Grief and loss

Support and advice following the loss of a family member, partner, spouse or someone close to you.

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Sophie_M Welcome to the Grief and Loss section
  • replies: 27

Everyone’s experience of grief or loss is unique. You might experience all kinds of difficult or overwhelming emotions, and you might sometimes wonder if the sadness will ever end. This is a normal reaction to loss. There is no right or wrong way to ... View more

Everyone’s experience of grief or loss is unique. You might experience all kinds of difficult or overwhelming emotions, and you might sometimes wonder if the sadness will ever end. This is a normal reaction to loss. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, but it can help to allow yourself to: share your grief, and let others support you. This forum category is for all discussions relating to how grief and loss has affected you, providing a space for you to express your feelings, discuss difficult moments and anniversaries, and honour the memories of your lost loved ones. Please be aware that threads in this forum may contain discussions of self-harm and suicide.

All discussions

ABC01 Losing another piece of him.
  • replies: 5

Dear All,My cat passed 16 weeks ago in a terrible way(I won't go into detail). Today they pulled down one side of our fence in our backyard due to rot and old age. Plus the weather hasn't helped. I have been in tears for awhile now. He used to sit by... View more

Dear All,My cat passed 16 weeks ago in a terrible way(I won't go into detail). Today they pulled down one side of our fence in our backyard due to rot and old age. Plus the weather hasn't helped. I have been in tears for awhile now. He used to sit by that fence and peer through a tiny hole into next doors yard. I would fondly joke to him about being a little creep. It is a trigger for a good memory. But now the fence is down and that hole is gone. I don't know how to deal with things that have to do with him being erased from existence anymore. Rationally I know it is a fence and that it does need to be replaced. But it hurts to loss another physical piece of him. How do I deal/cope with losing another part of him and especially a part that triggered a good memory whenever I would see it? Thank you for listening.ABC01

Scared Unsure
  • replies: 1

I was watching on tv the families of the 9/11 victims. Why cant i be strong like them. Im feeling ashamed and weak I cant be strong today.My girlfriend is angry with me most of the time because she has no money. I had to block her number because with... View more

I was watching on tv the families of the 9/11 victims. Why cant i be strong like them. Im feeling ashamed and weak I cant be strong today.My girlfriend is angry with me most of the time because she has no money. I had to block her number because with depression she is constantly hurting me with her frustrations of no money.She has gambling addiction and I wont enable her addiction.I already left her back in Thailand.The truth is im scared to break contact completely with her as she can be the only source of sunshine I get in my bleak life. It was her birthday so i sent little money to buy birthday cake and already she unhappy with me again. To send money i need take a bus along way to do this. I dont feel appreciated at all. I never know if Im grieving the loss of blocking my phone or if im depressed. I dont know how to tell.I thought my upping meds recently was helping but its not today. Things are worse if anything today.My Thai girl has an unusual disposition Ive never understood.Like a computer she reboots every morning and whatever happened yesterday is forgotten while Im still getting over what happened yesterday. I blocked her many times in the past and always unblock her.Today she would probably call but i havnt unblocked her number yet.I know people can advise to get rid of her but if you saw how bleak my life is and where I live a rounded person could understand why i hang on to this relationship.I really dont know what to do or the right direction to take.If my depression would leave me i might have a chance to help myself instead of hanging on to something thats unhealthy

jj-01034 do I breakup with him even tho I’m gonna be upset
  • replies: 1

I’ve been with my current bf for over 4 months, and recently I found out that he has been cheating on me with this girl over the phone this is the second time I have seen things with her in their chats and I don’t know how to bring it up to him bc I ... View more

I’ve been with my current bf for over 4 months, and recently I found out that he has been cheating on me with this girl over the phone this is the second time I have seen things with her in their chats and I don’t know how to bring it up to him bc I did check his phone but it’s been bothering me for a while now but his also been acting off couple of times without reason and I don’t know what to do and I’ve been a pretty excepting and loving girlfriend to him. And I will miss him and I love him very much despite what his done

Guest_74960730 Losing my father who loved me most in my life
  • replies: 1

The sudden loss of my father has left me shattered and unprepared. This morning, my cousin delivered the devastating news that he had passed away from a heart attack. The shock is overwhelming, especially since we had been planning to reunite at my g... View more

