NATIONAL GRIEF AWARENESS DAY-AUGUST 30
On
August 30, National Grief Awareness Day recognizes the time it takes to heal
from loss doesn't have a prescribed course and is a reminder closure comes in
many forms. When a loved one dies, the void they leave affects everyone
differently.to encourage open conversations about loss and to support people
who are grieving.
Throughout
the day, take stock of those in your life who have been affected by a form of
loss. The death of a loved one, a close friend or enduring an extreme change in
their lifestyle can trigger grief. When we lose the stability of shelter, a job
or a routine we have known for years, we suffer a type of loss that requires
closure. Some adjust to these changes easily, and others take time to become
familiar with new routines.Offer to listen to a friend or ask them to join you
for a coffee or tea. Send a message letting them know they are never far from
your mind. Then, set a date for another visit.
If you find you are suffering from grief, know that it's natural. You're
not alone, and it's okay to ask for help if you feel your grief is
overwhelming.
Look
for signs of grief in yourself and your loved ones. Self-care is vital after
and during a loss. There's no shame in seeking assistance with grief if the
pain becomes overwhelming.A. No. Many circumstances may cause a person grief.
We may grieve the loss of a job or income. Physical or mental trauma may cause
us grief. We also experience grief when dramatic changes occur in our life -
divorce, a breakup, empty nesting, a health event, or an unexpected discovery
can all cause grief.A. Grief lessens but it may never go away. Sometimes a
memory or event will bring up feelings of grief long after death or traumaOver
time, we become better equipped to deal with these moments.
Grief
is one of the hardest things to talk about. Many of us are so afraid of saying
the wrong thing to someone navigating loss that we often say nothing at all.
And while that might avoid some momentary discomfort, the silence can cause
someone who’s grieving to feel even more alone.On the other hand, when you’re
the one grieving, there are so many reasons why you might shy away from the
subject. You might worry about being a burden on others, or you might not know
how to express your feelings.National Grief Awareness Day exists to break that
silence. Observed every August 30, it's a day for talking openly about loss,
supporting people who are grieving, and challenging some of the barriers that
make grief so hard to talk about.
Grief touches nearly everyone at some point, yet most of us were never taught how to navigate it, or how to show up for the people we love when they’re dealing with loss. Whether you’re grieving or supporting someone who is, here’s how you can move through it with a little more ease
Angie noticed how quickly people around her expected her to move on, and how little room there was to talk honestly about what she was going through. She founded the day to change that, giving grief—and the many forms it can take—a place in public conversation
The
day normalizes grief, points people toward support, and reminds us all to check
in on those who are carrying a loss — no matter how much time has passed.Grief
is one of the most universal human experiences, yet few of us know how to talk
about it. Here's what gets in the way.Cultural pressure to bounce back: After
the funeral and the condolence cards, the world expects you to return to
normal. So you might hide your grief to avoid making others uncomfortable,
which can leave you feeling more alone in it.
Fear
of saying the wrong thing: When you're hurting, the people around you may stay
silent out of fear of saying the wrong thing. That silence can read as not
caring, which only adds to the distance.Grief can be invisible: It may not look
like sadness from the outside. Sometimes it shows up as irritability,
exhaustion, trouble focusing, or going through the motions at work. When your
grief doesn’t match what people expect it to look like, it’s easy to miss.
What
grief actually is (and why it doesn't follow a straight line)
Grief
happens when you lose something or someone that mattered to you. Most people
connect it to death, but grief shows up around many kinds of loss — a divorce
or breakup, a job, a diagnosis, a move, a miscarriage, or watching a loved one
change because of illness. These quieter losses are sometimes called
“disenfranchised grief.” It’s the kind of grief that others don't always
recognize or take seriously, which can make it even harder to process
Grief
doesn't always move in a tidy sequence, either. You've probably heard of the
five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and
acceptance—first described by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, MD, a psychiatrist. She
based them on terminally-ill patients facing their own deaths, not people
grieving a loss. In her later book On Grief and Grieving, she clarified that
the stages were never meant as a fixed sequence that everyone moves through in
order.
In
reality, you might loop back to an earlier stage, skip one entirely, or feel
several at once. Grief may come in waves, easing for a while and then returning
without warning. Sometimes it's sparked by an anniversary or a subtle reminder
like an empty chair at the holiday table.John
Prof.
John Kurakar
