Grief

Grief is a personal response to loss, with no required stages or fixed end date. Sadness, anger, guilt, relief and physical symptoms may come and go. Severe difficulty coping, psychosis, substance misuse or suicidal thoughts calls for professional help.

• Longing, sadness, crying, emptiness, anger, guilt, anxiety, numbness or sometimes relief.
• Thinking a lot about the person or, conversely, avoiding memories.
• Keep a simple basic routine for sleeping, eating, drinking and gentle exercise.
• Do not impose a timetable or a required way of grieving on yourself.
• Get in touch when you can no longer manage eating, sleeping, self-care, work or caring for children.
• For urgent GP care outside normal opening hours, call HAP 9252. Call Ambulance 912 only for an immediately life-threatening situation.