One of a series of leaflets published by The Compassionate Friends Support with overwhelming grief Grief can be very slow to soften. We can feel flat and weighed down by sorrow for a long while. We may begin to worry that it will never get any easier. This is completely natural. It is not unusual for a grieving father to find that the intensity and turmoil of their grief is overwhelming. However, if our grief feels too much to bear, if we are selfharming or having thoughts of suicide, then we need to get some support. There are various organisations that can help, or we might wish to speak with our GP. (Find support on the right hand page) Living with memories Our child is gone from our daily life and we miss them immensely. Their death is probably one of the most painful experiences we will ever endure. It has propelled us into a future that we have not chosen. We feel their absence so acutely. Our deep sadness and sense of loss for our child can often hit us unexpectedly. Yet we will also discover that our feelings are not always so raw. Most of us find that we are gradually able to resume the activities of daily living. There is still joy to be found in spite of our pain. Surprising as it may seem at the start of our bereavement journey, we may even be able to do something useful as a result of our grief. Life still has meaning, and our child is still a part of that life. Although we can no longer see them, we can carry their memories with us always. Love lives on. Further reading The Compassionate Friends (TCF) have published a range of leaflets to support parents in the aftermath of a child’s death. The following titles could be relevant at this time: • Living with grief • Grieving couples • Grief in blended and step families • The bereaved lone parent • Remembering our child (leaflet and handbook) TCF leaflets can be read and downloaded at this link: tcf.org.uk/leaflets Printed copies are available from the office, free of charge for bereaved parents (see contact details on the back page).
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