When to Get Bereavement Support

Moving forward with your life after losing a loved one will take time. While some prefer grieving alone, finding bereavement support during this time can be an important part of your recovery.

Your experience of grief is likely to be unique to you and will often differ from the experiences of others. This can make it difficult to know when you need the help of a bereavement support specialist.

Another problem with the unpredictable nature of bereavement is that many of your feelings can easily be mistaken for the symptoms of clinical depression. Differentiating between the two can be very difficult but important.

When you should seek bereavement support

You should consider seeking professional support if you are showing any of these symptoms of grief:

• Finding it extremely hard to get out of bed
• Avoiding the grieving process and pushing away painful feelings
• Neglecting yourself and your family
• Refusing to attend the funeral
• Isolating yourself and having intense mood swings for an extended time after the funeral
• Using tasks to distract yourself from grieving
• Avoiding conversations about your loved one or about anything that reminds you of them
• Using alcohol or drugs more frequently
• Feeling like you can’t move on with your life without your loved one
• Not being able to do everyday activities

It is important to understand that these symptoms are most common among the recently bereaved. However, if these signs persist for an extended period of time, professional counselling from a bereavement support organisation can really help.

Therapy can be really beneficial, even years after the loss of a loved one. It can help combat the feelings of grief, depression and anxiety, empowering you to engage more in positive activities and help you to relax.

If you would like to get in contact with a bereavement support specialist, visit our bereavement support listings page.