Most newly-bereaved parents experience emotional and physical changes.
Many of these experiences are unexpected and may seem to be abnormal or even "weird".
Many even think they are losing their mind.
Most bereaved parents experience one or more of the following:
- Feel depressed
- Look for their child in a crowd or see reminders unexpectedly
- Feel physically exhausted and have sleep disorders — some sleep all the time while others can hardly get to sleep at all
- Need to tell and retell and remember things about their child and about the details of the child's death
- Lose their appetite — or eat all the time
- Feel they don't want to go on
- Say to themselves, "If only I had..."
- Keep asking, "Why?"
- Cry at unexpected or "inappropriate" times
- Wander aimlessly, forget in the middle of a sentence, neglect to finish tasks
- Feel restless, look for activity but can't concentrate
All these reactions are natural and normal. They have been experienced by many in our organization. It is important not to deny your feelings, but to learn to express them. It is helpful to realize that you are not alone in having these feelings. Since our group is composed of other bereaved parents or grandparents, we have had many of the same feelings and have learned to deal with them. We are very willing to discuss our experiences and help you during this difficult time.
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