9781422270196

Teens (and those who love them) should not expect their grief to progress in a linear way—ups and downs should be expected.

talk through complicated feelings is normal. Wanting to be alone and not talking to anyone is normal. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Most everyone has experienced a loss of one kind or another. In fact, one out of every ten teens and one out of every three to four college students have had grieving experiences in the last year. 4 Though teens and young adults may feel that none of their peers will understand their experience of loss and grief, you might be surprised to realize how many of your peers have had similar experiences. Grief involves a complex set of emotions that are different for each individual but common to everyone. It is normal to experience other emotions along with grief. It also takes time to recover emotionally from the loss that started the episode of grieving. Experiencing grief, even for a long time, does not indicate weakness; instead, expressing grief is an indication of powerful love.

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You Are Not Alone: Grief