National Grief Awareness Day

There are often several stages to the grieving process, and everyone may move through them uniquely. Some people might go through all the stages. Others may only experience a few. The stages of grief generally include the following:

• Denial

• Anger

• Bargaining

• Depression

• Acceptance

Grief may feel all-consuming and make it hard to carry out daily activities. Allowing yourself to feel your emotions can help you heal and move forward with time.

How Long Does Grief Last?

People usually heal from grief at their own pace. There may be no set timeline for how long the grieving process should last or how much time is too much. Grief may come and go in waves over the years. Or you might experience it all at once. When waves of grief hit, it generally isn’t a sign of moving backward, but a normal part of grieving.

While almost everyone grieves differently and for varied lengths of time, many people experience a peak in their symptoms at the six-month mark. This is particularly true after the death of a loved one.

Effects Of Grief

Grief can affect your physical and mental health in many ways. Symptoms might be physical, emotional, or behavioral. Below are some of the potential effects of grief, broken down by category.

Physical Effects

Weight change, tension throughout the body, and sleep issues can all be potential symptoms of grief. You may experience weight loss from being unable to eat. Or you may overeat and gain weight. Stress may cause your shoulders to tighten and tense throughout the day, possibly leading to pain. Insomnia might keep you up at night. Or you may find that you oversleep or can’t get out of bed in the morning.

Emotional Effects

Depression, guilt, anxiety, anger, and loneliness can all be common emotions experienced by people who have lost someone or something important to them. You may experience a period in which you deny the loss as a subconscious way of trying to defend yourself.

During this time, your emotions might feel numb. However, once you move past the denial stage, all the feelings you may have been holding in might come out at once. Moving rapidly from one emotion to the next can be normal. It usually helps to let yourself feel each of them. Since everyone can feel different things during their grief, no emotion may be abnormal or something to be ashamed of.

Behavioral Effects

If you’re grieving, some behavioral effects you might notice are forgetfulness, talking a lot about who or what you lost, withdrawing from previously enjoyed activities, and worrying more about other people. You might be unable to concentrate on whatever is in front of you. This might potentially lead to forgetfulness as you move through the day. Talking about what you lost or telling stories about memories with your loved one can also be common.

If you’re experiencing depression, you may withdraw from hobbies or interests you once had. The energy needed to participate in these activities might not be there. In addition, if your grief causes you anxiety, you may begin to worry about the safety or well-being of your other loved ones.

Knowing when to reach out to a professional while grieving can help. It’s expected to experience a wide range of intense and complex emotions. But some signs can indicate that you might need extra support. For example, developing anxiety or depression that doesn’t allow you to function normally throughout the day can be cause for concern. Any suicidal thoughts or ideation should also be discussed with a mental health expert. Grief is a process you don’t have to go through alone.

If you or a loved one are experiencing suicidal thoughts, seek help immediately. You can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) at 988 via text or phone call 24/7. You can also reach out via chat at www.988lifeline.org.

National Grief Awareness Day

National Grief Awareness Day, also known as National Bereavement Day, is recognized annually on August 30. It was founded in 2014 by Angie Cartwright, a woman who experienced the loss of many of her loved ones. Its purpose is generally to raise awareness of the different ways in which grief can manifest in our lives.

August 30 can be an opportunity to realize that everyone copes with loss differently and to learn how to help yourself and others through the grieving process. You can observe National Grief Awareness Day no matter what type of loss you’ve been through.

National Grief Awareness Day.  Some common reasons people experience grief may include:

• The death of a loved one.

• A divorce, breakup, or other separation.

• Getting fired from a job or losing a promotion.

• Losing one’s business or livelihood.

• Learning about a chronic illness or condition.

• Losing financial stability.

• The death of a pet.

• Imprisonment.

• A child leaving home.

• Pregnancy or loss of pregnancy.

Each of these can be a valid reason for grieving. However, grief can often be hard to understand. National Grief Awareness Day typically recognizes the challenges of comforting someone in grief and seeks to eliminate barriers that can prevent empathy, patience, and understanding.

In addition, National Grief Awareness Day can be important because it encourages people everywhere to support themselves and their loved ones through the grieving process. By raising awareness about grief with factual information and encouraging open lines of communication, people everywhere can hope to receive better support, care, and comfort as they try to heal.

Takeaway on National Grief Awareness Day