Grief & Guilt
Grief & Guilt: A Match Made in Misery
After the loss of a child, families often grapple not only with grief but also with an inescapable sense of guilt. This is an unfortunate reality that mothers face more so than others.
Guilt can manifest in various forms, from questioning your actions leading up to the tragedy, to unfairly shouldering self-blame. It's important to recognize that guilt is a natural response many people have when suffering an unexpected loss. However, if not properly managed it can become overwhelming and damaging to your long-term mental health.
Be kind to yourself.
The first step towards healing is practicing self-compassion. Grieving is not a straightforward journey, so there's no right or wrong way to go through it. Kindness towards yourself becomes a vital aspect of coping with guilt.
Communication is key.
Openly communicating with friends and family is essential for mental health. Sharing your feelings of guilt with loved ones fosters understanding and creates a stronger support system. Trudging through the darkness of grief together is often more manageable to get through, and breaking the silence surrounding guilt can contribute to collective healing.
Seeking help is a sign of strength.
Seeking professional counselling is another practical and important approach. Therapy provides you a safe space to explore your grief, your guilt, and offer coping mechanisms and guidance towards growth and resilience.
Rituals, Memorials & Tributes.
Establishing rituals to honour your lost loved one can help shift your focus from guilt to commemoration. Creating a memorial, participating in remembrance events, or establishing personal traditions can be powerful tools in transforming your grief into a tribute.
Talking to heal others.
As a community, it's crucial to destigmatise guilt in grief. By openly addressing this aspect of loss, we can contribute to a more empathetic and supportive environment. My hope is that this newsletter serves as a source of support for families, guiding them through their grief, helping them grow and ultimately accumulate the resilience required to manage their ongoing grief journey.
Pay It Forward.
If you would like to help others better manage their grief journey, you can now pay it forward by donating the cost of a Still Billie Box.
Donating a box will go towards supplying Hospital Bereavement Teams with free Still Billie Boxes to provide to their grieving patients.
