9781422270196

it is common to have trouble sleeping and concentrating. You may also feel restless, helpless, and have lower self-esteem. Furthermore, you may feel you have lost control over your own life. These emotions may be stronger around holidays, birthdays, and other days that are significant to the family. The central stage of recovering or working through grief for teens involves a re-development of the self-image. Creating an identity is a normal part of teen development as you break away from your parents and make choices to develop your own sense of self. However, a complication arises in a family experiencing grief when a teen wants both to push parents away and claim their independence while at the same time needing and wanting to be with them even more for comfort and stability.

The emotions associated with losing a loved one may be stronger around times associated with family, such as holidays.

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You Are Not Alone: Grief