Grief and bereavement
The death of a person who has been close to you can cause great sadness. Bereavement is the state of loss one feels when someone important to a person has died.
Understanding grief
Grief is a normal response to death. A person’s response to grief will vary depending upon the circumstances of the death, family context, and the support that they receive.
Symptoms of grief include:
- crying spells
- trouble sleeping
- changes in appetite
- trouble concentrating
- sorrow
- numbness
- anger
- guilt.
A bereaved person may experience many or few emotions and these may be very intense. They may also have mood swings. All of these are normal grief responses.
Getting help
Grief and loss do not have a set timeframe. Over time, bereaved people will often find it is possible to accept the loss and 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, and they are unable to function and resume their everyday life.
It is important to contact a doctor or a mental health professional if someone is still experiencing intense grief and difficulty in everyday function at least one year after the death of their loved one.
More information
Go to the following websites:
- Palliative Care Australia – bereavement services that can be accessed in the ACT
- Calvary Care – healing after loss.