Grief and bereavement
Losing someone, or anticipating that loss, can be overwhelming. You may feel sadness, shock, guilt or nothing at all.
Everyone grieves differently and there is no ‘right’ way to feel when losing someone.
Knowing where and how to get support can help.
Support for people grieving
If you or someone you know needs support, contact one of these organisations:
Crisis telephone support
- Lifeline on 13 11 14 – open 24 hours for crisis telephone support.
- Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 – open 24 hours for crisis telephone support.
- 13YARN on 13 92 76 – open 24 hours for crisis telephone support. Yarn with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter.
Grief support
- Griefline on 1300 845 745 – open 8 am to 8 pm, 7 days a week.
- Grief Australia on 1800 642 066 – open 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday.
- Canberra Grief Centre on 0409 966 515 – open 9 am to 5pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
- ACT Partner Loss Support Group on (02) 6297 1052.
Support in other languages
- Transcultural Mental Health Line on 1800 648 911 – open 9 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday. Speak to clinicians who understand your culture and can communicate in your language.
Understanding grief and bereavement
Grief is a normal response to death. Grief can be complex.
Some people cry constantly, others feel nothing at all. You may feel tired, distracted or irritable. You may feel denial and anger. You may even feel relief, especially after a long illness. All of these are valid.
Grief can also start before a person dies, which is common with palliative care and voluntary assisted dying.
Bereavement is the state of loss you feel when someone important to you has died.
When to get help
Grief doesn’t have a set timeframe. Most people find it’s possible to accept the loss over time. They find a new way to live without the person in their life.
For some people, feelings of grief and loss don’t improve over time. They can’t function and resume their everyday life.
Contact a GP or a mental health professional if you, or someone you care about, is still experiencing intense grief and has difficulty functioning in everyday life a year or more after the death.
Related information
Contact us
To request a print copy of the booklet ‘When someone dies’, email endoflifecare@act.gov.au.