Grief Resources in Rialto, Hesperia, and San Bernadino, CA

• Helping a Friend in Grief
  
• Helping Yourself Heal When Someone You Care About Dies of a Drug Overdose
  
• Helping a Grandparent Who is Grieving
  
• Helping a Grieving Friend in the Workplace
  

• Helping a Suicide Survivor Heal
  
• Helping Your Family When a Member is Dying
  
• Helping a Friend or Family Member After a Cancer Diagnosis
  
• Helping Your Family Heal After Miscarriage
  
  

• You Must Say Hello Before You Say Goodbye
  
• You Must Make Friends with the Darkness Before You Can Enter the Light
  
• You Must Go Backward Before You Can Go Forward
  
• Helping Your Family Heal After Stillbirth
  
• Helping Yourself Heal When an Adult Sibling Dies
  
• Mustering the Courage to Mourn
  
• Love and Grief: In Communion and Greater Than the Sum of Their Parts
  
• Helping Yourself Heal When Someone Loved Dies
  
• Will I Befriend My Feelings Or Will I Deny, Repress, Or Inhibit Them?
  

• Helping Yourself Heal When Your Spouse Dies
  
• Helping Yourself Heal When Your Child Dies
  
• Helping Yourself Heal When Your Parent Dies
  
• Helping Yourself Heal When a Baby Dies
  
• Helping Yourself Heal During the Holiday Season
  
• Healing Your Grief About Getting Older
  
• Embracing the Sadness of Grief
  
• When Your Soulmate Dies
  
  

• Finding the Right Words: Guidelines on how to talk to grieving children about death
  
• How to Talk to the Children and Teens in Your Life About the Newtown, CT Tragedy
  
• Helping Infants and Toddlers Cope with Grief
  

• Helping Children Cope With Grief
  
• Helping Children with Funerals
  
• Helping Teenagers Cope with Grief
  
  
  

• 28 - 48 Hours The impact of reality hits.
  
• 5 - 7 Days Mild depressive reaction; feeling of "let down".
  
• 6 - 8 Weeks Most difficult adjustment period.
  
• The impact of the loss hits with acute symptoms of anxiety and depression.
  
• Loss of sleep and overeating
  
• Sleep changes
  
• Weeping
  
• Fatigue
  
• Tremors
  
• Acute mood swings
  
• Decreased ability to concentrate and remember
  
• Loss of sex drive or desire
  

• Around 3 months Irritability and complaining; physical and verbal acting out of anger and frustration; tears; physical complaints, e.g., headaches, backaches, diarrhea, etc.
  
• Around 6 months Depression
  
• Around 12 months Mild recurrent symptoms associated with the anniversary of the loss; also occurs on special dates such as birthdays and holidays.
  
• 12 - 24 months Acceptance or resolution of the grief.
  
  
  
  
  
  

9. JOIN A GROUP OF OTHERS WHO ARE SORROWING:

Your old circle of friends may change. Even if it does not, you will need new friends who have been through your experience. Bereaved people sometimes form groups for friendship and sharing.

10. ASSOCIATE WITH OLD FRIENDS ALSO:

This may be difficult. Some will be embarrassed by your presence, but they will get over it. If and when you can, talk and act naturally, without avoiding the subject of your loss.

11. POSTPONE MAJOR DECISIONS:

For example, wait before deciding to sell your house or change jobs.

12. RECORD YOUR THOUGHTS IN A JOURNAL:

If you are at all inclined toward writing, it will help to get your feelings out and record your progress.

13. TURN GRIEF INTO CREATIVE ENERGY:

Find a way to help others. Helping to carry someone else's load is guaranteed to lighten your own. If you have writing ability, use it. Great literature has been written as a tribute to someone loved and lost.

14. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION:

If you have one, and you have been inactive in matters of faith, this might be the time to become

involved again. The Bible has much to say about sorrow. Old hymns are relevant. As time passes, you may find you're not so angry at God after all.

15. GET PROFESSIONAL HELP IF NEEDED:

Don't allow crippling grief to continue. There comes a time to stop crying and live again. Sometimes, a few sessions with a trained counselor will help you resolve anger, guilt and despair that keep you from functioning.

6. IF YOU DECIDE TO DO HOLIDAY SHOPPING, MAKE A LIST AHEAD OF TIME AND KEEP IT HANDY FOR A GOOD DAY, OR SHOP THROUGH A CATALOGUE.

7. OBSERVE THE HOLIDAYS IN WAYS WHICH ARE COMFORTABLE FOR YOU.

There is no right or wrong way of handling holidays. Once you've decided how to observe the time, let others know.

8. TRY TO GET ENOUGH REST -- HOLIDAYS CAN BE EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY DRAINING.

9. ALLOW YOURSELF TO EXPRESS YOUR FEELINGS.

Holidays often magnify feelings of loss. It is natural to feel sadness. Share concerns, apprehensions, feelings with a friend. The need for support is often greater during holidays.

10. KEEP IN MIND THAT THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY BEREAVED PERSONS IS THAT THEY DO COME TO ENJOY HOLIDAYS AGAIN. THERE WILL BE OTHER HOLIDAY SEASONS TO CELEBRATE.

11. DON'T BE AFRAID TO HAVE FUN.

Laughter and joy are not disrespectful. Give yourself and your family members permission to celebrate and take pleasure in the holidays.