We need to normalise grief
Grief is a natural reaction to loss. It is a universal experience but each of us experiences it in our own way.
What’s important to remember is that everyone grieves differently and for different amounts of time.
Sometimes people who are grieving develop personal routines or quirky habits that they find comforting after the death of a loved one. You might find yourself talking to a photo or maybe saying ‘goodbye’ to the person who has died when you leave the house. Friends and family may find these rituals ‘odd’ and feel uncomfortable when you talk about them. Maybe they have told you it is ‘time to move on’. But if doing these things brings you comfort, then you should feel confident in continuing to do them.
As a society, it is important that we normalise grief and our expectations around it; understanding that most of us will experience a bereavement at some point in our lives. It’s important to recognise that there is no magic fix. We will all react in a different way and this will be shaped by a number of factors including our age, experience, relationship to the deceased, how they died, our culture and beliefs.
“It’s important to remember that grief is not a clinical condition but a normal experience. Grief will bring about intense emotional reactions, but these reactions are healthy and a normal part of the grieving process.
If you have a ritual that brings you comfort after the loss of a loved one, keep doing it. We don’t move on from grief. We just find our own ways to keep our worlds moving.”
