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Grief or Loss?

Information and Resources

Feelings of loss and grief can be really strong when you lose someone. There are different reasons for experienceing grief or loss. It could be from a relationship that has ended or the passing of a loved one. You might experience a range of emotions and wonder if the pain of your loss will ever fade. No one can tell you how to feel or how to grieve, but it can help to talk about your feelings and get support from the people who care about you.
Adopted from https://www.youthbeyondblue.com

  • ReachOut fact sheets are written by young people for young people and edited by a mental health professional.
  • Too Damn Young is an online resource which purpose is letting any grieving teenager know they are not alone.
  • Youth Beyond Blue is an online hub about depression and anxiety.

Additional Resources (What’s Your Grief?)

FAQs

Managing grief is hard but here are some suggestions that may help you to get through the process:

  • Accept your feelings: Accepting the feelings you have and acknowledging that you’re going through a stressful experience can help you manage your reactions.
  • Allow yourself to cry: It’s OKAY to cry.
  • Smile: It’s OKAY to enjoy those memories and laugh about the fun times you shared. This isn’t a sign that you miss the person any less.
  • Saying goodbye: Part of the grieving process is letting go of the person. It’s important to say goodbye in your own way in your own time.
  • Avoid bottling up emotions: Keeping things to yourself might build up tension inside you. Finding a way to express how you are feeling might help you to feel better.
  • There’s no timeline or deadline: Don’t worry about how long grieving should last, or any judgments that you should be “over it” by now.
  • Talk to someone: It might be helpful to talk to someone you trust about how you’re feeling.

Adopted from http://us.reachout.com.

Everyone grieves differently. Some experts believe that most people go through similar stages of grief depending on how far the grieving process they are. These stages include:

  • Denial: You might not believe that your loved one is no longer with you.
  • Anger: You might be angry at yourself, your family members, or the person who is no longer with you.
  • Bargaining: You might try to negotiate with yourself.
  • Depression: This might be an emotional low point for you, when you don’t care about anything or anyone. You might go through feelings of emptiness, loneliness, or might even stop caring about anything or anyone.
  • Acceptance: At this point, you may begin to make peace with the fact that your loved one is no longer with you.

Adopted from http://us.reachout.com. 

How to Get Help

Do you need someone to talk to and point you in a right direction? Are you ready to talk?

  • Emergency
    If it’s an emergency, please contact your hospital or dial 911.
  • Call or chat online
    You can call Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 or chat with a Kids Help Phone counsellor online in a Live Chat.
  • Kinark Services
    If you have a question about Kinark’s services, please call us at 1-888-454-6275.
  • Find a mental health centre in Ontario – visit Children’s Mental Health Ontario’s website.