Grief & Loss

Grief is a natural response to loss, and how we deal with this pain differs from person to person.  The more significant the loss, the more intense the grief can be. The nature of Loss rocks the most fundamental psychological need for connection that we crave, hence why grief after a loss is so intense.

Although there is no right or wrong way to respond to grief, it is essential that we do not mean to stonewall our emotions and means we acknowledge the reality of the situation and oscillate / flow with whatever feelings hit you.

Grief and loss can affect every aspect of your life, from your emotions, thoughts and behavior, beliefs, physical health, and your identity through to your relationships with others and performance at work. Grief can leave you feeling sad, angry, anxious, shocked, regretful, relieved, overwhelmed, isolated, irritable, or even numb.

It is important to remember that grief has no set pattern. Everyone experiences grief differently.  Some of us may grieve for weeks and months, while others may describe their grief lasting for years.

Although we do need to process loss, we do not need to process it 24/7.We naturally need to balance the processing of loss with natural, reliving, “good” moments as well.

It is essential to have the support of friends and family or someone that you trust to talk about your loss when you need to.

For further information, you can visit https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/servicesandsupport/grief-support-services

or explore the Grief & Bereavement app: Grief App

For further support and assistance, please call the Psychealth Helpline, details below.

Phone: 1800 497 197 (AUS)/ 0800 466 400 (NZ)

Email: info@psychealth.com.au

Additional Resources/ Helplines 

Australia

Grief Hotline 

1300 845 745 

To support an individuals experience through loss and grief – This is not a crisis linehttps://griefline.org.au/Mens Line

1300 789 978

MensLine Australia offers free professional 24/7 telephone counseling support for men with concerns about mental health, anger management, family violence (using and experiencing), addiction, relationship, stress and wellbeing.https://mensline.org.au/LIfeline 

13 11 14

Lifeline is a national charity providing all Australians experiencing emotional distress with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.https://www.lifeline.org.au/

New Zealand

Lifeline NZ

0800 543 354

They are available to assist with emotional issues, anxiety, depression, relationships, family problems, abuse, work, finances, and more whenever you need it.https://www.lifeline.org.nz/#e239Grief Centre NZ

0800 331 333

We are a charitable trust, established in 2009. Our services are designed to offer loss and grief support to youth, adults, families or whānau experiencing any form of significant loss.https://www.griefcentre.org.nz/