National Grief Awareness Day

National Grief Awareness Day, also known as National Bereavement Day, is recognised annually on August 30th. It was founded in 2014 by Angie Cartwright, a woman who experienced the loss of many of her loved ones. Its purpose is to raise awareness of the different ways in which grief can manifest in our lives.

August 30th is an opportunity to realize that everyone copes with loss differently and to learn how to help yourself and others through the grieving process. You can observe #NationalGriefAwarenessDay no matter what type of loss you’ve been through.

Some common reasons people experience grief include:

• The death of a loved one

• A divorce, breakup, or other separation

• Getting fired from a job or losing a promotion

• Losing one’s business or livelihood

• Learning about a chronic illness or condition

• Losing financial stability

• The death of a pet

• Imprisonment

• A child leaving home

• Pregnancy or loss of pregnancy

Each of these is a valid reason for grieving. However, grief can often be hard to understand. National Grief Awareness Day recognizes the challenges of comforting someone in grief and seeks to eliminate barriers that can prevent empathy, patience, and understanding.

In addition, National Grief Awareness Day is important because it encourages people everywhere to support themselves and their loved ones through the #Grieving process, no matter what. By raising awareness about grief with factual information and encouraging open lines of communication, people everywhere can hope to receive better support, care, and comfort as they try to heal.

Source:  What is National Grief Awareness Day & Why Does it Matter? | BetterHelp