Grief is a term used to describe a wide range of emotional and physical reactions that arise when someone is living in anticipation of or has experienced the loss of something or someone significant.

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Grief feelings may include:

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• anxiety

• sadness

• shock

• anger

• worry

• helplessness

• guilt

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Physical reactions to grief may include:

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• stomach aches

• loss of appetite

• sleeplessness

• headaches

• fatigue

• lack of concentration

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Social, emotional, and behavioral changes in children may include:

 

• Playing with friends less.

• Yelling at others more.

• Talking about the person that has died.

• Clinging more to parents.

• Blaming themselves for the death.

• Experiencing nightmares.

• Displaying attention seeking behavior.

• Hurting themselves.

• Having exaggerated responses to events.

• Longing to see their loved one.

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Some ways to support someone who is grieving are:

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• Giving them an opportunity to express their feelings.

• Validating their feelings.

• Reassuring them that their feelings are normal.

• Giving honest and (age appropriate) explanations.

• Sharing memories, stories and photos of the person who died.

• Reminding them that it won’t always feel this raw or be this hard.

• Reassuring them of those in their world who will continue to care for them (even if they are grieving too).

• Reassuring them they are not alone.

Copyright 2012 The Austin Center for Grief & Loss

www.austingrief.org