Loss & Grief
There are five recognised stages of grief; Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. These stages are part of the framework that supports our learning to live without a loved one.
Whether it is anticipated or sudden death, it is always a shock. An expected passing of a loved one may bring about peace. Peace in knowing that their suffering for them has ended.
There are no hard and fast rules about how long we should grieve, it’s a very individual journey. This can be dependent on whether the death was sudden, or expected.
For some, making sense of grief can be difficult and you may experience denial. You may deny the reality and pretend nothing has changed. When this happens, life can be hard and we can feel stuck.
Some people get stuck in grief, unable to enjoy life and feel guilty if they do. Hiding grief from family members or friends may be a form of protection. You may be protecting others from your grief.
Grief can feel isolating. Denying others from helping may compound feelings of isolation. You may feel that others don’t understand what you are going through.
Allowing those around you to know what you are going through and accepting support can provide opportunities for distraction, which can ease your grief, even for the briefest moment.
For some, grief can be delayed, usually, because life events get in the way, or because we deliberately distract ourselves from facing our grief as it can be too difficult to ‘look at’.
However, grief will eventually catch up with us.
If you are living with grief, you may need professional help to process your loss. Processing your loss and grief with a counsellor can bring about meaning, balance and understanding.
