Coping with grief

Grief is a normal and natural emotional response. Grief caused by the loss of a loved one can lead to an all-consuming sadness. Coping with this loss often requires a substantial emotional and physical effort and can sometimes be overwhelming.

When faced with a major life challenge, it is normal for a person to experience a wide range of physical and emotional responses. This includes numbness, denial, confusion, shock, sadness, yearning, anger, despair and guilt. These are all common emotional responses for a person in grief.

A grieving person may have mood swings such as feeling fine one moment and then depressed, anxious, distressed or angry the next. This is all very normal. Different cultures and religions also see death, loss and grief in different ways. How you express your grief and the meaning you give to loss will be in your own way, based on your own beliefs and view of the world. The grieving process takes time and healing usually happens gradually. Your feelings of loss and sadness may never go away, but with time the grief will lighten.

For more information on grief, please visit Grief FAQ.

Additional grief resource - MyGriefAssist

MyGriefAssist is an online resource where noted Australian author and speaker on grief, Doris Zagdanski, has drawn together a wealth of information that is vital for anyone coping with grief or helping someone to cope with grief. A former educator and involved in the funeral industry for more than 30 years, Doris has assisted people to move through grief of all types.

There is a broad range of information, inspirational books, quotes and media, and a series of practical fact sheets that speak plainly, helping you make sense of this challenging emotion.

Visit the MyGriefAssist website here.