the loss of someone you care about can start a journey through states of powerlessness, anger, pessimism, helplessness, reaching glimmers of hope and eventually through to acceptance, where the grief integrates as part of your life.
Navigating Grief
The absence of a person causing grief needs to be met with the caring presence of others, here are some tips:
Community support is also important in the grief process. To go into their grief a person or family needs a community of people outside of the grief to form around them and provide support, whether it is their work community taking care of work responsibilities or neighbours providing meals/childcare or just letting them know you are thinking about them. There are also many charities that can support during difficult times.
Here are some key support resources:
The Good Grief Project helps support the newly bereaved.
Visit: www.thegoodgrieftrust.org for more information.
Here are some of their useful links for bereavement support:
Tips For Supporting The Newly Bereaved
UK Map of Local Support Services
24 Hour Support Lines:
Samaritans (for anyone, anytime, for any reason). Call: 116 123
Childline (for under 18 year olds and their relatives). Call 0800 1111
Silverline (for over 50’s). Call 0800 470 8090