The sudden loss of my father has left me shattered and unprepared. This morning, my cousin delivered the devastating news that he had passed away from a heart attack. The shock is overwhelming, especially since we had been planning to reunite at my graduation ceremony this December—our first meeting since I came to Australia nearly two years ago to study. I knew my father was dedicated to his work and often reluctant to seek medical attention. Part of me believed he was taking care of himself, but our distance made it impossible for me to know for certain. Now, it's too late for so many things. It's too late to express how much I love him. It's too late to tell him what a wonderful father he was. It's too late to apologize for not visiting home more often. It's too late to do all the things I wished I could have done for him I feel so empty and desperate right now. Nothing seems to matter anymore, and I feel as though I lost the goal of my life. I fear that I'll be living with a void in my heart and crying in every moment when I miss him. I miss him. I love him.....

Ggrand Remembering our beautiful pets…🐕🐈🐓🦜🐇🐁🐄🐏🐖🫏🦘🦃🐠🦆🐣….🌈
  • replies: 3

Hello everyone….… I recently lost one of my beautiful fur girls a month ago and the heartbreaking sadness is still so real… I thought I would start this thread to remember our beautiful pets who have left us to travel over the rainbow bridge….maybe i... View more

Hello everyone….… I recently lost one of my beautiful fur girls a month ago and the heartbreaking sadness is still so real… I thought I would start this thread to remember our beautiful pets who have left us to travel over the rainbow bridge….maybe it’s a way to remember them and cherish the beautiful memories we have of them…have you lost a precious pet and want to share some of the good times and beautiful memories you have of them….I know I would love to hear about them as I’m sure many others would…..and just to add we are all here to support each other both in our grief and the sadness we feel every day….living without them by our side… I was the midwife for your mumma and that ment that I met you the moment you were born, so tiny, no bigger then a golf ball covered with black fur you looked like a piece of black Ebony, that’s how you got your name…my Dear sweet Ebony, the last of the litter, smallest of all your brothers and sisters….but oh so very cute.. Your brothers and sister grew and were adopted by their new forever parents, but you sweet Ebony I couldn’t part with you, you captured my heart the first time I saw you…you stayed with me and your mum… You had a gentle soul, one that when anyone met you, they instantly fell in love with you… you loved to play with your little soft toys, you and mumma would play tug of war together…and broke many of them apart….when your mumma was tired you brought your toy over to me to play with you…you snuggled into my arms every night, you loved to touch me at night…as small as you were you would inch closer and closer to me…I even fell off the bed one hot summers night trying to cool myself down…you had a foot fetish anyone who had bare feet in my house had to endure your constant cleaning of their feet… You loved going for drives with mumma fur and myself, I often stopped and got you your favourite Kentucky popcorn chicken on a break when travelling to Sydney….You would watch the people passing, barking at them until they noticed you…can I pat them a few asked me…your little tail would wag so fast after I wound the window down so they could pat you…. Many times when I was desperately depressed, somehow knowing I was down you would walk up to me with those big beautiful brown eyes and just stare at me until I picked you up so you could cuddle me… When I came home from work, you, your mumma and adopted sister would get so excited, after a lot of pats n cuddles even before I put my bag down..you all would just sit in front of my cupboard waiting until I gave you all a snack….your mumma and sister still do…but I’m missing they way you would jump up and down excitedly when I opened the cupboard and make those funny little noises….until I gave you all one each Cancer found you, then it took you away from me on the ………my sadness is overwhelming…I’m hurting deep in my soul, my heart is breaking, I want to once again feel your soft fur against my face, hear your excited bark, feel your wet kisses, watch you run around and play outside….I am seeing that in my mind, but it’s just not the same….missing you sweet little Ebony… My kindest thoughts and hugs….Grandy..

Lauren_m12 The loss of a Grandpa
  • replies: 1

I just lost my Grandpa very suddenly and shockingly due to a stroke. I am finding it extremely hard to cope. He was very active in my life. He always called family members and wanted to go over to see them. My family feel guilty for being 'busy livin... View more

