One of a series of leaflets published by The Compassionate Friends Long-term issues It is quite common to keep reliving what happened to our child, whether we witnessed it or are reliving the circumstances in our imagination only. If our child’s death was not only sudden, but also traumatic, this cycle of thoughts and memories can sometimes lead to PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). If we are struggling to cope with our thoughts, or if our grief is so overwhelming that we are unable to function day to day, we may need some additional support. Speaking with our GP or arranging to see a counsellor could be something to consider. It is important to be able to sort out our many thoughts and feelings following this traumatic bereavement. The search for answers about what happened to our child and why can be lengthy. Whilst some causes of death are obvious, some of us will never receive answers to what happened. There may come a time when we feel able to set aside the search and accept that there are no answers, but it could take us a long while to get to this point. There is no timetable for grief. Given the shock of our loss, it is unsurprising if eventually we look back and question how we acted when we first received the news. Some of us regret our decisions at that time, or wish that we had more control over what happened in the early hours and days. It might comfort us to realise that we did the best we could in terrible circumstances. Nothing could have prepared us for this tragedy.
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