National Grief Awareness Day

By: Irene Gonzalez, MSW, LSW

National Grief Awareness Day, also known as National Bereavement Day, is recognized annually on August 30th in the US. The day is dedicated to highlighting the various ways people handle grief and loss.

What do we know about grief? Grief is not linear, meaning grief comes and goes in ebbs and flows when someone we love dies. Although the intensity of grief may lessen over time, people may still experience periods of intense emotions. The sense of loss can last for decades, and certain events, memories, or mementos can trigger strong emotions that affect us instantly. On average, normal grief can last anywhere from 6 months to 2 years or more. Research shows that many people find their grief starts to improve within about 6 months after a loss (Lmhc, 2023). However, grieving truly never ends.

Emotional responses to grief can look like sadness, anger, guilt, anxiety, loneliness, helplessness, hopelessness, shock, yearning, relief, and numbness. Whereas behavioral responses might involve social withdrawal, change in activity levels, avoidance of places or reminders related to the deceased, or a heightened focus on reminders of the deceased.

At HOPE, our dedicated team of professionals is here to support you throughout your grief journey. We provide assistance to patients and families through their anticipatory grief along with bereavement services for up to 13 months after the death of a loved one. For information about our services please contact us at (847) 803-0400.