COMMON MYTHS ABOUT GRIEF:

From How To Go On Living When Someone You Love Dies

by Therese A. Rando, Ph.D.

1. Children grieve like adults.

1. Grief is the same after all types of death.

1. It takes two months to get over your grief.

1. All bereaved people grieve in the same way.

1. Your grief will decline over time without any upsurges.

1. When grief is resolved, it never comes up again.

1. You and your family will be the same after the death of a loved one.

1. It’s not okay to feel sorry for yourself.

1. There is no reason to be angry at your deceased loved one.

1. 10.  Men and women grieve in the same ways.

1. 11.  Children need to be protected from grief and death.

1. 12.  You will have no relationship with your loved one after his or her death.

1. 13.  Parents sometimes divorce after a child dies.

1. 14.  Once your loved one has died, it is better not to focus on him or her but to put       him or her in the past and go on with your life.

These and other myths can make the process of grieving more painful and difficult by creating unrealistic expectations for your recovery and preventing you from asking others for the support you need.