Moving through grief
Grief is an intensely personal experience that affects each one of us differently. If you’ve lost someone important in your life, either recently or a long time ago, there’s no right or wrong way to cope.
Here, people share the things that have helped them on their journey through grief.
Geoff ran a marathon with his father's name on his back
Geoff says:
- grief lasts as long as it lasts
- do something in your loved one's memory
Try creating your own playlist of song tracks that can soothe you when you're distressed.
Tommy lost his mum when he was young
Tommy says it helps to:
- write things down on paper
- open up about things and ask for help
- use the support available from bereavement organisations online
- celebrate your loved one's life
Chloe lost her friend to suicide
Chloe explains that there’s no right way to grieve:
- Don’t feel guilty if you’re not grieving in the same way as others.
- Keep in mind what the person you’ve lost would have wanted.
Christine speaks about the death of her son
Christine found these things helpful:
- Spending time in nature and green spaces.
- Creating memorials for the person you’ve lost.
- Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, as this may help with your sleep.
- Eating well.
Jo talks about losing her mum
Jo suggests what helped her on her journey:
- Channelling negative feelings into something positive by helping others.
- Talking about your loved one keeps their memory alive.
Shumela was trapped in grief for years
Shumela shares:
- Education and learning can be part of the healing process.
- The bad things that happen can make you stronger and more resilient.
Please don’t include personal information e.g. name, location or any personal health conditions.
