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Bereavement Grief & Loss

We’ve heard the term before “Loss is a part of life”. It comes quite a few forms and everyone reacts differently to the loss of a loved one or pet. Living with loss can be especially hard when it does occour and you can rest assured that Clayton Counselling is here for you, every step of the way.

Some types of loss include, but are not limited to:

• Death of a pet or loved family member.
• Loss of family life – separation or divorce of parents.
• Loss of intimate relationships with friends, family or due to moving away.
• Loss of health and to carry on as normal.

Any sort of meaningful loss will require us to image and cope with new, changed future. Even when the change is positive, such as moving away to start an education, it can be hard to first leave a familiar environment and embrace a new start.

Grief, is a process and feeling that people go through at the start of a death or other significant loss. Grieving is a natural and health response to loss and may include some or all of the following:

• Strong feelings of shock, anger, resentment, sadness, guilt, relief and despair.
• Turn to religion for strength, questioning beliefs, looking for ways to understand life and death.
• Reflecting on your relationship with the deceased and physical responses such as upset stomach.

At some point, we will face grief and loss, though approaches to death and grieving vary with culture and religion and the individual experience of grief will vary throughout.

Grief is typically strongest from the start. however, in some cases it may take time to set in, delaying the grieving experience. In any case, the process takes time. This time-period allows us to mourn loss, while learning to live without our loved one. It can be a difficult, lonely experience. Other’s even friends, are not sure how to help or comfort.

Formal grief rituals allows those in morning to share memories, and find support. These rituals can provide opportunity to focus on life lost and remind us that we’re not alone.

Bereavement Grief & Loss Continued

While rituals can help open the door to expression of grief, the process may just be starting. It will often continue for quite some time yet, even after daily routines resume. Feeling better is usually a gradual process over days, weeks, or months.

Loss due to Suicide

Complicating Bereavement is learning of a friend or loved one who has committed suicide and can often be very shocking experience. Suicide will always add layers of confusion and pain, complicating the grieving process. In many cases, denial of suicide is not uncommon.

Quite often, suicide of a loved one raises feelings of guilt, anger, blame for survivors. For example:

• A feeling of guilt or shame, thinking that some signal was missed.
• Anger and feelings of shame are both possible response. It’s not unusual to see family or friends as the cause of suicide and also stigma attached to suicide.

Managing Feelings of Loss and Grief

While some ways of grieving are more helpful, there are no right or wrong ways. Some individuals may turn to alcohol or drugs for comfort, but that only delays the process and directly harms the individual. In a similar fashion, it’s normal to feel angry but acting out against someone is wrong. There are constructive ways to express pain and anger to help you feel better.

When to Seek Help

At times, grief can feel so intense and overwhelming, or last a long time, that extra help may be needed to move through it. Here are some common signs when it’s time to ask for help:

• Thoughts about suicide, long-term depression.
• Difficulty concentrating, lack of interest in activities.
• Poor sleeping, eating habits and drug abuse.
• Denying internal pain, deteriorating relationships.

Clayton Counselling is pleased to offer specialized service in grief counselling. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us today and start the healing process with our experts. Click below to find the most suitable contact method and reach out to us.

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