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Understanding Grief ›
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Understanding grief ›
- Truths about grief
- What grief looks and feels like
- Common challenges with grief
- Grieving before the loss
- Ideas for living with loss
- Grief triggers
- How long grief lasts
- How the loss affects families and others
- When life starts to get better
- Special dates
- Rituals, funerals, and memorials
- Do I need more help?
- Prolonged grief
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Grief, roles, and identity ›
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Grieving a Death ›
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Your relationship ›
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The situation ›
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Non-death Loss ›
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Supporting Someone ›
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Professionals & Volunteers ›
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Education ›
- Healthcare Provider Grief: Recognizing and Responding
- Grief Training: Building Healthcare Provider Capacity
- Indigenous Cultural Safety Training: Grief Experienced by Indigenous Peoples
- Understanding and Responding to Grief
- Building Your Grief Support Skills
- Building Capacity to Support Grieving Families in the ICU
- MyGriefToolbox: Strategies in Palliative Care and Grief to Enhance Your Practice
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Grief triggers
Some situations can trigger strong feelings. Triggers might include sights, sounds, smells, objects, events, places, or people. You may not always know what sets off your grief.
Here are some examples:
- Special occasions (birthdays, weddings, graduations)
- Anniversary of date the loss happened or when the person died
- Places and activities that remind you of the person
- Special objects, scents, and songs
- Coincidences and dreams
- Family dinners or usual activities with friends
It is important to find a balance between setting aside and making time for your grief. If something triggers a lot of distress, it might be time to take a break. However, if you avoid it for too long, it may build up and cause you to feel pressure and stress. Most people need to balance their time between confronting the loss and taking a break from grieving.
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