I just lost my Grandpa very suddenly and shockingly due to a stroke. I am finding it extremely hard to cope. He was very active in my life. He always called family members and wanted to go over to see them. My family feel guilty for being 'busy living our own lives' I guess you could say. And thinking about how we could've done things differently - spent more time with him. I also feel traumatised seeing him disabled after his stroke. And I feel very sorry for him knowing that his family would see him like that. My dad (my grandpa's son-in-law) found him collapsed. it's hard because he always wanted to be with family. I went to his house and took everything in. I took home some shirts and sweaters. The smell of them reminds me of him. I feel guilty to move on with my life, I feel like I was blinded before when he was alive by my own life. I feel like I should punish myself by not having fun in the future. I want my life to be over like his is. I did take him banana bread last year a few times. I only just saw him for his 80th birthday and I asked him if he had any regrets and he said no 🥰. I just went out of state with him for a funeral which was great quality time but also really sad, as he was thinking about his own funeral, and told me that he hopes that people cry that much at his funeral... I told him that we will all say very nice things about him but it won't be for a long time.. he said "hopefully" . He came over just to see grass that I put in for my new house. It's hard to imagine him not being around because he was central to my family. He was always laughing and engaging in conversation. He wasn't sick. I keep thinking of him in hospital in a coma. I watched him for hours just breathing and holding his hand. It was very hard to see him passed too. I am glad that I got to tell him that I love him. It hurts a lot. Please help me

Golden2024 Losing my mum
  • replies: 13

First of all, let my apologize in advanceas I don’t normally post anything anywhere and struggle putting thoughts to words sometimes but I wanted to reach out to any others that may share my experience. It’s been 2 years now since my mum passed away.... View more

First of all, let my apologize in advanceas I don’t normally post anything anywhere and struggle putting thoughts to words sometimes but I wanted to reach out to any others that may share my experience. It’s been 2 years now since my mum passed away. We were absolutely inseparable, she was my best friend and at times my savior. She was the very definition of unconditional love.I knew before she passed that it was going to hit hard and tried to prepare myself as best I could but nothing could have prepared me for what was to come. The grief seems to be getting stronger now over time along with feelings of guilt that maybe I didn’t do enough for her or spend enough time with her than I could have. I have recently moved interstate away from all my support back home and right now feel completely alone.My family and friends are close and supportive but i still feel like they will never completely understand my grief. I don’t know where to turn and feel like I have aged so much since she passed. I tell myself I will try to make her proud , she would never have wanted me to feel like this. There are many others that have gone through so much worse than I have and I am so grateful for having been blessed with such a beautiful mum.My wish is for all others that are struggling with grief find the comfort and peace that they need to get through, no one is really alone if we reach out to each other. Please take care of yourself and I will try to as well.

ABC01 I miss him so much today.
  • replies: 19

Hi,I lost my beloved cat nearly 7 weeks ago. I was devoted to him for the 3 and a half years I had him. He was killed and I have been devastated and dealing with my grief on a daily basis. Today,I just miss him so much. I feel like I need a cat in my... View more

Hi,I lost my beloved cat nearly 7 weeks ago. I was devoted to him for the 3 and a half years I had him. He was killed and I have been devastated and dealing with my grief on a daily basis. Today,I just miss him so much. I feel like I need a cat in my life,but I am just looking for him in every cat I see. I know I can never have him back,but I just long for him. It is the worst pain. Everything is so silent now. That makes me miss him harder. I also feel now like I want to eat everything in my path to help deal. Thank you for hearing me.ABC01

pawsy hard days
  • replies: 3

feeling very low. i saw my gp this week which was good. she organised a mental health care plan for me so hopefully i can find a psychologist to talk to soon, but i have been sliding downhill pretty fast since seeing her. i've made soup and vacuumed ... View more

feeling very low. i saw my gp this week which was good. she organised a mental health care plan for me so hopefully i can find a psychologist to talk to soon, but i have been sliding downhill pretty fast since seeing her. i've made soup and vacuumed the house and fed my pets but thats about it since wednesday. texted a friend. my parents both died in 2023 and we are selling their house. someone is looking at it -- a single mum who has two small children. this makes me happy but also very sad to think of little children being in the house where i was a little child too. the loss of everyone and everything is hard. harder than i thought it would be.

Chlobear Hard times
  • replies: 2

I have been going through a break up and im sure everyone on here knows how hard it can be, especially if you were really attached to the person. Im struggling to feel better at all and looking for anyone to talk to as i have no friends and no family... View more

I have been going through a break up and im sure everyone on here knows how hard it can be, especially if you were really attached to the person. Im struggling to feel better at all and looking for anyone to talk to as i have no friends and no family to talk to or go see to distract myself. Im not sleeping and my negative feelings and thoughts are tormenting me each night i wake up 3:45am unable to go back to sleep.